Peking Duck

北京烤鸭

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Synopsis

Peking Duck is one of China's most famous dishes, with a history of over six hundred years, originating from the imperial kitchens of the Ming Dynasty. It is roasted in a hung oven using fruitwood, resulting in crispy skin and tender meat. It is traditionally served with thin pancakes, shredded scallions, and sweet bean sauce. Quanjude and Bianyifang are the most renowned time-honored brands. Peking Duck is a representative dish that showcases Chinese cuisine to the world.

Overview

Peking Duck is one of China's most renowned traditional delicacies and a representative of Chinese cuisine on the global stage. With a history of over six hundred years, it originated in the imperial kitchens of the Ming Dynasty. After being introduced to the public during the Qing Dynasty, it gradually evolved into a signature dish of Beijing. Authentic Peking Duck is roasted over an open fire fueled by fruitwood (such as jujube or pear wood) in a hung oven. The resulting duck features crispy, golden-brown skin and tender, juicy meat. To eat, the duck is thinly sliced and served with thin pancakes, shredded scallions, cucumber strips, and sweet bean sauce. Wrapped together and taken in one bite, the combination of crispiness and tenderness, richness and freshness creates a perfect sensory experience.

Peking Duck is not only a culinary icon of Beijing but also a shining emblem of Chinese food culture. From state banquets to street food, from time-honored establishments in Beijing's hutongs to Chinese restaurants in New York and Paris, Peking Duck has become the most globally recognized Chinese dish.

Historical Origins

Period	Development
Northern and Southern Dynasties	Early form of roast duck appears, known as "Zhi Ya" (roasted duck)
Yuan Dynasty	Roast duck becomes an imperial dish
Ming Dynasty	Roasting techniques mature; the dish spreads from Nanjing to Beijing
Qing Dynasty	Two major schools form: hung-oven roasting and closed-oven roasting
1864	Quanjude opens, establishing the iconic hung-oven roast duck brand
Modern Era	Peking Duck goes global, becoming a staple of state banquets

Two Major Schools

Peking Duck is divided into two major schools: hung-oven roast duck and closed-oven roast duck.

Hung-oven roast duck is represented by Quanjude. The oven has no door, and the duck is roasted over an open fruitwood fire, with flames directly licking the duck's body. During roasting, the duck is constantly turned for even heating. Characteristics include crispy skin, tender meat, a bright red hue, and a subtle fruity aroma from the wood. Founded in 1864, Quanjude has a history of 160 years and is the most famous brand for Peking Duck.

Closed-oven roast duck is represented by Bianyifang. The oven has a door; it is first heated, then the duck is placed inside, and the door is closed, allowing the residual heat to cook the duck. This method yields more tender and juicy meat, though the skin is less crispy than hung-oven duck. Bianyifang was established in 1416 (during the Ming Dynasty's Yongle era), over four hundred years earlier than Quanjude, making it Beijing's oldest roast duck restaurant.

Production Process

The production of Peking Duck is extremely meticulous, involving dozens of steps from duck selection to serving.

First, Beijing stuffed duck is selected—a specially fed white duck weighing between 2.5 to 3 kilograms, known for its tender and fatty meat. After slaughter, the duck is inflated—air is blown between the skin and meat to separate them, ensuring the skin becomes crispy and puffy during roasting. This is followed by scalding the skin and glazing (pouring malt sugar water over the duck).

Before roasting, hot water is poured into the duck's cavity, allowing the inside to steam while the outside roasts, resulting in more tender meat. Roasting occurs at temperatures between 260 to 280 degrees Celsius, taking about 40 to 50 minutes per duck. Experienced chefs can judge doneness by sight—when the skin turns an even amber color with a glossy sheen, it's perfect.

Slicing the duck is the final step and a test of the chef's skill. Traditionally, a duck is sliced into 108 pieces, each with skin and meat, uniform in size. The sliced meat is as thin as a cicada's wing and served with pancakes and various condiments.

How to Eat

Authentic Peking Duck has three classic ways of eating. The first is to dip the duck meat in sweet bean sauce, add scallions and cucumber strips, and wrap it in a thin pancake—the most common method. The second is to eat only the crispy skin dipped in white sugar, which melts in the mouth with a sweet and crispy blend. The third is to dip the duck meat in garlic paste, where the garlic flavor complements the duck's richness.

A proper Peking Duck meal often includes duck bone soup—simmering the leftover carcass with cabbage and tofu to create a light, flavorful broth, perfect for ending the meal. Other dishes made from various duck parts include duck oil pancakes and duck liver pâté.