Tea Smoked Duck is one of the most famous dishes of Sichuan Province, contrary to what most people believe it to originate from Hunan. Smoking was a culinary craft mastered by the Sichuan people as a better way to preserve flavor and the longevity of foods without refrigeration. A good tea smoked duck should have a haunting tea smoked flavor, well rendered, tender meat and a crackling skin. It can be served with buns and accompanied by a semisweet bean sauce.

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 1 whole cleaned duck (preferably Peking where the breasts are larger)
• 1 large piece ginger root, crushed
• 1 bunch spring onions
• 1 tablespoon ground cloves
• 1 (6-inch) piece cassia cinnamon, preferably Chinese
• 1 Sichuan red peppercorns
• 1/2 cup maltose sugar or honey
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1 cup fine Chinese black tea (Darjeeling, Ceylon are fine substitutes)
• 1 tablespoon saltpeter (optional but in original recipes)
• Water, enough to just cover duck in bath
• Sesame /vegetable oil, for basting

Smoking oven:

• 1 pound of camphor wood (chips are fine) Other types of wood such almond can be used)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 bag dried tea twigs, optional

Directions