Leiguan Cured Duck

Leiguan Cured Duck

　　Leiguan Cured Duck is a long-renowned traditional specialty from Leiguan, a water town in Laian County. In 1997, "Leiguan Brand" cured duck was recognized as a high-quality product of township enterprises in Anhui Province. In 1998, it was awarded the title of "Anhui Famous Brand Agricultural Product."

　　Leiguan Cured Duck is meticulously crafted from local Muscovy ducks or lean Cherry Valley ducks using aged brine, traditional recipes, and modern techniques. The process can be summarized as "stir-fried salt curing, clear brine covering, thorough drying, and sufficient steaming," resulting in cured duck that is "white-skinned, red-fleshed, and green-boned."

　　Leiguan Cured Duck stands out in both ingredient selection and production technique. The ducks used are selected for their long bodies, broad frames, and well-developed muscles in the chest and legs, along with walnut-sized flesh in the armpits. The slaughtering incision must be small to fully drain the blood. Scalding and feather removal should not use boiling water to avoid damaging the skin. After removing the large feathers and plucking the fine ones, the ducks are rinsed, their feet and wings trimmed, and a small incision about an inch long is made under the armpit to remove the internal organs, leaving the exterior intact. The curing technique is key to making quality cured duck. Leiguan Cured Duck uses aged brine that has been simmered down, with the cleaned ducks soaked in the brine for 24 hours before being hung to dry in a cool place. After several days, it is ready to cook. Each local family has its own unique curing brine, reportedly incorporating over ten kinds of precious medicinal herbs.

　　The method of steaming or boiling Leiguan Cured Duck is very particular. Before cooking, rinse the surface with warm water and soak until the meat softens. When boiling, add a small amount of crushed ginger, scallions, and two cloves of star anise to the water. Place one star anise, one scallion, and a few slices of ginger into the cavity through the opening under the wing. Then insert a slanted hollow bamboo tube about 4 cm long into the duck to allow the broth to circulate inside and out during cooking. Start by heating cold water in the pot, submerge the duck, and fill its cavity with water. After soaking for two minutes, lift the duck by the neck to drain the water from its cavity through the bamboo tube, then refill the cavity with water. Cover the pot, bring the water to 90°C, and simmer for 15 minutes. For the second round, drain the cavity again, refill with water, turn the duck over, and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat, let it sit covered for 10 minutes, remove the duck, let it cool slightly, and it is ready to eat.