Rucheng Cured Duck

Rucheng Cured Duck

　　“Rucheng Cured Duck” has a long history, with county records dating it back over 200 years. Its meat is tender, fragrant, and delicious, with an ideal fat-to-lean ratio that makes it rich but not greasy. It requires no seasoning and can be eaten right after steaming, offering a unique flavor. It is a traditional, well-renowned branded product that has enjoyed enduring fame in the Hong Kong and Macau markets. In 1983, the Hunan Provincial Department of Agriculture held a provincial cured duck evaluation, where Rucheng Cured Duck ranked first.

　　Production Method: Rucheng Cured Duck is made from Rucheng local ducks. It is required to be leaf-shaped, snow-white in color, with a natural cured flavor and a rich aroma.

　　1. Fattening. Before slaughtering, ducks weighing over 1.25 kilograms are separated by gender and allowed to graze for a week before being moved to pens for intensive fattening. They are fed three fixed meals a day, with dim lighting in the duck pens. The process takes 28 to 32 days.

　　2. The processing season should begin after winter sets in, with the Winter Solstice being the prime period and frosty or snowy days being ideal—the colder the weather, the better.

　　3. After the standard slaughtering process, the wings, feet, internal organs, and other parts are removed. The duck is then salted with stir-fried salt and fermented for several days. It is typically sun-dried for a few days to become cured duck.