Youxian Blood Duck

Youxian Blood Duck

　　Youxian Blood Duck is a classic Hunan dish. The process begins with selecting the liveliest and freshest young local duck, which is then slaughtered, allowing the duck blood to flow into a bowl containing cooking wine. The duck is plucked, gutted, and cut into pieces, then stir-fried in hot oil along with ginger, red chili peppers, and garlic cloves. Next, it is simmered with fresh broth until most of the liquid has evaporated. Finally, the duck blood is poured entirely over the pieces while continuously stirring, followed by adding seasonings and finishing the dish. The duck blood is smooth and flavorful, with properties believed to clear heat and detoxify, while the duck meat is exceptionally tender. One bite, and you won’t be able to stop—truly a delicious delicacy!

　　“Youxian Blood Duck” is a delicious dish made from Youxian local ducks. It uses young Muscovy ducks that are only about two months old. When slaughtering the ducks, great care is taken to collect their fresh blood. The method is quite particular: first, an appropriate amount of water and salt is placed in a bowl, with the salt level being crucial. Too little salt will prevent the blood from coagulating properly, while too much will make it overly salty and dark in color. The chef makes a small cut in the duck’s neck, then inverts the duck by lifting its feet so that the blood flows into the bowl. Once all the blood has been drained, it is immediately stirred to blend the water, salt, and blood together. The ideal consistency is when the mixture can be lifted with chopsticks as a sticky, cohesive blood paste.

　　The main highlight of stir-fried blood duck lies in the use of duck blood. After thoroughly plucking the Muscovy duck and removing its internal organs, the meat is chopped into pieces. Raw tea oil is heated in a wok, and the duck meat slices are stir-fried along with ginger, chili peppers, and cinnamon powder (or ground cinnamon) until they are about 60% cooked. Then, hot water is added, and the mixture is simmered until it reaches about 90% doneness. At this point, the duck blood paste is added. As the blood changes from bright red to a dark purplish-red, it completely coats the duck meat. Once this stage is reached, the blood duck is ready to eat. Youxian Blood Duck boasts a sweet, fresh, and crisp-tender flavor, making it an excellent choice to serve with either alcohol or rice.

　　After the reform and opening-up, many people from Youxian ventured out across China to start businesses. Major cities such as Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing, and Shanghai all have Youxian natives. Some of them opened hotels and restaurants in the cities, naturally bringing their hometown cuisine with them. “Youxian Blood Duck,” this beloved home-style dish, has now spread all over the country. I once had the pleasure of dining at General Tan Dongsheng’s home in Guangzhou, where he specifically instructed the chef to prepare “Youxian Blood Duck.” General Tan said that even after decades of military life, his habit of eating hometown dishes never changed, and the most distinctive among them was “Youxian Blood Duck.” In Beijing restaurants and the Jinjiang Hotel in Shanghai, “Youxian Blood Duck” is also listed on the menu. However, because the ducks used are not authentic Youxian Muscovy ducks and the preparation methods are not as traditional as those back home, the taste falls far short of the authentic version enjoyed in Youxian itself.