Dengjia Salt-Preserved and Century Egg

Dengjia Salt-Preserved and Century Egg

　　Dengjia Salt-Preserved and Century Egg is a specialty of Guang’an District, Guang’an City, Sichuan Province. Dengjia Salt-Preserved and Century Egg has been honored as a “Best-Selling Local Product Brand in Guang’an,” “Featured Tourism Souvenir,” “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Guang’an,” among others, and has also been certified as a “Pollution-Free Agricultural Product” by the National Ministry of Agriculture.

　　Dengjia Salt-Preserved and Century Egg originated in Paifang Village, Guang’an City, Sichuan Province, and boasts a history of over 300 years. Legend has it that during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, when Zhang Xianzhong invaded Sichuan, the ancestors of the Deng family, along with fellow villagers, sought refuge in the mountains. A few days later, upon returning home, they found that only the spices, salt, and duck eggs stored in the cellar for making brined dishes had survived the chaos. However, due to several days of heavy rain, the duck eggs had been soaked together with the spices. To stave off hunger, the Deng family cooked the soaked duck eggs and unexpectedly discovered that they combined the flavors of both salted eggs and century eggs. Inspired by this discovery, the Deng ancestors continuously refined the curing method, which has been passed down as a closely guarded secret through generations.

　　The “Dengjia” brand Guang’an Salt-Preserved and Century Egg combines the advantages of both salted eggs and century eggs. It is produced using a lead-free process, resulting in an egg that is not as salty as a salted egg nor as alkaline as a century egg. The salt-preserved century egg boasts a rich aroma and a translucent, glossy appearance. The egg white has a firm and chewy texture, while the yolk is soft, crumbly, fragrant, and sticky—offering a uniquely delightful taste. Truly, one duck egg, two distinctive flavors. The main ingredient, duck eggs, used in the “Dengjia” brand Salt-Preserved and Century Egg, are sourced from local Muscovy ducks. These ducks, raised in a natural environment, ensure the high quality of the eggs. The auxiliary ingredients include dozens of traditional Chinese herbs such as bay leaves, fennel, nutmeg, star anise, cardamom, sandalwood, and fresh ginger, all blended according to the company’s secret recipe. The production process of the “Dengjia” brand Salt-Preserved and Century Egg is unique: the eggs must be carefully sorted, disinfected, cleaned, naturally air-dried, seasoned with broth, and then soaked in brine pools. The curing duration is determined based on the season, temperature variations, and type of eggs. Once matured, the eggs are taken out, cleaned again, disinfected, boiled, quality-checked, sorted, and packaged. Experiments have shown that “Dengjia” brand Salt-Preserved and Century Eggs are rich in protein and various trace elements beneficial to human health, and contain no substances harmful to the body, making them a safe and healthy food choice.