Smoked Duck with Camphor and Tea

Smoked Duck with Camphor and Tea

　　“Smoked Duck with Camphor and Tea” is one of the famous smoked dishes from Chengdu, Sichuan. It features a bright reddish color, crispy outside and tender inside, with a strong aroma of camphor wood and floral tea. It is most famously made by the “Fulu Xuan” duck shop in Chengdu. The dish is made with strict ingredient selection and meticulous preparation. It uses plump, tender male ducks available in autumn, and goes through four processes—marinating, smoking, steaming, and frying—also known as the “Four-Process Smoked Duck.” Among these four processes, smoking the duck with camphor leaves and floral tea is the most important. The camphor tree is an evergreen tree commonly found in warm areas, with elliptical leaves that have the unique fragrance of camphor. Using these leaves along with floral tea to smoke the duck is a highlight of this dish. The presentation of the dish is also very refined: after smoking the whole duck, it is first cut into pieces and then reassembled into its original shape before being placed on the serving plate, ensuring that the duck is not only tasty but also attractively presented. It is typically served with “lotus leaf soft pancakes” for diners to wrap and eat, resulting in an exceptionally flavorful experience.

　　  Smoked Duck with Camphor and Tea is a traditional famous dish from Sichuan, which had already gained fame across the province as early as the 1940s. The ducks used by Chengdu restaurants are all sourced from areas south of Chengdu.

　　    In Chengdu, there is a saying: “Ducks from the south road, chickens from the north road.” The area south of Chengdu has more water, while the north is more mountainous, hence the southern ducks are fatter and the northern chickens are more tender. Southern ducks, after being prepared by chefs, have crispy skin, tender meat, a delicious taste, and a rich, distinctive aroma. They are made using over ten ingredients such as black tea, white sugar, rice wine, scallions, ginger, cinnamon, and star anise, all carefully prepared, and then smoked with camphor sawdust and leaves, which is why they are called Smoked Duck with Camphor and Tea. It is served with scallion stalks, sweet bean sauce, and hollow pancakes, offering an enticing smoky aroma.

　　    Many domestic and international customers who have tasted it believe that the Smoked Duck with Camphor and Tea here surpasses Beijing Roast Duck. A few years ago, when renowned Sichuan chefs visited Hong Kong, many diners highly praised this dish, saying it was a Sichuan delicacy that excelled in color, aroma, taste, and presentation. It caused a great sensation among food enthusiasts and thus became famous both in China and abroad.

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　　    Smoked Duck with Camphor and Tea – Local Website

　　    Origin: Sichuan

　　    Category: Dish

　　    Preparation Method

　　    Title Preparation Method

　　    【Ingredients】

　　    One fat, plucked duck (about 1500g), 15g sweet bean paste, 15g scallion white segments, 10g sesame oil, 50g yellow wine, 5g salt, 50g camphor leaves, 50g moist tea leaves, 150g pine and cypress twigs, 150g camphor sawdust, 1g Sichuan peppercorn, 5g ground pepper.

　　    【Preparation】

　　    (1) Clean and dry the plucked duck. Rub salt inside the cavity and on the skin, then steam until cooked (about 1 hour). Place spices such as Sichuan peppercorn and ground pepper in a pot, add water, and boil to make a marinade (add enough water to fully submerge the entire duck), then remove the pot from heat and let it cool completely, skimming off any foam or impurities from the surface.

　　    (2) Soak the plucked duck in the marinade for about 3 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat. Then take the duck out and let it air-dry.

　　    (3) In a dry wok, lay out smoking materials such as camphor leaves, camphor sawdust, tea leaves, and fruit peels (any kind, in any amount), place a wire rack on top, put the duck on the rack, cover tightly, and heat the bottom of the wok over high heat for about 15 minutes until the duck skin turns light yellow.

　　    (4) Heat oil in a pan until 80% hot, place the duck in, and fry until the skin turns golden yellow and the meat becomes crispy. Remove, cut into strips 3cm long and 1cm wide, arrange on a plate in the shape of a duck, and serve.