Did you know January 18th was National Peking Duck Day. National Peking Duck Day is one #Holiday I will pass on because I don’t plan on eating any Duck. Although, Charlie and David might try Duck. How about you? Would you like to have Peking Duck with them?
National Peking Duck Day is celebrated every year on January 18th to recognize the national dish of China. The process of preparing Peking Duck is rooted in tradition that has been perfected over thousands of years since the Yuan Dynasty was established by Kublai Khan.
Today, you don’t have to travel all the way to China to taste Peking Duck. Now, Pekin Duck is readily available in Chinese restaurants across the world. The trademark of a well-done Peking Duck is its crispy, flavorful skin.
Did you know no one knows when the first National Peking Duck Day was celebrated or who started the celebration, but given the popularity of Pekin Ducks is amongst foodies, it’s no surprise that people have unanimously continued to celebrate pekin Duck.
Despite its simple appearance, the preparation of the Peking Duck is quite elaborate. The recipe is ancient and dates back to the Yuan Dynasty since it was established by Kublai Khan. As is true with all recipes, the preparation for Peking Duck has evolved throughout the years.
The White Beijing Duck, or Peking Duck, is the Bird that is traditionally roasted for this meal. The Duck is butchered once it is 65 days old, plucked, pumped full of air between the skin and the Meat, soaked in boiling Water, and skewered. The Cuck is then hung to dry, glazed with Sugar coating, and left for 24 hours, to achieve that perfectly crispy skin.
The Bird is roasted, hanging from the center of the oven to allow the fat to drip, basting the skin as it does. After which the Peking Duck is often sliced artfully by the Chef before being served. The traditional Peking Duck meal begins with a serving of the crispy skin and a Dugar dip.
Next, thin Pancakes are filled with tender Duck Meat, Hoisin and Bean Sauces, Cucumbers, onions, and Garlic. Finally, the Duck Soup is usually made with the leftover bones including the neck, wing joints, and feet. Doesn’t that just sound tasty? Not…
National Peking Duck Day Activities
- To celebrate National Peking Day you should enjoy a meal of Peking Duck at a restaurant of your choice or make the dish yourself at home and enjoy the feast with family and friends.
- To make Peking Duck worthy of your palate, the dish is served with just the skin and a little meat which is sliced in a dramatic manner before the diners. The entire process of the Peking Duck meal is quite challenging and requires a lot of patience and diligence to achieve the desired results.
- It’s quite difficult to make the perfect Peking Duck at home, but you can try your own version of it. Improvise the recipe with Poultry of your choice.
Facts About China
- China is the most populated Country on Earth with over 1.4 billion people as of September 2020.
- Mandarin is not the only Chinese language there are other languages including Yue, Wu, Minbei, Minnan, Xiang, Gan, and Hakka.
- Did you know the Chinese New Year celebrations last 15 days and it’s the biggest holiday in China and is usually celebrated in January or February.
- Despite its huge size, everybody uses the official Beijing time.
- The Chinese spend $260 billion every year, twice what American travelers spend.
Why People Love National Peking Duck Day
- Because Peking Duck is so delicious they had to put aside a day for us to enjoy the wonderful dish. Don’t forget to treat yourself on National Peking Duck Day.
- Peking Duck has a long and enviable lineage. National Peking Duck Day reminds us that we are still enjoying the very same dish that was once enjoyed by Kublai Khan!
- There is no, reason to stop at Peking Duck on National Peking Duck Day along with this delicious dish, don’t forget other Chinese cuisine favorites including Wonton and Dumplings.
Peking Duck Recipe
Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hour 35 mins Additional Time: 2 hours Total Time: 3 hours 50 mins
Ingredients
Original recipe yields 4 servings
- 1 (4 pound) whole duck, dressed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 5 green onions, divided
- ½ cup plum jam
- ¼ cup finely chopped chutney
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar
- 1 orange, sliced in rounds
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Directions
- Gather all ingredients.
- Rinse duck inside and out; pat dry. Cut off tail and discard.
- Mix cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, white pepper, and cloves together in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of spice mix into cavity of duck.
- Stir 1 tablespoon soy sauce into remaining spice mix and rub evenly over entire outside of duck.
- Cut 1 green onion in half and tuck it inside cavity.
- Cover and refrigerate duck for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Place duck breast-side up on a rack set in a wok or pot. Steam for 1 hour, adding more water as it evaporates
- Lift duck with two large spoons to drain juices and green onion.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place duck breast-side up in a roasting pan and prick skin all over with a fork.
- Roast duck in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Mix together remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and honey in a small bowl. Brush honey mixture onto duck.
- Increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Roast until skin is richly browned, about 5 minutes. Do not allow skin to char.
- Mix plum jam, chutney, sugar, and vinegar in a small serving bowl. Chop remaining green onions and place them into a separate bowl.
- Place whole duck onto a serving platter and garnish with orange slices and fresh parsley. Serve with plum sauce and chopped green onions.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
