Dry-marinating Ducks

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Here's the first installment of what has turned into quite a series of
posts on Chinese Smoke Cooking. I've still got a few more recipes to
type in, but this on will getcha started...  This is the Chinese
version of "smoking". It would better be called  "smoke cooking" as the
process is much shorter than Western style  smoking. This first recipe
is fairly complex and lengthy in that it  will take three days or so
for all the steps. It involves dry  marinating, steaming and the actual
smoking of the duck. This recipe  is from Ken Hom's "Chinese Technique"
which is profusely illustrated  with photos. You'll have to use your
imagination a bit...  Salt and five-spice powder make a fragrant dry
marinade, which draws  some of the moisture from the duck so that the
spices penetrate the  bird. The marinated duck is then steamed to firm
and cook it, then is  finished by deep- frying or smoking. Chicken and
squab may also be  prepared this way.  Press down hard on the duck's
breastbone to flatten it. Rub the dry  marinade over the trimmed duck.
Rub the dry marinade inside the  cavity. Put the duck on a baking sheet
and cover it with another flat  sheet. Weight down the top sheet with a
pot filled with water to  flatten the duck and to make it release some
of its own moisture. Let  it marinate like this, in a cool place or in
the refrigerator, for 2  days. Use the marinated duck to make Smoked
Tea Duck, or steam it for  2 hours to cook and render all the fat. Let
it sit a room temperature  for several hours to dry then deep-fry in
about 4 cups oil until  crisp.  SMOKED TEA DUCK: This is a cold dish
that can be prepared well in  advance: in fact, we find that ducks
smoked 2 days in advance are  more flavorful. Reduce the steaming time
according to the size of the  bird: allow 15 minutes per pound for
chicken, 30 minutes for squab.  The smoking process doesn't actually
cook the duck. It adds flavor to  a duck already cooked by steaming and
changes the texture of the  flesh to something similar to that of ham.
A covered barbecue grill  (such as any of the kettle-type barbecues on
the market) is perfect.  1 whole duck, 5 to 6 pounds, trimmed, dry
marinated for 2 days 6  slices fresh ginger root, cut into 3-inch
sections 6 whole scallions,  cut into 3-inch pieces FOR SMOKING: 1 cup
raw long-grain rice 1 cup  dark Chinese tea leaves 1/2 cup brown sugar
or hickory chips Serves 4  to 6 as an appetizer May be smoked up to 2
days ahead of time and  refrigerated until ready to serve. Allow to
reach room temperature.  Suggested beverage: Young, full-bodied
Cabernet Sauvignon or Barolo 1.  Stuff the cavity of the duck with the
ginger and scallions.  2. Steam the duck for 1 hour 15 minutes (for a
5-pound duck) to 1  hour 30 minutes (for a 6-pound duck) to draw out
the fat and to cook  the duck gently, keeping it moist. Drain the duck
and remove the  ginger and scallions.  [If you don't have a steamer,
you can improvise one by putting an  upside down bowl or flattish can
with both ends removed in a stock  pot and then putting the duck on a
plate on the can. Fill the pot up  to just below the plate, cover
tightly and steam. S.C.] 3. Make a bed  of charcoal in the barbecue and
ignite it. When the surface turns to  ash, set a metal pie plate
containing the smoking ingredients on the  coals.  4. Cover it with a
grate and set the duck on the grate.  5. Cover the grill an smoke the
duck for 45 to 50 minutes, turn ing it  every 10 to 15 minutes to brown
it evenly. Check the coals  periodically to make sure they don't die
down.  That's it. I serve this with hot mustard, hoisin sauce and
chopped  green onions for dipping. And rice of course.  From "Chinese
Technique" by Ken Hom with Harvey Steiman. Simon and  Schuster, New
York. 1981.  Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; January 26 1992.  Posted to
CHILE-HEADS DIGEST V3 #, converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 146
Calories From Fat: 29
Total Fat: 3.3g
Cholesterol: 73.1mg
Sodium: 4315.8mg
Potassium: 246.5mg
Carbohydrates: <1g
Fiber: <1g
Sugar: <1g
Protein: 26.9g