Sunday, January 8, 2017

Chinese Waxed Duck 【腊鸭】


Together with Lap Cheong or Chinese Waxed Sausage, I also made a small batch of Lap Ngak (Waxed duck), a type of wind-dried, cured, dried meat typically made/eaten during Chinese New Year.

This cured meat is normally used to prepare dishes for the Chinese New year Reunion dinner. The way of making is pretty similar to the Lap Cheong, marinated with seasoning for days and then left hung out to air dry in a dry cool place until cured for approximately 7-14 days depending on the weather.

The only difference between the cantonese Lap Cheong and this Chinese waxed duck is that the duck will be smoked once cured to give more flavor to the meat.

冬至前后是制作腊味的好时节。“秋风起,腊味香” 是广粤那里耳熟能详的口头禅,过去很多家庭都会趁着秋风起,空气冷冽干燥的时候腌制腊味。

今年秋季遇上我工作比较闲,制作了腊肠和腊鸭,用时间慢慢地堆积一些年味。

Ingredients:
2.2 lbs/1000 g Duck legs (around 4)
30 g salt
6 g Sichuan Peppercorns
6 g sugar
6 g Chinese white spirit/wine

材料:
2.2 磅/1000克 的 鸭腿 (大约4只)
30 克 盐
6 克花椒
6 克 糖
6 克白酒




1.  Toast salt and sichuan peppercorns in a skillet/pan until crisp and fragrant. Coarsely crushed the peppercorns and salt using a mortar and pestle.

2. Clean and dry the duck legs with kitchen towel, remove any remaining hair.

3. Rub the sichuan peppercorn and salt mixtures to the duck legs, add sugar and Chinese white spirit/wine, mix well and place the duck legs in a deep container with cover.

4. Place the duck in a cool, dry place like a cellar, or the fridge. Turn the duck every 24 hours and remove excess water that come out from the duck, do this for 3-4 days.

5. Use cotton strings or hemp strings to tie the duck legs, hang the legs to dry in a well ventilated place. Bring in the duck at night and keep somewhere cool like a pantry.

6. Duck fat will begin to drip so lay down kitchen towel or newspaper to catch the duck fat. You’ll notice the meat and skin get darker about 7-8 days. Continue to air dry the duck legs until dehydrated and loses about 30 percent of its original weight depending on the weather and humidity level, it could range from 7-20 days, mine took around 14 days.

Note: you can test the readiness of duck legs by pressing on the meat, if it is somewhat tight and feel waxy, it is ready.

1.  在一口小锅里把食盐和花椒小火煸香,稍微冷却后捣碎备用。

2. 鸭腿清理干净后用厨房纸吸干水份,拔除剩余的鸭毛。

3. 把花椒和盐均匀地抹到鸭腿上,加入糖和白酒,抹匀后摆到一个带盖的容器里。

4. 把鸭腿放到冰箱或家里比较冷的地方腌制。每24小时翻一翻,顺便把流出来的血水倒掉,重复这个动作3-4次。

5. 用棉绳或麻绳把鸭腿绑好吊起,挂到通风处风干。夜晚可以收回家放到阴凉处,白天再挂出去。

6. 2-3天后就会看见鸭腿开始滴油,所以地上最好铺上一层报纸或厨房纸吸油,免得弄脏了地板。这个时候你会发现鸭腿的颜色正在加深,当鸭腿开始收缩变干,体积少了差不多百分之三十的时候,就差不多好了。

风干腊鸭的时间要看当时的气候温度和湿度,一般需要7-20天,我的腊鸭是用了约14天才风干的。

注: 用手压压风干的鸭腿,感觉肉皮紧缩,肉不回缩就算好了。


7. The duck is ready for smoking once it is dry enough. I smoke my duck and cured meat in an old wok, you can use a smoker if you have one.

8. Place a sheet of foil paper in the wok, add 1/3 cup of rice/glutinous rice,1/3 cup of Chinese green tea leaves, 3 tbsp of sugar, 2-3 cloves of garlic (Optional), and tangerine/orange peels from 2 oranges/tangerines. Combine and spread out evenly.

9. Place a round baking/cooking rack over the mixture and lay the cured meat/duck legs over the rack, cover with lid and turn the stove to high, when smoke starting to show from the seam between wok and lid, turn the heat to medium low/low and smoke/cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The smoked meat looks more transparent and waxy once done.

Store the smoked, cured meat in cool, dry place.

7. 鸭腿风干后就可以熏了。居家小打小闹地做点年货吃,不必专门地买熏炉来熏,用家里本有带盖的旧锅即可。

8. 锅底铺上一层锡箔纸,倒入1/3杯的白米/糯米,1/3杯的茶叶,3大勺的白糖,2-3瓣的蒜瓣儿(可无)和两只橘子剥下来的橘子皮,混匀。

9. 锅子里架上一个铁网,把腊肉腊鸭摆上,加盖大火烧至冒烟后转小火熏制45分钟至一个小时。熏好的肉色泽透亮,很是好看。

熏好的腊味储存在阴凉干燥处即可。


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