Kitchen Passport
4 eating
Photograph of the finished Nanjing salted duck

China · Vịt muối Nam Kinh

Nanjing salted duck

1 hr Hands-on time + 1 hr soaking or marinating first
MediumDifficulty
5 stepsSteps

Method

  1. 1 Roast coarse salt with Sichuan peppercorns in a dry pan for 3 minutes until fragrant.
  2. 2 Rub salt and pepper evenly all over the duck and inside its cavity, then refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.
  3. 3 Rinse off excess salt, then stuff the duck's cavity with ginger and scallions.
  4. 4 Boil a pot of water with cinnamon, star anise, and Shaoxing wine, add the duck, reduce the heat and let it steep for 40 minutes, avoiding a rolling boil.
  5. 5 Remove the duck from the pot, let it cool completely, then chop it into pieces; the meat should be pinkish-white and firm.