It’s said that if you miss seeing the Great Wall or dining on Roast Duck, no visit to Beijing is complete.

As famous and delicious food with very long history, Beijing roast duck is a wonderful chooses if you want to understand more about Chinese culture, customs and cuisine.
The duck was originally roasted in a conventional convection oven until Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) when roast ducks became a delicacy in the imperial menu and were highly regarded by emperors and other members of the ruling classes.

The dusks used during this period was a special breed namely the White Beijing Duck and a new method of cooking was employed, by suspending the ducks over the flame in an open oven.
The initial method has been perpetuated by very few restaurants among which BianYi Fang (Convenient and Comfortable) Restaurant, established in 1861, is the most famous. There serves roast duck with a well-preserved traditional flavor. The second method is relatively well-know and use with great success by Quan Ju De restaurant. Today, Quan Ju De means Beijing toast duck to many Chinese people as well as foreigners.

Today the Beijing duck (“Peking duck”) is made of a special variety of duck fattened by forced feeding in the suburbs of Beijing.

Roast Duck

Over a long period of development, exceeding some 140 years, a consummate and precise procedure for cooking Beijng Roast Duck has been firmly established.
First, a suitable White Beijing Duck will be chosen for preparation. After the bird has been plucked, air is pumped between its skin and fresh. A small incision is made for the removal of the entrails.
Secondly, and once the bird been cleaned thoroughly a wooden skewer is inserted through it to make its hanging and ultimate heating. The body cavity is filled with water and the incision that had been made is closed.

Thirdly, the skin of the duck is air dried and brushed with a layer of sugar.
Fourthly, the duck is put then into a large oven, using a smokeless hardwood fuel and heating to about 270 degrees Centigrade for 30 to 40 minutes. The duck is turned frequently during the roasting process to ensure cooking.

pancakes

Then the delicious roast duck is ready! It’s characterized by its crispy skin and tender texture.
In the restaurant, the roast duck, after being shown whole to the customers, is served in slices, which are eaten rolled in thin pancakes with a dish of TianMianJiang (a sweet sauce made of fermented flour) and scallion (or cucumber) cut in thin lengths.
The way to really enjoy the succulent meat is as follows:

First take one of the small, thin pancakes provided and spread it with sauce , small slices of scallion and cucumbers.

Then wrap it, eat it. Delicious!