Hunan Tea-smoked Duck

Total Time: 12 hrs 50 mins Preparation Time: 12 hrs Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 5 lbs duck
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 1 tablespoon szechuan peppercorns
• 1/2 cup black tea leaves
• 1/2 cup rice (uncooked)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 cups oil, for deep-frying

Recipe

• 1 clean and wash duck.
• 2 dry thoroughly with a paper towel.
• 3 rub inside and outside with salt.
• 4 sprinkle with peppercorns.
• 5 wrap duck in aluminum foil and place a heavy weight on top. (a brick wrapped in foil will do the trick)
• 6 refrigerate overnight.
• 7 remove foil and place duck on steamer tray.
• 8 cover and steam over boiling water 1 1/2 hours.
• 9 line large wok and wok lid with aluminum foil.
• 10 place tea leaves, rice, and brown sugar on foil.
• 11 put a rack above the mixture or place 4 chopsticks crosswise approximately 1 inch above it.
• 12 place duck on rack, breast side up.
• 13 cover wok and seal tightly to prevent smoke from escaping.
• 14 turn on high heat. roast tea mixture until it smokes.
• 15 smoke duck 10 minutes on high heat.
• 16 reduce heat to moderate.
• 17 smoke another 10 minutes. turn off heat.
• 18 leave duck in wok 20 minutes more.
• 19 remove duck.
• 20 cool thoroughly and rub with soy sauce.
• 21 sprinkle evenly with cornstarch.
• 22 heat oil in wok and deep-fry duck 10 minutes (5 minutes each side).
• 23 remove and drain on paper towel.
• 24 chop into bite-sized pieces and serve with rice mixture.