Braised duck meat, like a humble artist, paints an alluring culinary masterpiece with delicate textures and rich layers of flavors. During the cooking process, the duck meat absorbs the richness of the oils, gradually becoming tender and succulent under the heat. Every bite is filled with satisfaction. The perfectly balanced combination of spices highlights the deliciousness of the duck meat without overpowering its inherent taste. The unique braising method preserves the original essence of the meat while adding a distinctive and flavorful touch.
Ingredients for Braised Duck Meat:
| Duck | 300g |
| Ginger | 10g |
| Garlic | 10g |
| Celery | 20g |
| Cooking wine | 15g |
| Light soy sauce | 10g |
| Salt | 3g |
| Chicken powder | 2g |
| Pepper powder | 1g |
| Chili paste | 5g |
| White radish | 30g |
| Green pricklyash | 6g |
| Dried chilli | 6g |
Step:
1.Chop half of a duck into small pieces and place them in a bowl. When arranging the duck pieces, spread out the duck head from the middle to flatten its shape.
2.Cut a large piece of ginger into slices, ensuring that there are plenty of ginger slices. This will enhance the rich ginger flavor in the braised duck meat. Also, take a handful of garlic cloves, cut them in half, and place them in the bowl. This allows the fragrance of the garlic to be fully released and better penetrate the braised duck meat.
3.Prepare a small bowl and add a handful of dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns. These two types of peppers add a spicy and fragrant taste to the braised duck meat. Next, take a white radish, slice it thinly, and then cut the slices into strips. This allows the white radish to absorb the seasoning sauce more easily during stewing and adds texture to the dish. Additionally, cut a stalk of celery into sections. The addition of celery sections brings a refreshing taste to the braised duck meat and provides some extra color and texture contrast.
4.Once all the ingredients are prepared, we can blanch the duck pieces. First, bring some water to a boil in a pot, then pour cool water into the bowl with the duck pieces. Add 5 grams of cooking wine to reduce the gamey smell of the duck meat during evaporation. Gently stir the duck pieces with a spoon to ensure even heating. Once the water boils, foam will appear. Use a spoon to remove the foam from the pot, maintaining a clear broth. Continue blanching until the duck meat changes color, indicating that the surface is cooked. Then, remove the blanched duck meat and rinse it with cold water to remove excess blood and impurities.
5.Next, bring the water to a boil in the pot again. Once the water is boiling, blanch the cut white radish chunks and celery sections in the pot. Blanching helps remove impurities from the vegetables and makes them more tender. During the blanching process, it is important to control the time to prevent overcooking and making the vegetables too soft or overripe. Once the white radish chunks and celery sections have slightly softened, remove them from the pot and drain off excess water using a colander or spoon. It is worth noting that the celery sections should be kept crispy, so after blanching, they can be removed and drained without being cooked until completely soft.
6.Now, we can start cooking. First, heat oil in the pot. Once the oil is hot, add the ginger slices and stir-fry. Stir-fry the ginger slices over medium heat for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Then, pour the blanched duck pieces into the pot and continue stir-frying. Stir-fry the duck pieces for another 2 minutes, allowing the moisture to gradually evaporate and the surface to become slightly golden. Next, add the dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns prepared earlier and continue stir-frying. The stir-frying time for the peppers depends on personal taste, generally until they release a spicy and fragrant aroma. Then, add the minced garlic and stir-fry evenly. Add half a tablespoon of chili sauce, which will add some spiciness and complex flavor to the braised duck meat.
7.After thoroughly stir-frying the chili sauce, add an appropriate amount of water to ensure that the water covers the duck pieces. This ensures enough broth while stewing the braised duck meat. Next, season with 10 grams of light soy sauce and 10 grams of cooking wine. Also, add 3 grams of salt, 2 grams of chicken powder, and 1 gram of pepper. Use a spoon to stir and dissolve the seasonings evenly, allowing them to blend with the broth. Then, adjust the heat to medium and continue stirring for a while to evenly distribute the seasonings. Next, reduce the heat to low or medium-low and simmer for one hour. This allows the duck meat to absorb more flavor and results in a rich broth.
8.After an hour of slow simmering, the duck meat is mostly cooked through. At this point, you can add the sliced white radish and celery sections into the pot. Next, increase the heat to high and quickly reduce the sauce. Let the broth boil rapidly while stirring continuously to speed up the process of sauce reduction. During the reduction, it’s important to control the heat to avoid burning the sauce. Continue stir-frying until the sauce gradually thickens and coats the duck meat and vegetables. This ensures that the braised duck meat is well-flavored and adds layers of texture to the dish.
9.Once the sauce has thickened, you can transfer the cooked braised duck pieces to a serving bowl and it is now ready to be enjoyed. This delicious braised duck is complete and can be shared with family or friends.
Tips:
1.Before stewing, it is recommended to blanch the duck meat to remove any blood and gamey smell. Place the diced duck meat into boiling water for a brief period, then remove and rinse it thoroughly.
2.Braised duck requires slow simmering to achieve a tender and succulent texture. Use low to medium heat and simmer slowly to allow the flavors to penetrate the duck meat while keeping it moist and tender.
Braised duck, like a warm ray of light, illuminates the dining table during winter. Each piece of duck meat is filled with rich aromas, and with every bite, you can experience its marvelous texture—fatty yet not greasy, lean but not tough. In the flavorful sauce, the deliciousness of the duck meat is fully brought out, making you feel like you are immersed in a culinary paradise. Paired with carefully selected spices and a savory broth, braised duck becomes a perfect story that leaves an unforgettable taste in your mouth.