Peking Duck
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Peking Duck
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Peking Duck (also called Beijing roast duck; Simplified Chinese: 北京烤鸭; Traditional Chinese: 北京烤鴨; Pinyin: Běijīng kǎoyā) is one of the best-known dishes of Beijing (Jing) cuisine. It is prized for thin, crisp skin and tender meat, usually carved at the table and eaten with thin wheat pancakes, scallion, cucumber, and a sweet bean or hoisin-style sauce.[1]
Characteristics
The hallmark of Peking Duck is the contrast between lacquered, brittle skin and moist meat. Birds are traditionally air-dried and roasted so the skin separates slightly from the fat beneath. Diners typically wrap sliced skin and meat in pancakes with fresh aromatics and sauce rather than eating the duck alone as a heavy roast plate.
Ingredients (overview)
Core elements include a specially prepared duck, wheat pancakes (or sometimes steamed buns), scallion strips, cucumber, and a savory-sweet fermented bean sauce. Restaurant service often presents the carved duck first, then a soup or stir-fry made from remaining bones and meat.
History and culture
Roast duck has long been associated with Beijing's capital dining culture, including imperial and restaurant traditions that emphasized careful roasting and tableside carving. Today it remains a signature dish for visitors and a festive choice for local banquets, while simpler roast-duck shops serve everyday versions across the city.
Serving and variations
Classic banquet service emphasizes whole-bird presentation and carving. Home and casual versions may use oven roasting or commercial ducks. Related northern roast and wheat-wrap habits appear across Beijing Food and neighboring northern snack culture.