Beijing Roast Duck, or Peking Duck, is one of the most celebrated dishes of Beijing cuisine with a long historical standing. The earliest written record of roast duck was found in Shizhenlu (A Collection of Delicacies) in the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589). The first Peking duck was roasted some time during the early 15th century, when it was a popular dish on imperial court menus of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). There are several restaurants devoted exclusively to the dish- Quanjude ( since 1864) and Bianyifang ( since1416) being prime examples, both of which are time- honoured brands with several hundred years of history.
The authentic Beijing Roast Duck takes several days to prepare. It calls for a fatty bird called Peking duck bred specifically for the dish. After the bird is killed and dressed, air is forced between the skin and flesh to separate the skin from the meat. This insures that the skin is very crispy and the meat succulent. After the procedures such as removing the entrails, filling the belly up with water, and sugar coloring the skin, the bird is hung up to dry. Then the duck is roasted suspended in an oven, or hung over fire lit by the wood of fruit trees such as date, or pear till it becomes reddish brown with rich grease perspiring outside and has a nice odor. When served, the duck is always artfully sliced. The whole duck weighing two kilos must be sliced into exact 108 pieces and every piece has to be perfect with the complete layers of the meat and trimmed of excess fat. The duck is often sliced tableside and served alongside cucumbers and scallions. The accompaniments are wrapped in a thin wheat- flour pancake, which is slathered with any of several savory sauces. The remains of the duck bones will not go to waste. To complete the duck course,a duck bone soup with celery cabbage or wax gour d is served.
As a royal dish in the imperial age of ancient China, Beijing Roast Duck now finds its way to the dining- tables of ordinary people and has made trek westward. Braise- oven duck represented by Bianyifang and hooked duck represented by Quanjude have become the two main schools of Beijing Roast Duck. In 2008, both Bianyifang Roast Duck Technique and Quanjude Roast Duck Technique are rated as National Intangible Cultural Heritage.