Duck smoked in tea

Ingredients:

Marinade

• 1 whole duck carcass, washed (preferably a Peking duck with a large breast)
• 1 large piece ginger root, crushed
• 1 bunch of green onions
• 1 tbsp. l. ground cloves
• 1 stick (15 cm) cinnamon (cassia)
• 1 tbsp Sichuan red peppercorns
• 0.5 tbsp. malt sugar or honey
• 1/4 cup coarse salt
• 1 cup Chinese black tea (Darjeeling or Ceylon tea will also work)
• 1 tbsp sodium nitrate (optional, but included in the original recipe)
• Enough water to cover the entire duck
• Sesame/vegetable oil to grease the duck

Smoking oven

• 450 g of camphor wood chips (other types of wood, such as almond wood, will also work)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 packet dried tea leaves, optional

Preparation:

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients except the sesame/vegetable oil and immerse the clean duck in the mixture. Let it sit overnight.
2. Hang the duck and let it dry for at least 2 hours. Hang the duck in the smoker, inserting a hook through the neck.
3. Place camphor chips, brown sugar, and tea leaves, if using, on the tray at the base of the smoker and preheat to 175°C. Some recipes call for tea leaves, but in a mixture of sugar and camphor wood, they won't impart much tea flavor to the ducks.
4. Roast the duck for approximately 40 minutes, depending on its size, oven type, etc. For crispier skin, increase the oven temperature to 200°C (400°F) for the last 5-10 minutes and brush the duck with sesame or vegetable oil again. If you're short on time, you can simply drizzle the duck with hot oil.
5. Slice the duck and serve hot, with bread rolls and sauce if desired.