The secret weapon of cooking Peking Duck & BBQ Pork, Kingsland BBQ Cafe, Auckland

 16th April, 2025: Auckland, New Zealand 🇳🇿  https://bit.ly/4lCjNDS

Kingston, BBQ Cafe

481-483 New North Road

Auckland 1021, New Zealand 🇳🇿 

Tel: (09) 815-1568

Mobile:  (021) 229-3898

Mobile: (021) 158-3383

The roundish oven, often referred to as a hung oven or open oven (挂炉 - guà lú), is indeed special and a key element in preparing authentic Peking duck, particularly the style for which the famous Quanjude restaurant is known. While "Ming Luo" isnt a standard term for this type of oven, it might be a specific brand or a less common local name.

Heres what makes this type of oven special for Peking duck:

Key Features and Why They Matter:

Open Flame Roasting: The ducks are hung vertically on hooks inside the oven, directly above an open fire fueled by hardwood, traditionally from fruit trees like peach or pear. This direct heat allows for high temperatures (around 270 

Crispy Skin: The intense heat and direct flame are crucial for rendering the duck fat quickly and evenly, resulting in the signature thin, crispy, and lacquered skin that is the hallmark of Peking duck. The rendered fat drips away, further contributing to the crispiness. 1    

1.  The Food Lab: How to Make Peking Duck at Home (From Scratch!)

Flavor Infusion: Burning fruitwood adds a subtle smoky and aromatic flavor to the duck, enhancing its overall taste.

Even Cooking: The hanging method allows hot air to circulate freely around the entire duck, promoting more even cooking. Skilled chefs can also use a pole to briefly lower individual ducks closer to the fire to ensure uniform browning and crisping.

Capacity: These ovens are often designed to roast multiple ducks simultaneously, making them efficient for restaurant service.

Showmanship: The process of ducks hanging and roasting in the open oven can be visually appealing, sometimes being part of the dining experience.

Contrast with Closed Ovens (焖炉 - mèn lú):

Its important to note that theres another traditional method of roasting Peking duck using a closed oven. In this method, the oven is preheated using sorghum straw, and the duck is placed inside after the fire burns out. The duck cooks slowly through the convection of the retained heat. This method is associated with the Bianyifang restaurant and is said to produce a more tender and juicy meat.

In summary, the roundish, open or hung oven (which might be referred to as "Ming Luo" in some contexts) is special for Peking duck because its design and the use of direct open flame allow for the rapid rendering of fat, resulting in the characteristic crispy skin and subtly smoky flavor that defines this iconic dish.

关于中式北京烤鸭的圆炉（明炉）的特别之处在于其独特的烤制方式和由此产生的风味和质地。以下是它的一些主要特点：

特点：

开放式烤制 (Open Roasting): 明炉是一种开放式的烤炉，这意味着鸭子在烤制过程中直接暴露在热源和空气中。这与封闭式烤炉（焖炉）不同，后者通过炉膛内的热量间接加热鸭子。

高温快速烤制 (High-Temperature Fast Roasting): 明炉通常使用高温快速烤制鸭子。这种方法有助于迅速将鸭皮烤至酥脆，同时保持鸭肉的鲜嫩多汁。

果木炭火 (Fruitwood Charcoal): 传统的明炉烤制通常使用果木（如枣木、梨木）作为燃料。燃烧的果木不仅提供高温，还会散发出独特的香气，为烤鸭增添特殊的风味。

悬挂式烤制 (Hanging Roasting): 在明炉中，处理好的鸭子通常是悬挂起来烤制的。这种方式可以确保鸭子的各个部位均匀受热，并且滴落的油脂不会浸泡到鸭子的底部，从而保证鸭皮的整体酥脆。

独特的风味和质地 (Unique Flavor and Texture): 明炉烤制的北京烤鸭以其皮酥肉嫩而闻名。高温快速的开放式烤制使得鸭皮水分迅速蒸发，形成一层光亮酥脆的外皮，而果木的香气则渗透到鸭肉中，赋予其独特的风味。

与焖炉的区别 (Difference from 焖炉 - Closed Oven):

焖炉是一种封闭式的烤炉，依靠炉壁的热量和热空气循环来烤制鸭子。

焖炉的温度通常比明炉低，烤制时间也更长。

焖炉烤制的鸭子皮也酥脆，但通常没有明炉烤制的那么干爽，肉质则更加软烂。

焖炉的风味更多来自于鸭子自身的香味和腌料的味道。

总结 (Summary):

明炉之所以特别，在于其开放式的烤制环境、高温快速的烤制方式、果木炭火的独特香气以及悬挂式的烤制方法。这些因素共同作用，造就了北京烤鸭皮酥脆、肉鲜嫩、带有独特果木香味的特点，使其成为享誉世界的中国美食。