Zhangwang Braised Duck 张汪板鸭

Zhangwang Braised Duck (张汪板鸭) is a duck slow-braised in a spiced master stock, made in Zhangwang town (张汪镇) of Tengzhou (滕州), Zaozhuang. Dazhong Daily's Zaozhuang site notes that its method and seasonings are not quite the same as those of southern banya (板鸭). The Zhang family's Jingkun (景坤) version traces its recipe to the Daoguang reign (道光) of the Qing dynasty, and its making technique is on Shandong's provincial intangible cultural heritage list.

How it is made

The Tengzhou city government describes the Jingkun process: good local mottled-feather ducks (麻鸭) go through twelve preparatory steps and are then braised for three hours over low heat in a stone pot, in a secret master stock handed down for a century, with no chemical additives. The seasoning is a blend of Chinese medicinal herbs: more than 20 kinds according to a 2010 Dazhong report, 98 according to the ninth-generation heir Zhang Yunwei (张运伟) in 2022.

Ingredients

The ducks are the mottled-feather ducks of the Weishan Lake (微山湖) area. According to iqilu.com, these ducks feed on live fish, shrimp, shellfish and river snails, are fairly large and have smooth flesh, which makes them prized for this dish.

Where it comes from

Zhang Yunwei told iqilu.com that his ancestor Zhang Shijie (张世杰) began braising duck in the Daoguang reign, using the plentiful ducks around Weishan Lake. Locals called it Zhang family duck, and because the family lived in Zhangwang town, also Zhangwang duck. In Tengzhou the saying 'the cooked duck flies away' refers specifically to this duck. It was named one of Tengzhou's first 'ten best local foods' in August 2000, and in 2026 Zhangwang Jingkun Banya was on the proposed list for the seventh batch of 'Shandong time-honoured brands' (山东老字号), in a recognition round run by the Shandong commerce department together with other provincial departments.

Flavour and texture

The finished duck has firm meat and a mellow braised aroma. It is moderately salty, rich without being greasy, and is eaten with a meal or as a dish to go with liquor.