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    Home / Dinner / Tea-Smoked Duck (Zhangcha Ya)

    Tea-Smoked Duck (Zhangcha Ya)

    Duck steamed until tender, smoked over black tea and rice, then fried to burnished crisp — the Sichuan banquet centerpiece.

    ⏱ 30 minPrep time
    🔥 1 hr 30 minCook time
    🍽 6Servings
    🏷 DinnerCategory
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    Zhangcha ya, or tea-smoked duck, is one of the great banquet dishes of Sichuan, and it earns its reputation the slow way. The duck is rubbed with spices, steamed until tender, smoked over tea leaves and rice, then fried until the skin turns burnished. It is a dish for celebrations, often the centerpiece of the table, and the smoking step perfumes the whole house in the most wonderful way.

    Three slow steps to the smokiest duck of your life

    The layers of cooking build a deep, complex flavor: the smoke is woodsy and slightly bitter, the skin crackles, and the meat underneath stays juicy and fragrant. It is a weekend project rather than a weeknight meal, but the result looks and tastes like something from a special-occasion kitchen. Serve it with steamed buns and a pile of scallions, and leftover duck is magnificent cold, sliced thin over rice the next day.

    Craving more? Explore all Sichuan Kitchen recipes.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Rub the duck inside and out with the peppercorns, salt, and five-spice. Tuck the ginger and scallions into the cavity and drizzle the wine over the skin. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
    2. Steam the duck on a rack over boiling water, covered, for 45 minutes, until the meat is tender.
    3. Line a wok with foil and add the tea leaves, rice, and brown sugar. Set a rack inside, place the duck on it, and cover tightly.
    4. Smoke over medium-high heat for 15 minutes, until the duck is deep amber and smells of tea. Turn off the heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 more minutes.
    5. Let the duck cool and air-dry for 15 minutes so the skin tightens.
    6. Heat the oil in a large pot to 350°F. Fry the duck, turning once, until the skin is deep brown and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes.
    7. Drain, let rest for 10 minutes, then chop into serving pieces and serve warm.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Do this in a well-ventilated kitchen, the smoking step produces real smoke. A heavy wok with a tight lid works perfectly, and you can line it with foil to make cleanup easy.

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    Recipe details

    Prep30 min
    Cook1 hr 30 min
    Servings6
    CategoryDinner
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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