After the divorce, he took care of his child and sold fried rice; his ex-wife was filled with regret

The duck was stretched until it was round and plump, and its originally somewhat shriveled body immediately became full and firm.

The purpose of this step is to allow the duck skin to quickly heat up, dehydrate, and become crispy during roasting, while the duck meat inside retains its juices, ensuring that the skin and meat separate without affecting each other.

After pulling out the bamboo tube, Lin Fan quickly pinched the cut end tightly with his hand to prevent air leakage.

On the large stove next to it, a big iron pot filled with water was boiling, with white waves rolling on the surface.

Lin Fan held the duck by the neck with his left hand and took a large soup ladle with his right.

Scoop up a full spoonful of boiling water.

"Splash—"

Boiling water is poured evenly from the duck's head down its neck, breast, and back to its tail.

The moment boiling water was poured over its head, the duck skin, which had been stretched loose by the steam, immediately contracted violently due to the heat.

The duck skin was stretched taut, the pores on the surface were sealed tightly, and it had a light cooked meat color and a faint sheen.

This is called "scalding the skin".

The water temperature must be 100 degrees Celsius, just boiled. If it cools down a little, the duck skin won't be scalded through, and it will easily wrinkle and become soft after roasting.

Lin Fan skillfully inflated and scalded the skins of twenty ducks in turn.

After doing all this, a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.

After the skin is heated, the next step is to color it.

Lin Fan took a clean white porcelain bowl.

Pour in a certain proportion of purified water, add two large spoonfuls of maltose, and then add some white vinegar.

Stir quickly with chopsticks until the maltose is completely dissolved in the water, turning into a bowl of slightly viscous, pale yellow liquid.

This is the crispy skin glaze for Peking duck. Maltose is responsible for coloring and adding crispiness, while white vinegar accelerates the evaporation of moisture from the duck skin during air drying.

Lin Fan took out a clean, soft-bristled brush and dipped it in the crispy skin glaze.

Apply the crispy skin glaze evenly to the skin of each duck, from top to bottom.

When brushing, use very light pressure to ensure that there are no blind spots on the duck's body, and even brush the folds under the duck's wings clearly.

After brushing on the crispy skin glaze, Lin Fan picked up a specially made stainless steel hook and threaded it through the duck's neck bone.

The twenty processed ducks were hung one by one on a stainless steel rack in the back kitchen, which was used for drying.

He turned around and turned on the high-powered air cooler next to him.

A strong, cold wind blew against the duck.

This step requires air drying for about two hours.

Only when the outer layer is completely dry, feels as stiff and dry as parchment, and has no stickiness, can it be baked in the oven to achieve the peak crispness and crumbly texture.

After completing these tedious preliminary preparations, the clock had already struck 8:30 a.m.

Lin Fan walked to the corner of the kitchen and lit the large hanging boiler that the construction team had built overnight with refractory bricks the day before.

The dried jujube wood burned in the furnace, making a slight crackling sound.

The fire grew stronger, and the furnace walls glowed red-hot. There was no open flame inside the furnace, only glowing red-hot charcoal radiating an astonishingly high temperature.

Lin Fan put on heavy heat-resistant gloves and picked up a long-handled iron pole.

He took down the twenty white ducks that had finished drying on the ventilation rack one by one.

Using a pole, steadily hook the iron ring on the duck's neck and send twenty ducks one by one into the scorching furnace, hanging them at specific intervals on the iron rack inside.

After hanging it up, Lin Fan closed the heavy furnace door, leaving only a small vent at the bottom to control the oxygen flow and regulate the furnace temperature.

The high temperature instantly enveloped the duck's body from all sides.

Less than five minutes.

The fat layer beneath the duck skin begins to melt under the high temperature of baking. Golden duck fat seeps out of the skin and slowly flows down the plump, round body of the duck.

Oil droplets gathered on the duck's tail, eventually unable to bear the weight, and dripped onto the red-hot jujube charcoal below.

"Sizzle—"

A crisp sound.

Smoke rose.

A rich, caramelized aroma of meat, mixed with the unique sweet scent of burning old jujube wood, exploded instantly inside the oven.

The exhaust fan started, drawing the smell out and sending it directly onto the pedestrian street outside the shop through the chimney.

……

At this moment, the diners queuing outside were already getting restless because of the hot and humid weather.

Some people in the group were fanning themselves with folders, some were constantly looking down at their phone screens, and others were quietly complaining about the stifling heat of the early morning.

Just when everyone was getting increasingly frustrated.

The exhaust fan in the back kitchen emitted a low hum.

A rich, smoky aroma of roasted meat, mixed with the sweet, fruity scent of burning old jujube wood, wafted through the exhaust pipes and directly onto the pedestrian street outside the shop.

This aroma is too direct and too overpowering.

It lacks the gentle warmth of broth that requires careful tasting, instead carrying the smoky aroma of open flames, rugged and intense, penetrating directly into one's nasal cavity.

The diners at the very front of the line were wiping their sweat with tissues when they suddenly stopped.

They sniffed twice, instantly clearing their minds, which had been heavy from queuing early in the morning.

"What's this smell?"

"Barbecue? No, the fruitwood aroma is too strong, it tastes more like roasted poultry."

"It smells amazing! This boss always has something new to offer. Today's flavor is incredible; it makes my mouth water just smelling it."

The sound of swallowing rose and fell in the crowd.

The previously agitated crowd quieted down, hundreds of eyes fixed intently on the tightly closed roller shutter, their gazes filled with barely suppressed longing.

A man in a suit standing in the front row swallowed hard and said to his companion:

"The aroma of this fruitwood-roasted meat is almost uncanny. We're definitely going to have a big meal today."

His companion's stomach rumbled in perfect unison, and he nodded, "That's for sure. Boss Lin's cooking is always full of new tricks."

……

In the kitchen, Lin Fan stood in front of the hanging oven, his gaze focused.

Roast ducks aren't simply hung up and left unattended. The temperature inside the oven isn't uniform; it's hotter near the heat source and colder at the edges.

Lin Fan had to open the furnace door every ten minutes.

Wearing heat-resistant gloves, he used a pole to move the ducks inside to a different position.

Move the ducks closer to the charcoal fire to the side, and the ducks on the edge to the center. At the same time, rotate the ducks so that their chest, back, and sides can be heated evenly.

Forty-five minutes passed.

Lin Fan glanced through the ventilation vent.

The duck's originally white body now presents a perfect maroon color.

The duck skin is roasted until it becomes translucent, and you can even see tiny oil bubbles jumping under the skin.

The time is right.

Lin Fan opened the furnace door, and a wave of heat mixed with a rich aroma of fruit and wood rushed out.

He used a pole to take the roast ducks out one by one and hung them on a rack next to the worktable.

Once roasted, the duck should not be left out of the oven for long; the meat must be sliced ​​while it's still hot. Once it cools down, the skin will soften and lose its crispy texture.

Lin Fan picked up the first roast duck and placed it flat on the clean cutting board. He then took a special duck-slicing knife.

The blade is wide and the edge is sharp.

Lin Fan held the duck's neck with his left hand and held the knife in his right. The blade brushed against the plump duck breast, and he gently pulled it at a gentle angle.

"Click."

A crisp cracking sound rang out on the cutting board.