begin the day before you plan to serve:
roast 3 tbsps. of black peppercorn with 4 tbsps. of sea or kosher salt until peppercorns are fragrant. let cool. rub all over, inside and out, a 4 lb. fresh duck.
wrap tightly in double layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil and store in refrigerator overnight.
the next morning, wipe away the salt and peppercorns with paper towels.
with the tines of a fork, prick fatty ducky parts (breast, legs), taking care not to pierce the meat.
steam the duck over a rack in a large pan, replenishing with boiling water as needed, for about 45 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 180F.
let the duck rest, cool and air dry for at least 3 hours.
in the bottom of a roasting pan with a tight-fitting lid, arrange double layers of heavy duty foil and spread 3 tbsps. of brown rice, 1 tbsp. of black peppercorns, 3 pieces of dried orange peel, 2 star anise, 3 tbsps. of brown sugar, and about half a cup of oolong and chrysanthemum tea leaves. arrange duck on a rack over the smoking agents, set the lid tightly with a heavy weight on top and set the heat to medium high. begin timing when you hear crackling, for about 15 minutes total smoking time. turn off the burner and let stand 5 minutes. if the duck is not dark enough (like dark brown lacquer) turn burner on and smoke 5 minutes more.
optional: put the duck in a preheated 425F oven for about 15 minutes for crispy skin.
chop into bite size pieces and serve warm or cold.
i thought about putting a colorized picture or a 'stand-in' roast duck but i couldn't do that...could i? that's cheating right??
WARNING: this is another of those recipes that will make the house "fragrant". my kittens complained of the strong scent so i promised to find an alternative way, such as using a barbeque grill in the summer, or a single burner just outside on the patio. as long as there's no nor'easter pounding us with ice as it is right now.