Peking Duck

Heston's quest to recreate some of Britain's best-loved dishes took him to Beijing, the home of Peking duck to visit two of its most famous duck restaurants - the traditional Quanjude and the cutting-edge Dadong. Back home Heston decided to present his Peking duck in three courses with eight separate dishes. He visited a duck producer in Ireland who supplies 98 per cent of all ducks to Chinese restaurants in Britain and found out why the characteristics of their breed make them ideal for cooking Peking duck. Heston then tackled the complex problem of achieving the perfect crispy duck skin without drying out the meat in his lab in Bray.