What is it
Shanghai Soy-Braised Duck
Duck braised in a dark, sweet soy sauce and served chopped into bone-in pieces.
At the table
How to eat it
The pieces are normally chopped through the bone, so bite carefully and place small bone fragments on a side plate.
Culture
The story behind the dish
Repeated braising and glazing give the duck its dark surface and concentrated sweet soy seasoning. The word jiang refers to the sauce-based method, not to fermented soybean paste alone. It belongs to Shanghai’s tradition of cooked cold dishes that can be prepared ahead, chopped and served before or alongside hot food.
Reference
For reference
Every kitchen does it its own way. What follows is the typical version — ingredients, heat and price shift from city to city and from one restaurant to the next, so take it as a guide rather than a fixed recipe.
SpicinessNot spicy
Main ingredientDuck / Soy sauce / Sugar / Spices
FlavourSweet, savoury
Usually servedCold
Good forAppetizer / Sharing
Where it is fromShanghai and the Jiangnan region
Ordering tipIt is usually ordered by portion as a cold dish, though takeaway shops may sell it by half or whole duck. Confirm the size before ordering because a full duck is intended for sharing.
Last updated 2026-08-16
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