炸鸡：鸭鸭那么香，为什么不炸鸭？

炸鸡架、炸鸡排、炸鸡腿、炸鸡柳……
快餐店和小吃摊的油炸菜单上，似乎总是鸡的主场。为什么炸鸡如此常见，而炸鸭却几乎不见踪影？

过多的油脂

从口味来看，鸡和鸭同是肉用家禽，炸鸡给人的口感是外酥里嫩，而鸭子给人的第一印象则是酥脆油润。它们的关键区别在于，鸡肉嫩，而鸭肉油。

Chickens and ducks are both meat poultry, but fried chicken delivers a crispy exterior with tender meat, while duck first impresses with its crispy and oily texture. The key distinction lies in chicken's tenderness versus duck's inherent oiliness. poultry /ˈpoʊltri/：家禽

跟鸡比起来，鸭子是水禽，潮湿的环境最容易滋生病菌。因此，鸭子进化出了生存必需的抗病菌感染能力的基因：加强类乳脂球蛋白基因。这个基因能增强鸭子的免疫力，同时也促进了油脂分泌。

Unlike chickens, ducks are waterfowl living in damp environments prone to bacterial growth. Consequently, ducks evolved essential disease-resistant genes which not only boost immunity but also promote oil secretion.

这一点，也体现在脂肪含量上。就可食用部分而言，鸡肉的平均脂肪含量大约为6.7%。而鸭肉约为19.7%，鸭的皮下脂肪含量甚至能达到50%。

This genetic difference manifests in fat content. Edible chicken portions average 6.7% fat, while duck meat contains about 19.7%, with subcutaneous fat reaching up to 50%.

subcutaneous /ˌsʌbkjuˈteɪniəs/：皮下的

同时，鸭胸肉的肌纤维直径通常大于鸡胸肉的肌纤维直径，所以鸭肉天生就要比鸡肉粗糙。

Duck has thicker muscle fibers and retains less moisture than chicken, making fried duck especially dry and tough.

油炸是脱水的过程，而鸭肉的保水能力较差。油炸过程中，鸭肉中的水分会迅速蒸发，让外部油脂更进一步填充进鸭肉的缝隙之间。这让本就油腻的鸭肉彻底成了一块“油脂海绵”，一口咬下去不仅柴上加柴，还滋滋冒油，没吃两口就腻得不行了。

所以，鸭子真正的舒适区，不在于炸，而在于烤。

鸭子皮和肉中间的脂肪融化后会锁住肉汁，制止水分流失，多余的油还能顺着鸭皮上的孔流出来。这就是为什么烤鸭吃起来又嫩又香。

Roasting is the ideal way to cook duck. The fat between the skin and meat melts, locking in moisture and preventing dryness, while excess oil drains through the skin's pores. This results in tender, flavorful roast duck.

过重的异味

油只是一方面，鸭子还有点异味。鸭肉过多的油脂跟空气接触后，会迅速氧化变臭。从活鸭子到鸭肉还要经过电晕、放血、除毛、开膛破肚、消毒、胴体分割等一系列操作。还没等端上桌，鸭肉可能就先“入味”了。

Beyond oiliness, ducks carry distinct odors. Excessive duck fat oxidizes rapidly when exposed to air, developing unpleasant smells. From live duck to meat, processing involves stunning, bleeding, plucking, evisceration, disinfection, and portioning — ample time for odors to develop before cooking.

鸭屁股里还有尾脂腺，会不停分泌有膻味的油状物，这些油状物可以帮鸭子梳理羽毛，防水保暖。很多不良商家就爱拿这个膻味做文章，用鸭肉冒充羊肉，做成羊肉串高价卖给消费者。

The gland near the duck's tail secretes oil with a mutton-like odor. This has led to some dishonest vendors selling duck meat as mutton at higher prices.

并且，烤鸭也并非没有异味，只不过鸭子在烤之前烫了皮，抹上了糖色，能掩盖甚至祛除异味。所以，既柴又油还带有异味的鸭子，自然比鸡要更难炸得好吃。

不过，也不是没有做得好的炸鸭。比如，四川名菜“香酥鸭”！但是这道菜对香料、火候的要求都非常高，做起来比炸鸡要费功夫多了。

Exceptions exist, like Sichuan's renowned Xiang Su Ya (Fragrant and Crispy Duck). This delicacy demands precise spicing and temperature control, requiring far more effort than typical fried chicken.

香酥鸭。图源：视觉中国

香酥鸭需要先腌去异味，再蒸去油脂，后炸调口感。这样做出来的鸭子不仅没异味不油腻，还香酥可口。

The process involves marinating to remove odors, steaming to reduce grease, then frying to achieve texture. The result is fragrant, crisp duck without grease or odors.

过高的成本

此外，在成本方面，鸡肉的成本也比鸭肉低多了。肉鸡长1kg肉，吃2kg左右的饲料就行。而肉鸭得吃2.5kg左右的饲料，北京鸭则平均约需2.7kg左右的饲料。

Cost control further explains this preference. Chicken production costs are substantially lower. For 1kg meat gain, broilers require about 2kg feed compared to 2.5kg for meat ducks, with Beijing ducks needing approximately 2.7kg.