I have had my BS for 4+ years now and was pretty sure that, having smoked a wide range of items from cheese, butter, salt and eggs and occasional vegetable through to a wide variety of fish, shellfish and meat that it could no longer surprise me.
How wrong I was! ::)
Duck has been on my list of things to do for a while and after doing a bit of research (e.g. past posts here on the forum, Keith Erlandson; Home Smoking and Curing) and getting some advice from a commercial smokehouse that produces lovely smoked duck breast the suggestion was that duck benefits from being first cold smoked then hot smoked.
Method:
Crosshatch the duck breast skin, about half an inch apart, make sure you do not cut into the meat.
Gently prick the meat side a few times with a fork to help the brining process.
Brine the duck breasts in 80% brine for 2 - 3 hours, the bigger the breasts the longer the brine period. (Sugar and spices optional, I didn't use any.)
Take out, rinse well in water then pat dry with paper towel.
Leave overnight on wire rack to dry out, minimum 12 hours. (I put mine in fridge on "warmest" setting.)
Set BS up for cold smoke and place duck breast fillets in smoker:
(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w230/Manxman_2007/DSCN0461.jpg)
Cold smoke for 4 hours (+/- depending on taste) using your choice of puck. I used oak.
Take duck out of smoker and set up BS for hot smoking. Cabinet temperature 210F.
Lightly rub bit of sea salt and black pepper on the skin side of the duck breasts. (optional, other spices could be used)
(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w230/Manxman_2007/DSCN0463.jpg)
Hot smoke the duck breasts skin side up for 1hr 30 mins (+/- depending on taste) with your choice of pucks. (I used oak)
I cooked to internal temperature 160F although USDA recommend 165F. I was happy to cut it back a bit as I knew the source of my breasts and how they had been handled! ::) ;)
After hot smoking they looked like:
(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w230/Manxman_2007/DSCN0466.jpg)
Heat up a metal skillet on the hob to a medium high heat, flash pan fry the duck breasts skin side down for 2 - 3 minutes:
(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w230/Manxman_2007/DSCN0467.jpg)
Approx 20 ml fat came off per fillet, discard excess fat between batches:
(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w230/Manxman_2007/DSCN0469.jpg)
Use kitchen towel to pat dry the breasts to absorb excess fat, use firm but gentle pressure. When cooled a bit wrap in cling film and put in fridge for 24 hours:
(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w230/Manxman_2007/DSCN0471.jpg)
Slice the duck breast into thin slices and vacuum seal:
(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w230/Manxman_2007/DSCN0476.jpg)
I didn't know what to expect of this attempt but ...... WOW! It has certainly made my top three list of all time BS favourites. The reason I kept the brine and rub simple is to keep my options open for eating it ....... the best so far is with sweet chilli dip!
I would be interested in some feedback? ::)
edited to add: vent about 90% open the whole time.
That looks so good, I was tempted for a moment to look up transatlantic airfare or a cruise!
Nice Work ManxMan!
Wow Manxman. Looks great!
Nice job Manxman,
I was tempted the other day to buy duck from my neighborhood supermarket (first time I noticed they had it) but chickened out at the last minute. Now that I have you having tried it I get more courage. I just have one question; is there a reason to wrap and refrigerate it after all the smoking and cooking is done or was that your personal preference?
HR
Nicely done Manxman! ;) When duck is done properly I love it. Most folks (including myself) are not that great at it. One of my sisters does a wonderful duck on the grill. I know that she slices the skin to allow all the grease to drain out, but that is all she will tell me. Duck can be very greasy if not done properly. I will have to try your method. With luck it will taste even better than my sisters. Can hardly wait to see her face if I am successful. :D Thanks for posting this. I hope that Habs and Olds will get this one added to the receipe site.
QuoteI just have one question; is there a reason to wrap and refrigerate it after all the smoking and cooking is done or was that your personal preference?
The main reason to wrap and refridgerate for 24 hours is personnal preference as IMHO I think most smoked food benefits from ageing for a while to let the full flavour develop. Wrapping tightly not only helps this but stops everything else n the fridge tasting of smoke. (nought wrong with that I hear you say! :D)
The best example is perhaps cheese which needs up to a week to mature but I think bacon is another good example. In other instances the benefit is minimal but I tend to do it as a matter of habit.
I also noticed in the book I referred to the author suggests not eating any smoked product until it has matured for at least 24 hours.
One thing I forgot to mention, when setting up the smoker to hot smoke make sure the V pan is positioned correctly and place the meat carefully to ensure the significant amount of fat that runs off is channelled correctly into the water bowl.
Duck fat is highly flammable !!! ::)
Wow Manxman!
Those look so awesome.
Makes me want to raise some meat ducks next spring!
Carolyn
Quote from: Wildcat on August 30, 2009, 03:48:09 PM
Nicely done Manxman! ;) When duck is done properly I love it. Most folks (including myself) are not that great at it. One of my sisters does a wonderful duck on the grill. I know that she slices the skin to allow all the grease to drain out, but that is all she will tell me. Duck can be very greasy if not done properly. I will have to try your method. With luck it will taste even better than my sisters. Can hardly wait to see her face if I am successful. :D Thanks for posting this. I hope that Habs and Olds will get this one added to the receipe site.
Looks great Manxman. Please do like Wildcat said and make sure this gets on the recipe site. Thanks for the post and great pics! ;D
Wow! This looks great. I don't know how I missed this post yesterday.
Wildcat;
You're right this should be on the recipe site.
Manxman;
Would you mind if we post your recipe on the site?
QuoteWould you mind if we post your recipe on the site?
Of course I wouldn't Habs ...... just let me know if you need any points changing, clarifying or any more info. :)
Thanks.
I'll take a look better look at it this afternoon, and get back to you. I'm sure I can get this finished for the new update that will be posted.
Wow, those look great. Missed the post yesterday. 8)
WOW! Those look great and I love properly cooked duck breast. If I can lay my hands on some duck breasts I am so doing those.
Thanks for posting this,
KyNola
QuoteI'll take a look better look at it this afternoon, and get back to you. I'm sure I can get this finished for the new update that will be posted.
Note I edited the recipe Habs to add a comment re vent position which I had forgotten to include originally:
Quoteedited to add: vent about 90% open the whole time.
Thanks! I'll add that in. I'm pretty busy until after the weekend, but I should have a draft by Monday.
That's some great looking Duck Manx. I've been smoking breasts for a whild and they're always a major hit. You might wanna try making duck breast ham and smoking it. Sliced thin it is great to serve at an apero.
Tom
In honor of our beloved Double 'M'
My magniloquent mawkish melodramatic musing must mention the magnificent meal of marinated Muscovy, not Mallard, Mandarin, nor Merganser, not merely manipulated and molded, but memorialized by our merry man-at-arms, mild mannered Manx Man, a modern man with moxie, much maligned yet meritorious, mindfully monitoring and managing the marvelously majestic meat machine, mollifying, modifying, not to mention metamorphosing the mighty muscle morsels, materializing a mondo, mind-blowingly moist and memorable meal, maddeningly melted into our mysterious, magnanimous memory always mindful of his mates and mulish merrymaking misguided miscreants meretriciously masquerading as model mastermind morale mentors, true mental mice, misunderstood meddling, moronic, muttonheaded muckraking malcontents, maligned, mocked with the misfortunate misleading mindset of moldy, muddled minds mummified by mainlining methanol, moonshine, a mélange of miscellaneous malty mishmash or a methuselah of a muted maroon merde meritage , mistaken for a magnum of mouth-fillingly musty yet meaty monocepage of Mendocino merlot, milking the mythical maxim, misbegotten, mournfully misrepresenting the moderate metaphysics of mundane, middle-of-the-road modesty in the make-believe marrow of makeshift mastery of moronic mythomanical mischief
Manx, that is some good looking duck - much better looking than what I did the other night - fingered, floured and fried!
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
QuoteMy magniloquent mawkish melodramatic musing must mention the magnificent meal of marinated Muscovy, not Mallard, Mandarin, nor Merganser, not merely manipulated and molded, but memorialized by our merry man-at-arms, mild mannered Manx Man, a modern man with moxie, much maligned yet meritorious, mindfully monitoring and managing the marvelously majestic meat machine, mollifying, modifying, not to mention metamorphosing the mighty muscle morsels, materializing a mondo, mind-blowingly moist and memorable meal, maddeningly melted into our mysterious, magnanimous memory always mindful of his mates and mulish merrymaking misguided miscreants meretriciously masquerading as model mastermind morale mentors, true mental mice, misunderstood meddling, moronic, muttonheaded muckraking malcontents, maligned, mocked with the misfortunate misleading mindset of moldy, muddled minds mummified by mainlining methanol, moonshine, a mélange of miscellaneous malty mishmash or a methuselah of a muted maroon merde meritage , mistaken for a magnum of mouth-fillingly musty yet meaty monocepage of Mendocino merlot, milking the mythical maxim, misbegotten, mournfully misrepresenting the moderate metaphysics of mundane, middle-of-the-road modesty in the make-believe marrow of makeshift mastery of moronic mythomanical mischief
That truly is a work of art in itself Caneyscud! ;) :D
Quotemuch maligned
though this bit concerned me! ::) ;) :D
QuoteYou might wanna try making duck breast ham and smoking it. Sliced thin it is great to serve at an apero.
I like that idea Tom, I have the smoked duck I just did out with 3 or 4 of the friends I use as food tasters!! :o They are always good to give me with honest opinions on how good or otherwise something is and how it can be improved! ;D
Would like to try and get hold of some wild duck next.
Got some feedback from 6 people now on this recipe, four say it is fine as it is whilst a couple reckon it could do with less smoke, maybe 2 - 3 hours cold and an hour hot smoked?
All personnel preference though, all the comments were otherwise very positive. ;D
Just thought if anyone wanted to try it here on the forum some feedback may be useful, I do like my smoked food to be quite strongly smoked. :)
Quote from: Caneyscud on September 01, 2009, 10:12:47 AM
In honor of our beloved Double ‘M’
My magniloquent mawkish melodramatic musing must mention the magnificent meal of marinated Muscovy, not Mallard, Mandarin, nor Merganser, not merely manipulated and molded, but memorialized by our merry man-at-arms, mild mannered Manx Man, a modern man with moxie, much maligned yet meritorious, mindfully monitoring and managing the marvelously majestic meat machine, mollifying, modifying, not to mention metamorphosing the mighty muscle morsels, materializing a mondo, mind-blowingly moist and memorable meal, maddeningly melted into our mysterious, magnanimous memory always mindful of his mates and mulish merrymaking misguided miscreants meretriciously masquerading as model mastermind morale mentors, true mental mice, misunderstood meddling, moronic, muttonheaded muckraking malcontents, maligned, mocked with the misfortunate misleading mindset of moldy, muddled minds mummified by mainlining methanol, moonshine, a mélange of miscellaneous malty mishmash or a methuselah of a muted maroon merde meritage , mistaken for a magnum of mouth-fillingly musty yet meaty monocepage of Mendocino merlot, milking the mythical maxim, misbegotten, mournfully misrepresenting the moderate metaphysics of mundane, middle-of-the-road modesty in the make-believe marrow of makeshift mastery of moronic mythomanical mischief
Manx, that is some good looking duck - much better looking than what I did the other night - fingered, floured and fried!
I agree... I think.
HR
Manxman - the photos looked great so I called a chef friend at a local restaurant and he sold me a dozen breasts. Followed your recipe through the brine stage but was rushed for time for the smoke. Anyway, smoked them with apple for a total of 3 hours; first hour at about 120F, then gradually increased to around 200F over the next 2 hours. Internal temp was 152F (chef recommended 145F, you said 160F - compromised at 152F). Cooled slightly and flash-fried as recommended (this is important, I think).
Results - by far the best thing to come out of the smoker yet (although I've only had it for a couple months). Passed a few out to the chef and his staff. Chef said it was the best duck he's ever had and is going to buy a Bradley next week!
Thanks for the recipe - it's a keeper!
Jeff in Ohio
QuoteChef said it was the best duck he's ever had and is going to buy a Bradley next week!
Great to have some positive feedback Buckeye, thanks for the post. :)
I think there is probably a good bit of leeway on smoking times and internal temperature in this recipe, I would certainly have no problem using 145F as the cut off providing I knew the source of the duck.
Next time I do this recipe I plan on knocking the temp back a bit to nearer 150F.
This recipe is now on the recipe site:
Double Smoked Duck Breast (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=640)
I have a couple of whole ducks lurking in the freezer. The last time I tried whole duck I finished it off in the oven but I don't think I let it cook long enough in the oven--not as for as the internal temp goes--the duck was done but it was still really greasy. I love the taste of duck (grew up on wild duck)but I have to reduce the grease factor somewhat with these domestic ones.
T2
Thanks for the duck manxman. I've had duck in my head since I got the BS. This will likely push me over the edge but I'll probably have to go with whole duck. Well, I can give it a shot. Habs, I've already bookmarked the recipe.
Arnie;
The updated recipe data base is now posted on the recipe website, that new download includes Manxman's Double Smoked Duck Breast Recipe.
Thanks Habs. Yeah, that's the one I book marked.
I think I have to change my signature - "So much to smoke and so little time!"
Jeez... don't know how I missed this one when it was originally posted. Looks incredible! I can get duck breasts locally from a reliable source, so I think this could be my next "new" smoke....!
The last duck I ate was a crispy critter at a Chinese restaurant in Soho in London... delicious, but not what I'd call gourmet! The time before that was a long time ago and ones I shot myself back on the farm! Again... ok, but not great (plus spitting out birdshot is never pleasant!!)