Brining multiple duck breasts

[mrmallerd]

How long should I brine 50 wild duck breasts?  These are mostly mallards & each breast is about 3/4" to 1" thick. 

[TMB]

Are you going to wrap them in bacon when you smoke/cook them?   

[mrmallerd]

Nope, Cold smoke & then bring IT to 160ish

[TMB]

OK, then what I would do is this.    After the breast are cleaned and ready set them in this marinade for about 3 to 6 hrs then you should be ready.   Now this recipe for marinade is good for a few not 50 so you will need to adjust the amount. 
Now it's a good basic marinade at best but it is good.  I normaly use bacon with my breast (Dove, turkey ect.)
   


2 qt's water
1/2 cup olive oil
1/8 apple cider vinegar
1 tsp spoon sea salt
1/2 to 1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper          Mix well add meat and marinade to a Zip-Lock bag and let them sit for the time stated.

If you want add 4 to 8 oz cheep bourbon to the mix.   

If you want another one try this

3/4 gal water to 1 gal water
1 cup vinegar (I like apple cider vinegar)
1/2 cup sea salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tbs black pepper
1 tbs white pepper
8 oz cheep bourbon (add the last 8 hrs before cook/smoke)      Mix all but bourbon on the stove low heat then cool and pour in Zip-Lock bag with meat, brine for 24 hrs or less if you want

I hope this helps ya'

   

[mrmallerd]

TMB, I will be using a brine, not a marinade. 

[TMB]

TMB, I will be using a brine, not a marinade. 

Second one I use as a brine, but i'd cut the time back to 12 hrs.   I forgot how thick the breast were and 24 hrs may be to much

[mrmallerd]

Ended up briniong for 24 hrs using

2 gal water
1\2 lb Cure # 1
3\4 lb Kosher Salt
3\4 lb Brown Sugar
1 Tbs Garlic Powder
1 Tbs Onion Powder

Washed, rewashed & patted dry, Air dry on racks for 12 hrs.  Put 12 racks in 6 rack smo9ker with 8 breasts on each rack.  When I preheated the DBS, I could only get it to 65.  Called Bradley & they are sending a new cabinet element.  So, I proceed to cold smoke at 65 for 4 hours, put in oven at 210 until IT reached 155, then flash pan fried for about a minute per side.  One note, when you put these in the oven, be sure & put a catch pan under the ducks, as they will loose moisture.  I discovered this a litltle late, & needless to say, I am gonna need to get the wife something extra for Christmas.  Shes not home yet, so lets hope I am allowed in the kitchen in the future.  The ducks are now cooling & appear normal.  I will post up the final results tomorrow.

[cinrds]

Thank you for this post I will keep it now I am ready for some duck.