Got some duck breasts

[smokinbadger]

I picked up some fresh duck breasts yesterday and I'm planning to smoke them today or tomorrow. Looking in the Brethren recipe file, I found nothing. How can this be? (Other than I just didn't look hard enough, which is totally possible.)

Anyway, how about sharing your experience with smoking duck breasts. I will be happy to post results. Thanks!

[MAsQue]

I picked up some fresh duck breasts yesterday and I'm planning to smoke them today or tomorrow. Looking in the Brethren recipe file, I found nothing. How can this be? (Other than I just didn't look hard enough, which is totally possible.)

Anyway, how about sharing your experience with smoking duck breasts. I will be happy to post results. Thanks!

I usually grill them rather than smoke them because I don't like them well-done. (I lied, I like them well-done, I prefer them medium-rare.) Anyway, following is a recipe I posted a few months ago.

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The following is something I came up with for a backyard party a few years ago; I haven't been able to host a party since without someone asking for it. It must be something different - it's got green in it :biggrin:

Duck and Mango Salad:

3 duck breasts (both sides) skin and excess fat removed (I save this for making schmaltz)

6 duck legs (thigh and drumstick)

Italian dressing

rub (1/2 cp brown sugar;1 tsp ground ginger; 1/2 TB granulated garlic; 1/2 TB onion powder; 1 TB paprika)

4 mangoes, peeled and sliced, scrappier pieces cubed.

1 red onion, sliced in thin rings

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (roughly)

mache' or your preferred greens

1) marinate duck several hours or overnight in Italian dressing
2) dust with rub
3) grill over indirect heat on Weber until breasts are medium and legs are cooked through. Mop if needed.
4) cool; slice breast, break meat from legs and remove skin.
5) make a bed of greens on a platter
6) toss together leg meat and cubed mango. Pile on middle of greens.
7) cover with alternating slices of breast meat and sliced mango
8.) garnish with raspberries and sliced onion
9) pour dressing over, reserving some to serve seperately.

Dressing:

1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup mango pieces
3/4 cup olive oil
2 TB cranberry mustard

blend all together; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

[bbq_tom]

I would definitely brine them first. Alton Brown has a brine that is pretty tasty.

Brine:
1/2 cup kosher salt
1 pint pineapple orange juice
15 whole black peppercorns
1 bunch fresh thyme
4 cloves garlic, smashed

Brine for 2 -2 1/2 hours.

I have never smoked duck, only grilled & seared them. Would like to see & hear how they turn out.

[JD McGee]

I found this recipe courtesy of Google...it sounds pretty good! http://seriouslygood.kdweeks.com/2006/11/smoked-duck-breasts.html

[bbqjoe]

Simple. Just a little salt and pepper. Smoke til medium rare.

[smokinbadger]

I found this recipe courtesy of Google...it sounds pretty good! http://seriouslygood.kdweeks.com/2006/11/smoked-duck-breasts.html

Thanks, JD. I saw that one earlier today, but I decided it was too darn complicated, so I went with the Alton Brown pineapple-orange brine that bbq_tom posted. I'm brining overnight and will smoke them over cherry tomorrow. I'll post some pictures if all goes well.

[Norcoredneck]

When I go to the club I don't usually Duck them, oh sorry not woodpile :biggrin:.
Don't forget the pics.

[smokinbadger]

Well, I promised some pics, so here they are. They turned out kind of salty, but probably because I brined them overnight like a turkey. Anyway, they were plenty tasty on top of a salad as you can see in the pictures.
http://lh5.google.com/smokinbadger/RyVKUiLNFgI/AAAAAAAAARw/ZuCLSWdNJOU/s400/DSC02258.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/smokinbadger/SmokedDuck/photo#5126585467462817282)

http://lh6.google.com/smokinbadger/RyVKUyLNFhI/AAAAAAAAAR4/M11LB0Gu4C0/s400/DSC02259.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/smokinbadger/SmokedDuck/photo#5126585471757784594)

http://lh4.google.com/smokinbadger/RyVKVSLNFiI/AAAAAAAAASA/cHWn3gp3g3I/s400/DSC02260.JPG (http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/%3Ca%20href=)">

http://lh3.google.com/smokinbadger/RyVKWCLNFkI/AAAAAAAAASQ/yk8lOy-3eAY/s400/DSC02262.JPG (http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/%3Ca%20href=)