Dive Bar Duck Recipe

PrimalCooking

New Member
I just moved to Bozeman from Gainesville Florida last week and was blessed to have one of my recipes picked up by Duck Camp Company yesterday so I thought I would share in here in case anyone was interested. If you try it please shoot me some feedback. If you have any interest in the more detailed with pictures recipe just email me at Primal.Kitchen.Cooking@gmail.com My Instagram has a ton of wild game recipes so if you see something you like you're also welcome to email me for the recipe. Primal_Cooking on Instagram. I hope you enjoy.

As we sit at the cusp of a new waterfowl season dreams of teals, mallards, and shovelers fill our minds with anticipation. However, the under appreciated ?diver? ducks should have their fair place of contention with the above-mentioned puddle ducks. Over the years ?diver? ducks have been given a bad wrap and I am here to tell you that you can put that rumor to rest and look forward to many social gatherings where your diver duck will be the talk of the party. I have heard my fellow waterfowlers refer to scaups, widgeons, and redheads as being the foul, unpleasant, and often times down right despicable. This whole concept led me to come up with the idea of a dive bar duck breast recipe that is sure to have your guests coming back for more. The basic concept involves flavors you would find at your local dive bar or hipster marketplace. The reduction will involve a favorite craft beer of your choice, so choose wisely!
After shooting my birds I prefer to pluck them, and I immediately prepare a brine to soak it in for at least 24 hours. This allows the bird to absorb some earthy undertones while also acting as a means of tenderizing the meat and breaking down proteins. After the bird has soaked remove it from the brine and place it in a paper bag and roll it up. I let it sit for another 24 hours to allow the outside of the bird to dry out a bit while keeping the moisture inside the duck itself. Save the brine as this will come in useful later.

The Brine (for a 2-3lb bird)
? 1/2 Tablespoon of whole cloves
? 1/2 Tablespoon of juniper berries
? 4 sprigs of rosemary
? 4 sprigs of thyme
? 1/3 cup of fresh chopped ginger
? 1 cup of salt

I brine my entire duck in this recipe, but I cut the breast out and boil the remaining portion of the duck in the brine to later use for duck and dumplings. It really brings out a great flavor in the duck and makes a great stock for later use
The Reduction
? 1 craft beer of your choice (I chose Deshutes brewery obsidian stout which has tones of espresso and dark chocolate and is also award winning. Go big or go home, right?)
? 1 cup of granulated honey or cane sugar
? 3 tablespoons of honey
? 3 sprigs of rosemary


*Let the beer stand in the pot for at least 30 minutes prior to preparation to allow the carbonation to settle some
Bring beer to temperature and slowly add honey or sugar while stirring continuously. Add the honey and rosemary next and continue to simmer while stirring every 15 minutes or so for at least an hour and a half or until reduction becomes syrupy. *note the process of cooling down will thicken it quite a bit
The Marinade
? 1 large shallot thinly sliced
? 5 fresh cloves of garlic (crushed)
? 8 whole cloves (or crushed juniper berries, or both!)
? 4 sprigs of rosemary
? 2 tablespoons of honey
? Enough olive oil to cover

Let the breast sit covered in the marinade for another 3-4 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate. In a cast iron skillet (or oven safe skillet) combine 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 shallot and a couple pieces of pancetta or smoked bacon. Saut? on a medium heat until the shallots begin to turn translucent then add the duck breast with marinade. Slightly brown the skin side of the duck and then place in the oven at 400 degrees and cook until your preferred temperature. I like to go with a medium temp myself.

Pineapple with a punch
? 1 pineapple peeled and sliced about an inch thick
Coat pineapple in a liberal amount of powdered ginger, Saigon cinnamon, and chili powder and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes
*I like to use J.R. Watkins Brand seasoning. They have been around for over a century and make great products.

Potato cakes fried in duck fat
? 1 lb of potatoes
? 1/4 cup of melted butter (I prefer Kerrygold)
? 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped rosemary
? 1 tablespoon of salt
? 1 tablespoon of ground black pepper
? Duck fat (I rendered mine down from the extra duck skin)

In a large bowl grate the potatoes and place into a large ziplock bag. Cut the corner of the bag and squeeze out as much excess water as possible. After removing as much moisture as possible combine the other ingredients and mix very well. Bring the duck fat up to a medium high heat and form cakes out of the potatoes to your desired size. Fry in the duck fat until golden brown and crispy, then enjoy.

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