Wild Duck for a large group.


 
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Philip Madden

TVWBB Member
First weekend of november I will be smoking up some wild duck breasts for a group of about 25 people. Some of those people are small kids (who will most likely want sausages) and some won't be eating duck so really it will be about 15-18 people at most, I think. The duck breasts will have fat on one side (or so I am told). This weekend I will do a test cook with just a couple of large duck breasts. I really want to try to keep the meat a bit "au naturel" and let it speak for itself, so I don't plan on using a real rub or brine. The plan is to marinate in apple juice and lightly add some salt and pepper. I will be smoking it over some pear wood (this weekend will be hickory though) and basting a little with apple juice. I will be hanging a grate from the top grate in the WSM to increase the capacity and I think that should be enough room. Or perhaps adding a steamer rack (the elevated kind) on top of the bottom grate instead of suspending a grate. I will be using a traditional water pan full of water. Aiming for 225-250 top grate temp.

So, my questions are:
-Fat side up?
-does the process sound good? I don't want to dry them out at all. Should I think about injecing them?
-What internal temp would you reccomend? On the rarer side would be preferable for this group, and me.
-I'll find out this weekend, but any ideas how long?

Thanks for the help. I've been lurking for a while but I have now decided to jump into these great forums!
 
Well, a few problems: Marinating in apple juice is pretty much a waste of apple juice. If you want 'au naturel' why do anything? If you want apple--even subtle apple--you'll need to make that apple juice into a brine, or don't bother with it at all. If you want au naturel I'm not sure why you'd consider injecting. If you want to be sure of moist then there are better ways to do so--like brining or brine-curing--than injecting.

Fat up, unless you are searing first, in which case down for searing, of course, then up to finish.

There isn't any advantage to doing them low/slow unless you are either trying to render fat or allow for more smoke time (and in those cases slower makes sense) but you can. They don't take long, maybe an hour or two depending on actual temps and the temps of the breasts when they go into the smoker. Duck breasts only really get dry if they are overcooked--with them that pretty much means cooked through--so just taking then to medium-rare, medium at most, is all you need do. Me, I rub and I pan sear or indirect grill skin side down (skin scored for some fat rendering), because I like crisp skin, then finish indirect (if I've pan seared I move them out to the grill). Or I remove the skin and most of the fat, rendering the fat to use for sautéing a side, like potatoes. I use a little wood, whatever is handy. I just test with my finger but if you'd prefer to use a therm then you're looking for ~130-135 tops, if using higher heat, 135-140 if low/slowing. That will get you medium-rare/medium or so. If you'd like less then pull sooner, about 5-7?.

If you are low/slowing then basting with juice will do nothing at all; don't bother.

Though it is rare that I do them this way, 'typical' smoked duck breast usually has cured flavor notes, brought about by either making a brine cure (with a little pink salt) or a dry cure. Other flavor notes are added as well (some spices, maybe citrus zest, herbs, wine) but they remain subtle. Typically it is sliced very thinly and served over a salad or on bread or toast, perhaps with a little cheese. I serve it both ways. The skin can be removed or left on. Since it is sliced very thinly it is not objectionable but I often remove it unless, as I sometimes do, I've seared-to-finish and I get the skin crisp or at least better textured. If I am serving as noted then I am not serving much (it is a first course or app) so cured flavor notes are desired (imo); if I am serving as a main I'll skip the cured notes (no curing salt--brine or flavor brine only) but most often, then, I don't bother low/slowing.
 
Thanks for the input. It will be for the main course. I think what I will try this weekend is a breast with nothing but a pinch of salt and pepper, and one that has been brined. Then I can taste them side by side and make my decision before I commit to cooking 20 of these.

I've grilled duck for them before on the kettle (sear and then indirect till rare to med-rare) but I wanted to do something different this time.

I am thinking low and slow till 125-130 internal, but I may take one off at 115-120 and slap in on the kettle skin side down for a quick finish. Presentation wise that may be better. A crisp thin fat layer.

Every November My extended family-in-law takes a trip down to the Ardennes. I am usually asked to take care of one of the dinners since I happen to be the "BBQ guy." This year I wanted to try to make life a little easier this time. Rather than having numerous types of grills going at once and running between them while watching out for the kids, I thought I would take along the WSM and load it up with something, stick the wireless probe in and try to relax. One of the family members has access to a lot of duck breasts whenever he wants them, so naturally thats what I thought I'd try. I've just never done duck on the WSM. FYI it will probably be served with a touch of wild mushroom sauce, some red-wine poached pears, and potato croquets.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I am thinking low and slow till 125-130 internal, but I may take one off at 115-120 and slap in on the kettle skin side down for a quick finish. Presentation wise that may be better. A crisp thin fat layer. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
This works for me.

Scoring the skin first would be my suggestion.

Were it me (and because duck can support flavors very well) I'd likely dry rub (salt followed by crushed green peppercorns, thyme and a little allspice) or flavor brine (water, salt, fresh thyme, black peppercorns, allspice) because either would work well with the planned sauce and sides, all of which sound perfect to me (little thyme in the pear poaching liquid and a small bay leaf in the mushroom reduction perhaps?) but note that for the brined, dry well and definitely score. Take them to a lower internal so that you have a bit more time to sear at finish; the skin can on brined can take a bit more time.

The Ardennes in November. Hard to imagine anything better.

Btw, if you are (as suggested, possibly, earlier) looking for an apple note, you could make an apple syrup (include the tiniest bit of unsalted butter) and just moments before the finishing sear was completed, paint the skin side very quickly and ever so thinly with the syrup, using a pastry brush, and finish hot, skin up, just long enough so the syrup seizes. The touch of sweetness and fruit notes would not be unwelcome with what you've planned but since you'd apply very thinly would be just a touch, a subtle addition. Just a thought.

Welcome to the board. Meant to say that earlier!
 
Philip, welcome. To support your rare to med-rare target, I say yes. In my pre-wsm days, I cooked wild mallard duck breasts bone-in at high temps. About 450*F for 25-30 min. We also cooked smaller whole wood ducks the same way. These were cooked rare-juicy just like a rare steak. If you have breasts without skin-wrap in bacon. Anyway, you can get there low in slow too...just keep 'em rare for maximum flavor and enjoyment.
 
Thanks for the suggestions again. So what I'll be testing this weekend will just be dry rubbed breasts. I've decided I don't want to go with a brine for these. I will cook up three to four breasts this weekend trying out two rubs that I have in mind.

I will score the fat, rub 'em, and let them sit for a while. Then slap them on the WSM with some hickory (pear wood will be used in november)to an internal of about 115. Then I'll sear them on the kettle (fat side down). The last variable to test will be whether I put on some homemade apple and beer jelly (really good by the way and made with a homebrewed belgian amber ale) ontop during that last minute of the searing and turn it over for a second, or if I just put on a dollop of it on each breast while they rest.
 
Pear is perfect for duck. With the hickory I'd suggest just using a little.

Your experiment sounds good to me and the apple-beer jelly sounds like a winner. If I might, melt a couple tablespoons of the jelly over low heat and add a sliver of unsalted butter, stir well to combine. Try as a paintable glaze. Perhaps paint just one half of one of the breasts and a bit of a dollop on the other half and see what you think.

Definitely let us know your results!
 
Ok, so the test is done and I know what I'll be doing. I forgot to take photos though, sorry.

The cook didn't go exactly as planned but it turned out great anyways. I forgot that I was almost out of lump, so I had to add some briquettes. The briquettes I have burn very hot, so i couldn't get the temp down where I wanted it. So the cook ended up shorter than planned.

I scored the skin and rubbed a couple of the breasts. The others just got a smidge of salt and pepper before going on the smoker. Put them on with the fat side up. I tried out two rubs. One was more of a poultry rub and the other was sort of similar to what Kruger mentioned.

They did look gorgeous coming off the smoker! Since the meat was done earlier than expected, I foiled them and wrapped them in a towel. On one I put a dollop of the beer jelly, on another I put some butter, and the rest were plain. Closer to dinner time I fired up the small kettle (one touch compact) with coals on one side. Slapped the meat on for indirect to bring temp up a bit and then lid off and seared them nicely fat side down over the coals. I then brusheed one with beer jelly and butter mixture. then for the last second I turned over the glazed ones just for about 30 seconds.

All the duck turned out great and juicy but we did choose a winner. It was rubbed with Brown sugar, coarse kosher salt, a bit of sage and thyme, and just a dash of garlic salt, onion salt, ground clove, ground cinnamon and black pepper. Then after smoking it went into the foil with a dollop of the beer jelly ontop. Next time I will take them off a touch earlier so I can have them on the kettle a little longer to crisp up the fat side a bit more.

Overall it was a great success! Now I just need to do it again for 20+ people.

Thanks for the input!
 
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