Duck, duck, loosed

[WayneT]

I found these at Wegman’s while delivering comfort food to my son and dil who are under the weather.


Scored and salted for a 6+ hour dry brine.


Gave the breasts a quick sear to brown the skin.


After the sear, I bagged them for a 1.5 hour SV at 136F.


Meanwhile, I diced and steamed some sweet potatoes in water, salt and butter.


These became puréed sweet potatoes.


I also made a cranberry-wine reduction sauce for the duck.


Plated with a side of snow peas.


My wife and I split one breast. Cranberry-wine reduction sauce applied.


Simple wedge salad to start things off.


Vanilla ice cream with Patron XO reduction sauce and bacon-caramel bits to finish up.

[barelfly]

That looks excellent! Duck is one thing I have never cooked. But the brand you bought, I think the local speciality meat shop here in ABQ sells the same brand. This inspires me to give it a try!

thanks for sharing this great cook - and dessert too

[WayneT]

D’artagnan is a food supplier out of NJ that sells some pretty unique things like foie gras and truffle butter. You can order direct from them.

[Stuey1515]

That looks outstanding, it also ticks another box I love, which is "simple".
Use great products and just enhance them, well done!!

[texastweeter]

Love duck breast. I smoke for a bit after a salt, pepper, and sumac rub. Pull when to temp, cool then score the skin and fat. Skin side down in my deep fryer basket and just barely immerse the skin in the hot grease until crispy. Finish with flakes salt and maybe some tart cherry preserves or sauce. Yours looks good, but not a HTTM guy.

[WayneT]

If the weather wouldn’t have sucked today, I had planned to give them some smoke on the pellet smoker. Next time.

[captainlee]

Nice cook. I've done quite a few whole ducks, i really enjoy them. I have never seen just the breast around here. I need to find some and give it a try. Cherry reduction with duck is the best, yours looks fantastic.

[Michael_in_TX]

This is certainly one of those why-do-I-even-walk-this-earth posts. Wow, everything about this.....cook, presentation....is awesome. The only thing that could have been changed is, as you mentioned, a little smoke if your weather had cooperated!

[WayneT]

Thanks Michael. As I mentioned above, it really was a simple cook that even a hack like me didn't screw up. We wanted something special to start off the celebratory season and this punched our tickets.

[Thunder77]

Dude, you are officially drafted as the bbq chef for the meat-up!

[WayneT]

I'll make sure everyone has the proper equipment and ingredients for s'mores. ;-)

[Jerod Broussard]

I wonder if Spoonbill would work...

[Oak Smoke]

I must have prepared the ducks I got hunting years ago wrong. The only way I know to describe them is liver with wings. I didn’t care for them at all.

[WayneT]

Would a Spoonbill be self-basting?

[Jerod Broussard]

WayneT If ONLY!!

[Henrik]

Very nice! Especially the cranberry sauce!!

[WayneT]

Thanks Henrik! Sometimes sauces and side dishes sparkle enough to steal the show or at least embellish the main entree to the point of making an excellent one spectacular.

[Starsky]

Looks awesome! I'm coming to your house for dinner

[Elton's BBQ]

Darn WayneT This looks OUTSTANDING!
Come to think of it.. I have Duckbreast in my freezer... And now i know what to do with 'em..
Did you do someting to the snowpeas?

[WayneT]

Elton's BBQ Thank you. Those snow peas were simply de-stringed, nuked to al dente, then sprinkled lightly with Kosher salt.

[smokin fool]

So if im not feeling not so well in the future I'll be sure to let you know

[WayneT]

It was a 2 hour drive to deliver the comfort food to my son and dil but for you, I'll have to make a few stops.

[FireMan]

Simple & inspiring!

[WayneT]

It was simple, as I mentioned above. Even if the weather had cooperated so i could smoke the breast first, it wouldn't have added much complexity to the prep because I'd have used my pellet pooper.

[rlozinak]

Nice cook, never tried duck, but after seeing this thread, I might give it a try

[WayneT]

Make it a bucket list item! If you like fatty, succulent dishes, duck will punch your ticket.

[troymeister]

Bravo!! Nicely Done!!Looks Delicious!