Duck meat is a type of moist and dark meat that has a distinctively bold and rich flavor. Those who love a darker kind of meat but also like turkey and chicken will absolutely love duck as well. Smoking is the perfect method for preparing duck because it has more fat compared to other bird meat. When a slice of meat is rich in fat, the smoke flavor will be retained, making the meat tastier.
Duck Meat Types
Purchasing duck might be more complicated than buying other types of meat like chicken, pork, and beef. If you’re an experienced hunter or plan on getting hunting equipment, you’ll have an easier time choosing the kind of duck for your smoked duck recipe. There are different types of duck meat, some of which are perfect for smoking, while the rest will consume more time preparing them.
There are three main types of duck meat available at your nearest grocery store, which work great with the smoking method. The first type is the White Peki, the most common variety of duck meat found at almost every store that sells duck. Another type of duck is the Muscovy, which is slightly bigger with a stronger flavor. Moulard is the last type of duck whose breasts have qualities like that of steak.
Thawing a frozen duck works pretty similar to thawing other birds, although the best thawing method is inside the refrigerator. For a whole duck, thawing inside the fridge might take up to about two days. You can choose to thaw the duck by using a leak-proof bag submerged in cold water. The water is changed every 30 minutes, and the thawing process could take two to six hours, depending on the meat’s weight.
Cold Smoked Duck Recipe
One of the most popular duck recipes among Bradley Smoker’s loyal customers is the Cold Smoked Duck Breasts. In preparing the recipe, the skin should be removed from the duck breasts for faster smoking. If you need to smoke the duck meat for one to two hours, curing may not be necessary. A simple basic salt brine could be used if you plan on going for a shorter duration of smoking.
On the other hand, if you’re cold smoking the meat for a longer amount of time, use a brine cure instead of a dry cure. Starting with a basic brine cure is recommended before adding any kind of flavor to the duck meat. Preparing cold-smoked duck breasts will take around 24 hours to make sure you get the most out of its flavors. The brining procedure itself takes a lot of time, so your patience will be put to the test.
Smoked Wood Duck and Smoked Duck Pancetta
Another famous duck delicacy in Bradley Smoker’s rich library of food recipes is the Smoked Wood Duck with Orange Sesame Marinade. To start preparing this delightful recipe, marinate four boneless breasts overnight in the refrigerator after scoring their skin. You can use any oriental orange sauce that suits your taste and inject it into the meat before marinating for an hour.
Smoke the duck meat using the Bradley Bisquettes for 30–35 minutes in a Bradley Smoker. After that, move the meat to a preheated saucepan on medium heat to sear the marinated duck breasts. Place the pan in an oven and set it at 400 °F (204 °C) for four to five minutes until the meat is medium-rare. This recipe is best served with an Uncle Ben’s fried rice side dish blended with peas, carrots, and egg.
Smoked Duck Pancetta is another recipe for those who plan on making their own charcuterie. Duck bacon is a unique component of this delicacy, and this recipe will make you learn to cure and smoke duck breast in a creative way. Curing and smoking pancetta takes several hours, making it great make-ahead food, but it can be used in any dish you like.
Final Thoughts
Bradley Smoker is a brand specializing in food smoking methods and preparing meat that offers some of the best food smokers in town. We have a list of smoked recipes and tips and tricks on our website. Food smoking using products like our Bradley Bisquettes is known to turn a regular food item into a delightful recipe. Duck, just like other meat, is all about flavor, and we can give you plenty of great ideas.
Duck is very rich in different nutritional components, so we are very active in educating people about the different ways of preparing it. Cooking duck mostly requires a lot of time, so you really have to prepare it ahead of time to enjoy it with the family. We offer different equipment for smoking not only duck meat but all kinds of meat.
For more great ideas on how to get the most out of your Bradley Smoker, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Food Smoking Blog for more tips & tricks.
