This Smoked Flattened Duck recipe works for any small game bird. Flattening is a good way to go with them. Make sure duck butts with preening gland have been removed.
Try juniper berries in place of allspice and it’s also possible to inject the breasts with apple juice. I usually serve it cold with crackers and cheese, but I put cheese and crackers out to show off the birds au natural first. Then skin them and slice the breast. The legs and thighs are the best!
Ingredients
4 to 6 – whole Mallards, skin on
4 qt – water
2/3 cup – Morton’s Tender Quick
1/3 cup – salt
1 cup – brown sugar
1 tsp – whole peppercorns
1 tsp – whole allspice
1/2 tsp – garlic powder
4 – bay leaves
Directions
Prepare ducks:
With a serrated knife, or small saw, split plucked ducks down backbone
Open up ducks and flatten
Using a stiff brush, scrub the insides, and then rinse clean
Brine:
Mix ingredients with 1 qt of water and bring to a boil
Simmer for 15 minutes
Strain, and then cool brine in fridge
Mix brine with remaining 3 qts of water
Soak ducks covered in brine for 3 days
Remove from brine and rinse in cold water
While warming up smoker, keep ducks at room temp for 1 hour, and then pat dry
Smoke:
Place ducks on smoker racks, skin up
120° – 3 hrs, no smoke, vent 100% open
140° – 5 hrs, cherry or apple smoke, vent 50% open
160° – vent 25% open, until breast temp is 150°
