Smoked Wild Duck

Wild duck is a wonderful treat at this time of year with the hunting season in full swing and there are few better ways to cook it than in the smoker. These beautiful birds are also suitable for grilling and roasting and the breasts can be skillet fried for a real juicy plate.

Where the great Central and Mississippi flyways come to and end in the northern Gulf regions of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, it is common for many otherwise fine recipes, to call for wild ducks to be soaked overnight in the refrigerator to "remove any strong game flavor". I can scarcely imagine why anybody in their right mind would treat beautifully flavored wild duck in this way and I can honestly recommend that you give it a try without soaking. I don't think you will be disappointed with the result.

The plate above is two kinds of duck, roasted blue winged teal and skillet fried mallard breast, served with red rice dressing made with chorizo sausage and steamed okra. I liked the idea of the two different types of duck cooked two different ways and served on the same plate, so I couldn't resist giving it a try. Glad I did because it was delicious.

So what became of the smoked duck? I had run out of the wood chunks that I needed and the store would have been closed by the time I got there, so I improvised with this dish. The hot smoky pimenton and the "chaurice" gave the rice flavors reminiscent of both Georgia and Louisiana and was the perfect compliment to the slightly sweet duck meat.

Here are the basic ingredients I used for my wild duck feast. The Trinity of onion, bell pepper and celery, a few serrano chili's, chorizo, smoked paprika (pimenton), medium grain paella rice and some Crystal hot sauce, sea salt and black pepper.

For those of you who don't hunt, the larger duck is the mallard and that tasty looking little guy is the blue winged teal. I seasoned and roasted the teal whole with the mallard legs thrown in for good measure. I cut up the duck, roasted the carcass and used it to make some stock for the rice. I always like to use a game stock based on whatever it is I'm making at the time. This will give a real depth of flavor to your cooking and well worth the little extra effort. To make this simple stock, saute onion, celery and bell pepper. Add the duck carcass and any trimings, top up with boiling water. Bring back to the boil then turn down the heat, season and leave the duck to simmer for about an hour.

Trimming and cutting up the duck couldn't be easier, but a couple of tips which might help you before I go on.

Kinda goes without saying, but always use a very sharp knife. It is always safer because you don't need to apply so much pressure with a very sharp knife and so the danger of slipping is greatly reduced. It also helps if the birds are very cold or better still, even partially frozen. Not only are things less slippery this way, it's easier to work the meat from the bones without tearing.

In a large skillet, soften the Trinity for 20 minutes or so over a medium low heat. Add the chorizo sausage, pimenton and chili's and cook until the juices start to flow and color the vegetables. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with all that aromatic oil and flavor. Next add a can of chopped tomatoes and stir those in before adding the hot duck stock. Season with salt and freshly milled red and black pepper.

I added some whole okra to steam on top of the rice, but you don't have to. The finished dish could equally be served with corn on the cob or fresh green peas - it's entirely up to you.

With all the ingredients in the skillet, it should look something like the picture on the right here. I never seem to have a problem cooking this uncovered, but you might prefer to cover the skillet at this point. The imortant thing though is not to do too much in the way of stirring.

The reason for the lack of stirring is simple. The idea is to develop a crust on the bottom of the finished rice. There is a special sort of rice nirvana where this crust is golden and crunchy, not blackened and it's not real easy to achieve. Sometimes it happens and sometimes not, but you have to give it your best shot.

When the rice is done, cover it and keep warm while you fry the duck breasts, starting them off skin side down as this will help them retain a better shape.

By all means cook them all the way through, but give it a try and cook them like these, a little on the pink side for the very best flavor, texture and juiciness. Don't forget to rest these for a few minutes once cooked to your liking.

This really is a dish with flavors from the Low Country of Georgia and South Carlolina or the Bayous of Cajun country and a great way to serve wild duck. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Redneck Greg