Is there anything better
than hunting ducks over water with your favorite four-legged friend? Eating
said ducks comes in as a close second. Mallards fattened on the agricultural
seeds and grains along their migration routes are some of the tastiest
waterfowl. Ducks are often eating the same things as domestic livestock to fatten
them up before slaughter.
. To take full advantage of the fat the
birds have stored, make sure to pluck the best birds from your hunts for
roasting. Feel the breastbone for plump deposits of fat, and make sure the bird
doesn’t have too many shot holes.
Duck fat, also known as confit, is used
by world-renowned chefs for making the richest-tasting recipes, so why would
hunters not take advantage of a fat duck in hand? A long, slow-roasting process
is a great way to produce a tender, flavorful roasted duck cooked in its own
confit. The fat renders from the bird, and the meat falls off the bone. Butter,
maple syrup, marmalade, and cognac-based Grand Marnier infuse a rich and
delicious accent to the duck. Real fruit can be used to further personalize the
recipe.
This recipe takes only minutes to
prepare, and the oven does the rest of the work, giving you more time to spend
with your bird dog.
Author:
Brad Fenson
Ingredients
2 large whole ducks, plucked
1 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
and strained
¼ cup Grand Marnier liqueur
2 Tbsp dark maple syrup
2 Tbsp orange marmalade
½ cup butter
Directions
Wash and clean the ducks. Preheat the oven to 250° F. Using a sharp knife, score the skin on the breast in a diagonal direction to allow the fat to render while cooking.
In a medium saucepan, combine the
orange juice, Grand Marnier, maple syrup, and marmalade. Bring to a simmer and
slowly add small pieces of the butter. Do not bring to a boil. Melt all of the
butter and whisk together into a consistent sauce.
Place the ducks in a roasting pan with
a tight-fitting lid. For best results, no moisture can escape in the cooking
process. Drizzle the sauce over the birds until it starts to collect in the
roasting pan. Reserve approximately a quarter of the sauce.
Place the roasting pan in your
preheated oven, and allow the ducks to cook for over five hours.
Remove the ducks from the pan and allow
them to rest. Carve the birds for serving, and top with the reserved sauce,
rewarmed.
Recipe Note
Recipe Notes
To keep airtight when roasting, place
the birds on foil, add sauce, and wrap tight. A second wrap of foil ensures the
birds will roast in the sauce and rendered fat.
A Camp Chef Dutch oven with a foil
liner works well for roasting the birds, and allows you to cook indoors, or at
camp, with little clean-up.
Pintail, gadwall, and widgeon are fat
and delicious birds that work well with this recipe.
