South Texas Barbecued Duck Recipes

SOUTH TEXAS BARBECUED DUCK

Steps:

• Light a charcoal grill or smoker, or heat oven to 250.
• Make a dry rub by combining the cinnamon, coriander, cumin, black pepper and seasoned salt in a small bowl. Season the duck aggressively with the rub, applying it all over the body, inside and out.
• If smoking, place the duck on the smoker and cover, keeping the heat around 220 to 250. If grilling, move coals to one side of the grill and place duck on the other, away from the direct flame, then cover the grill. If oven-roasting, place duck in a roasting pan, and put in the oven.
• Cook the duck for 2 hours or so, until it has taken on some color, then remove from the heat, and place on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Wrap the duck in the foil, using another sheet if necessary.
• Place the wrapped duck in a clean roasting pan, and put in the oven to continue cooking for 2 or 3 more hours, until the meat is tender and pulls away from the bone. Serve with tortillas and salsas.

HOISIN BARBECUED DUCK

Steps:

• Remove and discard, or use for other purposes, the neck, giblets and any excess fat from either end of the duck; prick the duck skin all over with a small knife, going sideways and DON'T go through to the meat and pay special attention to the fattier areas of the breasts - you want to get as much fat out as possible during the boiling time.
• Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the duck (I placed the duck in the pot, filled with water, removed the duck and then placed the pot over the burner to heat); bring the water to a boil and then carefully lower the duck into the water and push it down (wooden spoons are good here); bring the water back to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook the duck for 15 minutes.
• Place a long handled spoon into the duck cavity and lift carefully, letting the cavity water drain into the pot, then place the duck onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels; pat dry, inside and out.
• Season the duck with the salt and pepper, inside and out; bend back the wings and tie the legs together with twine.
• Grill over indirect high heat (see my comments in my description) for 45 minutes (less if you like your duck rare); brush the duck all over with 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce and continue grilling until the skin is dark brown, about 10-15 minutes, watch carefully as the duck can brown pretty fast with the hoisin sauce on it.
• Remove from the grill and let rest for about 10 minutes before carving.
• Serve warm with remaining hoisin sauce -- we used a lot more sauce during the serving time!
• This is great with scallion cakes or you could also make a sort of 'peking duck' out of this with some mandarin pancakes, hoisin sauce and sliced green onions.

BARBECUED DUCK

Steps:

• Split duck in half.
• Flatten and place on rack in shallow pan.
• Bake in a 375°F oven.
• Cook all ingredients for sauce for 5 minutes before using.
• Bast with barbecue sauce every 10 minutes while baking.
• Cook ducks until cooked through.

CHINESE-STYLE BARBECUED DUCK

Steps:

• Prick the skin of the duck all over with a fork, particularly around the breast. Combine the hoisin, soy sauce, mirin, honey, sesame oil, chili oil, garlic and ginger in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer slowly for 5 minutes. Place the duck in a shallow dish, add half of the hoisin mixture and turn to coat well. Marinate several hours or overnight, turning the duck frequently.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the duck on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and cover with aluminum foil. Discard the marinade from the duck. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and prick the duck again.
• Continue roasting, uncovered, until the juices run slightly pink when pricked in the thickest part of the thigh, about 30 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir the orange juice into the remaining hoisin mixture. Carve the duck and serve, passing the sauce for dipping.

SPICE RUBBED GRILLED DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, five spice powder, dry mustard and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the duck so it has a 1/4-inch diamond pattern. Rub the spice mixture all over the duck.
• Heat a grill to medium (make sure it's not too hot since the key is to cook duck slowly to render the fat) and wipe down the grates with an oiled towel. Place the duck skin-side down on the grate and cook until the skin is seared and the fat is rendered, 4 to 5 minutes. (If there are occasional flare-ups from the fat, move the duck around on the grill to a new spot away from the flame each time.) Flip the duck over and place on a cooler part of the grill. Cook for an additional 5 minutes for medium-rare. Let rest for 5 to 7 minutes before cutting against the grain into thick slices.