Smoked Duck

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roller

Smoking Guru
Original poster
SMF Premier Member
Mar 10, 2010
6,040
57
N.E. Louisiana
A friend called yesterday and said he had 2 Muscovy ducks that he was going to kill and clean and if I wanted one to come on over. When I got there he had already killed his and he handed me the axe so I chopped mines head off also. We then dipped them in the scoulding pot and began picking...I got it cleaned up pretty good and told him that I was going to smoke mine. I only used Slap-Ya-Mama and a little oil on it and put it in the frig overnight. This morning I took it out and placed it in my Elec. Smoker that was holding 265* and filled the smoke pan with Apple Wood Chips. I took it to 165* IT and the outside and inside color was perfect. The smoke flavor was real good and the duck tasted real good. Thanks for looking .
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Thanks Meateater it was my first smoked duck...but I have many more to come...my friend has 27 more of them...
 
Her's a recipe I dug up sometime ago and has been in the "to list".  Probably not getting to it anytime soon since the MES is out of commission.  Let me know if you try it.

·   SMOKED DUCK WITH CHINESE FLAVORINGS

Source: How to Grill, pg. 270                        Steven Raichlen
http://primalgrill.org/season2/Recipes/211_recipes.html#anchor2Method: Rotisserie/Spit-Roasting

Serves: 2 to 4
Advance Preparation: 6 to 24 hours for marinating the duck

1 duck (5 to 6 pounds)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Asian (dark) sesame oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons
for basting
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (See NOTE)
1 clove garlic, minced, plus 1 clove garlic, crushed
1 slice fresh ginger (1/4 inch), lightly crushed
1 scallion, trimmed and lightly crushed
Tea-Smoking Mixture for Duck (optional; recipe follows)

You’ll also need:

1 cup wood chips, soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover, then drained; rotisserie; butcher’s string

No rotisserie.   Indirect grill.

Remove the packet of giblets from the duck’s cavity and set aside for another use.  Remove and discard the fat just inside the neck and body cavities.  Rinse the duck, inside and out, under cold running water and then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels.  Remove the wishbone.

Make the marinade: Combine the soy sauce, honey, 1 tablespoon oil, five-spice powder, and minced garlic in a bowl and stir.

Place the ginger, scallion, crushed garlic, and 1 tablespoon marinade in the body cavity of the duck and another tablespoon in the smaller neck cavity.  Truss the duck.  Place in a baking dish and pour the remaining marinade over it.  Gently prick the skin all over and let the duck marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably 24, turning it several times.

Set up the grill for rotisserie grilling and preheat to high.  If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center.  If using a gas grill with a smoker box, add all the wood chips and the Tea-Smoking Mixture, if desired (for the smoking mixture, line the smoker box with aluminum foil first), and preheat until you see smoke.  If using a regular gas grill, place the wood chips and smoking mixture (again, if desired) in a smoker pouch and preheat until you see smoke.

***Indirect grill.   

Skewer the duck on the spit.  When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, place all the wood chips and the Tea-Smoking Mixture, if desired, on the coals.  Attach the spit to the rotisserie mechanism and turn on the motor.  Grill until the skin is dark golden brown and the meat is tender, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.  Baste with oil after 1 hour and every 15 minutes thereafter.  If using a charcoal grill, you’ll need to add 18 fresh coals after 1 hour.  To test for doneness, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of a thigh, but not touching the bone.  The internal temperature should be about 165 to 170 degrees F.  Carefully remove the duck from the spit.  Let rest 5 minutes before carving or serving.

NOTE: Chinese five-spice powder is available commercially at most supermarkets.  If you cannot find it, blend your own using the following recipe:

Sub-Recipe 1:
Chinese Five-Spice Powder

Makes 1/3 cup

3 whole star anise
2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches each)
3 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

Heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the spices and toast until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.  Transfer the spices to a bowl and let cool completely.

Break the star anise and cinnamon sticks into pieces.  Grind the spices to a fine powder in a spice mill.  Transfer to a jar, cover, and store away from heat and light.  The powder will keep for several months.

Sub-Recipe 2:
Tea-Smoking Mixture for Duck

Makes enough to smoke 1 or 2 ducks

1/3 cup white rice
1/3 cup black tea
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 cinnamon sticks (each 3 inches long)
3 whole star anise
3 strips tangerine zest (each 1/2 by 2 inches)

Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to mix.
 
Roller, your duck looks delicious! Great job, duck is on my todo list.

Werdwolf, I like your recipe. I copied it & saved it for later use. Thanks
 
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Now you have one fine looking duck. Is it the same texture as a goose. I smoked one awhile back and the wife didn't like the texture alittle mushy to her?? But yours duck looks great.
 
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Thanks everyone for the nice remarks..I have never eaten a Goose but have lots of duck. This one was not mushy and duck can be tough at times but this one was not and that maybe because it was a tame duck well not real tame..lol

Thanks for the recipe Werdwolf I will give that one a try..
 
I had many wild ducks & a few wild Geese a long time ago.

I loved the Ducks, but never cared for the Geese. They seemed to strong & too oily to me.

However none of them were smoked in those days.

Bear
 
Bear the good geese to eat are the Speckle Belly and the Canadan. At the least that is the way it is on the Mississippi Flyway. I was a duck hunter my whole life but not much on geese. One of my hobbies is making Handmade Duck Calls I usually make them when the weather turns cooler. Anyway this tame duch was real mild compaired to the wild ones.
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I don't care much for duck, but that one looked good!

You pluck it and I will smoke it.  LOL We had a rule in our house.  If we shot it, we cleaned it.  No bringing it home for mama to clean.  She could pluck a duck or chicken about as fast as I got the water hot.  When I finally got done plucking it, the water was already cold and she told me it wasn't clean enough for her.  I can skin one pretty good though!  Bacon is your friend!  LOLOL

Good luck and good smoking.
 
Roller,

Now I'm wondering if the geese are extra fatty up here in PA, because our season begins in September , before the fly down to you.

Then I think your season begins in November, after the long flight to LA. Never heard anything about that, but it seems logical to me.

That, plus we have some locals up here that Winter in PA, and they are REALLY FAT & Lazy!

Beautiful Duck Calls !!!!

Later,

Bear
 
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I enjoy the Lesser Snow geese a lot more the the Canada Goose, they are just way to fatty and greasy for me. I really like doing just the breast of the Snows...
 
Thanks Bear they are fun to make and someone around here is always wanting one. A diehard duck hunter will always want a handmade call...
 
I am boiling down that Duck carcus to pick  the last of the meat off the bones and save that broth for future Duck Gumbo...Man it sure smells good..
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Not to "horn" in, but up here in the far north, our birds are as sweet and not that oily.  I do, however, poke, prod and inject my honkers with special juices to combat any 'foul' taste. Once I find the recipe, I will gladly share with you guys in hopes that the wild flying birds are given their proper due as a great food source--free of chemicals, (other than those I choose to inject)  LOL

Rich
 
Roller,

Now I'm wondering if the geese are extra fatty up here in PA, because our season begins in September , before the fly down to you.

Then I think your season begins in November, after the long flight to LA. Never heard anything about that, but it seems logical to me.

That, plus we have some locals up here that Winter in PA, and they are REALLY FAT & Lazy!

Beautiful Duck Calls !!!!

Later,

Bear
 
Howdy.

Good looking duck there.

I've got a 10 lb muscovy I'm planning to smoke soon. Do you remember about how long it took to get to that 165 IT?
 
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