Smoked Duck Breast with Spiced Cranberry Chutney
Pair with Buchignani Ranch Carignane or Dusi Ranch Zinfandel.
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Ingredients:
Brine
- 1½ quarts Water
- 2 cups Sugar
- 2 cups Salt
- 2 Fresh Bay Leaves, torn
- 1 Yellow Onion, quartered
- ½ ounce Fresh Thyme
- 5 cloves Garlic, cracked
- 1 gallon Ice
Smoked Duck Breast
- 12 Duck Breasts, cleaned
- 1 recipe Brine
Spiced Cranberry Chutney
- ½ teaspoon cumin, ground
- ½ teaspoon dry ginger, ground
- 6 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 4 pieces orange zest, ½” x 2″
- 1½ cups of orange juice
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 12 oz. fresh cranberries
Directions:
Brine
- Bring all of the ingredients with the exception of the ice to a rolling boil
- Whisk well to ensure that the salt and sugar are dissolved
- Pour the brine over ice to cool
- Stir well to ensure that all of the ice is melted
Smoked Duck Breast
- Place the duck breasts in a non reactive container and cover with brine
- Weigh the duck breasts down with a plate
- Refrigerate the brining meat for 2 days
- Remove the duck breasts from the brine and gently rinse under cold running water. Make sure to rinse the duck to the point where you no longer feel a syrupy residue, then gently squeegee (with your hand or the dull side of a chef’s knife, run it firmly along the skin until moisture appears, wiping off the moisture, repeating until the moisture no longer appears) any additional water from the duck breast
- Dry the duck breasts thoroughly with paper towels and lay out on a sheet tray lined with parchment, skin side up
- Place the sheet tray in the refrigerator and refrigerate the duck breasts uncovered for 12 hours
- Preheat a smoker to 150F fueled with cherry wood chips
- Lightly grease the trays of the smoker with the pan spray
- Lay the duck breasts, flesh side up, on the smoking trays and place in the smoker
- Smoke for 3 hours
- In the last fifteen minutes of the duck breasts smoking, preheat the oven to 350F
- Remove the duck breasts from the smoker and transfer to the oven for 7-10 minutes until they reach a temperature of medium
- Remove the duck breasts from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature prior to refrigerating
Spiced Cranberry Chutney
- Combine spices, orange zest, and orange juice in saucepan with a heavy bottom
- Reduce over medium heat until orange juice is slightly thickened
- Add sugar and continue cooking until syrupy
- Add vinegar and cranberries; cover and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes
- Serve at room temperature; It will keep well in the refrigerator
To Serve
Crostini, made from Sourdough Baguette
Smoked Duck Breast, sliced
Maldon Salt
Chervil
Put a dollop of chutney followed by a slice of duck breast on the crostini. Garnish with maldon salt and a chervil.
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