Content
Duck, compared to chicken and turkey, is much less popular. However, dishes from this bird also turn out tasty and healthy. It is prepared in different ways; for example, there is a simple recipe for hot smoking wild duck at home. It is no more difficult to smoke a bird using the cold method. The finished delicacy looks very presentable and has an exquisite taste and aroma. The main thing is to follow the technology of the chosen method of smoking wild duck and the rules for its storage.
Benefits and calories
Compared to other types of poultry, wild duck meat is high in iron and unsaturated fatty acids. The first is critical for the formation of red blood cells and maintaining hemoglobin levels; with its deficiency, almost all vitamins are poorly absorbed. The latter are a valuable source of energy for the body (they are “processed” almost completely and are not converted into fat deposits), a powerful natural antioxidant.
Wild duck is rich in vitamins:
- A (necessary for tissue regeneration, restoration of the body, maintaining visual acuity);
- group B (help maintain the body in tone, have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, improve the condition of the skin, nails, hair);
- C (supports immunity, stabilizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system, improves blood microcirculation);
- K, PP (without them normal metabolism is impossible).
Smoked wild duck is, without exaggeration, a delicacy, but it is not recommended to abuse it
Mineral substances include:
- potassium;
- magnesium;
- sodium;
- phosphorus;
- calcium;
- copper;
- Selena;
- zinc;
- sulfur;
- iodine;
- manganese;
- chromium.
The calorie content of wild duck, both hot and cold smoked, is quite high - 337 kcal per 100 g. It cannot be classified as a dietary product. The fat content is about 28.4 g, protein - 19 g per 100 g. But there are no carbohydrates at all.
Hot or cold smoked wild duck is served as an appetizer or a separate dish
How to prepare wild duck for smoking
Preparation for smoking wild duck looks like this:
- Scald the carcass with boiling water, pluck out all the feathers and remove the “stumps” from them under the skin (boiling water makes this task much easier). Sear the wild duck over a fire or over a stove burner, discarding the fluff.
- Make a longitudinal incision on the belly (from the tail) and along the sternum, remove all the entrails. The gallbladder requires especially careful handling. If it is damaged, the meat will be irrevocably spoiled, saturated with the bitterness of its contents.
- Trim off excess fatty tissue, head, tail and wing tips. After separating the head, the crop is removed. If desired, the carcass is divided in half along the spine.
- Thoroughly rinse the wild duck carcass inside and out.
Important! To ensure that bile does not get on the wild duck meat before smoking, it is recommended to cut out the gallbladder only when the liver has already been completely removed from the belly.
How to brine wild duck for smoking
Salting is carried out both dry and wet. Both of these, unlike using a wild duck marinade for smoking, ensure maximum preservation of the natural flavor of the meat.
The dry salting process takes 5-10 days, depending on the weight of the duck. The carcass is thoroughly rubbed with coarse salt (mixed with ground black pepper if desired), placed in a container on a pillow made from it, and the top is also generously sprinkled with salt. The wild duck is kept in the refrigerator for the required time, turning it daily.
Dry salting of wild duck is most often practiced if cold smoking is chosen - this way maximum moisture is removed from the tissues
To prepare brine for smoking you will need:
- drinking water – 1 l;
- coarse salt – 100 g;
- bay leaf – 3-5 pieces;
- black peppercorns – 8-10 pieces;
- allspice - optional.
All spices are added to the water, the liquid is brought to a boil, after 3-5 minutes, remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. The prepared brine is poured over the wild duck so that the carcass is completely covered with it.
You can start smoking duck soaked in brine after 3-4 days
How to marinate wild duck for smoking
There are a lot of marinade recipes for smoking wild duck: they allow you to give the meat an original flavor, make it juicier and more tender.It is quite possible to experimentally find the most suitable option for yourself. Marinating is practiced mainly for hot smoking. But you shouldn’t get too carried away with spices and spices, otherwise the natural taste of wild duck will simply be lost.
With garlic and spices:
- drinking water – 0.7 l;
- table vinegar (6-9%) – 2 tbsp. l.;
- salt – 2 tbsp. l.;
- sugar – 1 tbsp. l.;
- garlic – 3-4 cloves;
- bay leaf – 2-3 pieces;
- ground ginger and cinnamon - 1/2 tsp each.
All spices, vinegar and chopped garlic are added to boiling water. After 4-5 minutes, remove the container from the heat and pour the marinade over the wild duck. The carcass is ready for smoking in two days.
With lemon and honey:
- olive oil – 200 ml;
- liquid honey – 80 ml;
- freshly squeezed lemon juice – 100 ml;
- salt – 2 tbsp. l.;
- garlic – 4-5 cloves;
- any dry herbs (sage, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, marjoram) - 2 tsp. mixtures.
The ingredients are thoroughly mixed (the garlic is first finely chopped or crushed into a paste), and the wild duck is coated with marinade. You can start smoking after 8-12 hours.
With tomato paste:
- drinking water – 0.2 l;
- tomato paste – 200 g;
- apple cider vinegar (or dry white wine) – 25-30 ml;
- salt – 1 tbsp. l.;
- sugar – 1 tsp;
- garlic – 3-4 cloves;
- paprika – 1 tsp.
The ingredients for the marinade just need to be mixed. Before smoking, the duck is kept in it for 24-48 hours.
Wild duck smoking recipes
There are two ways to smoke wild duck at home. The method chosen determines the appearance and taste of the finished product. When smoked cold, the meat becomes more elastic and dense, when smoked hot, it becomes crumbly and juicy. The first method emphasizes the natural taste, while the second method emphasizes the seasonings and spices used.
How to smoke hot smoked wild duck in a smokehouse
Hot smoking wild duck is a method most suitable for those who do not have much experience. Here you can use both open and closed, both homemade and factory smokehouse.
How to proceed:
- Prepare the smokehouse by pouring several handfuls of wood chips onto the bottom, greasing the grates with vegetable oil (if the design provides for their presence), and installing a tray to drain excess fat.
- Build a fire, fire in the barbecue, connect the smoke generator. Wait until a light white or bluish haze appears.
- Place the carcass on a grill or hang it on a hook. In the first case, the wild duck is, as it were, unfolded like a book and placed with its back up. When the bird is ready, remove it from the smokehouse.
Important! You cannot eat hot smoked wild duck right away. The carcass will have to be aired for several hours in the open air or in a room with good ventilation to get rid of the persistent smell of smoke.
How to cold smoke wild duck
It is better to cold smoke wild duck in a special smokehouse. Ideally, use a smoke generator so that you don’t have to constantly monitor the temperature.
In general, the smoking technology does not differ from that described above. The smokehouse itself is prepared in the same way; the bird is also placed in it on a grate or hook. Wild duck must be prepared for cold smoking. The most common practice is pickling.
The only difference is that the source of the smoke must be 3-4 m away from the smoking cabinet. After passing this distance, the smoke has time to cool to the required temperature. Therefore, the smoking cabinet (it must be closed) is connected to a smoke generator, fire, or barbecue with a pipe.
Cold smoking of wild duck requires strict adherence to technology, otherwise pathogenic microflora may remain in the meat
Advice from professionals
Recommendations from professional chefs help improve the taste of the finished hot and cold smoked duck. Seemingly insignificant nuances that non-specialists are unaware of are very important.
Choosing wood chips
Professional chefs recommend smoking wild duck on wood chips, rather than on thin twigs or sawdust, after lightly moistening them with water. The wood chips do not burn, smolder well, and there is enough space and air between its particles for the pyrolysis process to proceed normally.
As for the type of wood: alder is most often chosen. This is a good option, but to give the wild duck an original aroma and flavor during the smoking process, you can mix alder with chips of juniper and fruit trees (apple, plum, cherry, apricot, pear).
In addition to fruit trees, beech or oak chips can be used for smoking
Any coniferous wood is absolutely not suitable for smoking not only wild duck, but also other poultry, fish, and meat. When sawdust or wood chips smolder, resins are released, giving the finished product a very unpleasant taste.
Smoking time and temperature
The smoking time depends on the chosen smoking method and the size of the wild duck carcass. On average, for hot smoking it varies within 2-5 hours, for cold smoking – 1-3 days. Moreover, in the latter case, the process cannot be interrupted during the first 8 hours.
That is, to cook cold smoked wild duck, you need to smoke it much longer. This time difference is due to the smoking temperature. With the cold method it is only 27-30°C, with the hot method – 80-100°C.
You can tell that a wild duck is ready by the beautiful golden brown color that the carcass acquires. If you pierce a hot-smoked bird with a sharp wooden stick, the puncture site will remain dry. Cold smoked wild duck releases clear juice when it is ready.
An excessively dark, almost chocolate color means that the duck has been over-exposed to smoke.
Storage rules
Ducks, like any other wild waterfowl, are characterized by the presence of a thick layer of fat under the skin. Because of this, the finished product is considered perishable. Cold smoked wild duck will last in the refrigerator for 7-10 days, hot smoked duck for 3-5 days. The fact that meat has spoiled can be determined by the stickiness of its surface, the appearance of mold, and an unpleasant odor. The shelf life increases by 2-3 days if you place the wild duck in a sealed plastic bag and “pump out” the air from it. Waxed or oiled paper or foil gives a similar effect.
In the freezer, also in hermetically sealed packaging (bag, container), smoked duck will last up to six months. It is not advisable to store it longer - despite the fact that the container is tightly closed, the moisture gradually evaporates, the duck becomes dry, and the taste is lost.
Conclusion
The recipe for hot smoking wild duck is very simple, so even those who do not have much experience in working with a smokehouse can prepare the delicacy at home. The finished product is not only tasty and original, but also very healthy if not abused.When cold smoking, wild duck retains even more nutrients due to the low smoke temperature. But here it is necessary to strictly follow the technology, while the hot method allows improvisation within reasonable limits.
