Smoked Duck - Ross Wallingford
This recipe has never failed to please those who have eaten it! To avoid the copious amounts of grease associated with duck, remove the skin and any fat on the bird before marinating.
- 1 duckling - skinned and fat removed
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup non-iodized salt
- 1 tbs ground black pepper
- 1 tbs sage
- 1 tbs thyme
- 1 tbs rosemary
- 1 cup apple juice
Combine the above ingredients in a 2-quart plastic container and add water until full. Cap and shake well to dissolve the salt and sugar. In a plastic bowl, marinade the skinned duckling for 24 hours in the solution. Keep refrigerated. Remove the duckling form the marinade and place back in the refrigerator for 1 hour on a plate, uncovered. Place the duckling into a smoker which has been heated and is smoking well.. Smoke for 2 hours using 2-3 pans full of apple or chips. Remove from the smoker, place in a pan and bake in the oven at 325°F for about 60 minutes. Make sure the meat has reached at least 165°F using a meat thermometer. If using a smoker/cooker, the additional baking step is unnecessary - just smoke/cook using several pans of chips over a 3-4 hour period until the internal temperature reaches 165°F or higher. Remove and let cool. Slice the meat away from the bone and enjoy!
