Duck Pastrami Recipe
Prep time
60 min
Serves
4 - 6 ppl
Cook time
120 - 150 min
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About This Smoked Duck Pastrami Recipe…
Duck breast pastrami isn’t your typical duck breast recipe. Making smoked duck pastrami might not sound like a unusual approach to this classic deli staple, but the results are even better than the “normal” pastrami you’re used to. The flavor of duck pastrami is even richer. And the pastrami texture that you’re used to with beef is the same with duck pastrami. That’s why it’s best to use Moulard Duck Breast for this recipe. Moulard Duck Breast is very “beefy.” As a result, it’s perfect for making pastrami. The process to make smoked duck pastrami is exactly the same as traditional recipe featuring beef. First, the meat is cured. Second the meat is smoked. Third, it’s sliced and you get to enjoy a delicious duck pastrami sandwich. There are a couple of big advantages to choosing a duck pastrami recipe over one featuring beef. If you’re smart enough to choose DUCKCHAR Moulard Duck Breast as your duck breast, the hot smoked pastrami that comes off your smoker will be even richer than the beef pastrami you’re accustomed. While Moulard Duck Breast looks and “feels” like red meat, it’s not. It’s actually poultry and it’s better for you. Another big advantage to a duck pastrami recipe is the space savings it provides over beef. You probably don’t have extra room in the fridge to cure an entire brisket. But making space for a couple of Moulard Duck Breasts is a lot more feasible. Don’t worry they’ll provide plenty of meat for those pastrami sandwiches!
Ingredients
2 DUCKCHAR Moulard Duck Breast, skin on
1 tablespoon DUCKCHAR Duck Fat
4 quarts water
6 ounces or 3/4 cups kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar (100 grams)
2 teaspoons pink salt (optional but recommended if pastrami is not consumed right away)
5 garlic cloves, smashed
2 1/2 tablespoons pickling spice
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup black peppercorns, coarsely ground
2 tablespoons coriander
Prepare Duck Pastrami Brine
Step 1 - Combine brown sugar, pink salt, kosher salt, garlic, pickling spice, and 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally until sugar and salts dissolve - about 5 minutes. Pour the liquid into a 1 gallon (or larger) food safe container. Add 2 quarts of ice and cool in fridge to below 40 degrees F to container. Alternatively, to cool more rapidly, instead of water, add enough ice to reach a volume of 4 quarts.
Cure Duck Pastrami
Step 2 - Once the duck pastrami curing solution has cooled, add DUCKCHAR Moulard Duck Breast.
Step 3 - Cover container and cure DUCKCHAR Moulard Duck Breast in fridge for 4 - 5 days. After curing, rinse Moulard Duck Breast with cold water, pat dry and place on a wire rack uncovered inside the fridge for 12 - 24 hours.
Smoke Duck Pastrami
Step 4 - Prepare smoker with oak and cherry woods (1:1 ratio). If using a pellet smoker, a blend with maple, oak, and cherry hardwoods works great. Heat smoker to temperature 225 degrees F.
Step 5 - Brush each Moulard duck breast with light layer of DUCKCHAR Duck Fat. Combine pepper and coriander and season Moulard Duck Breast with pastrami rub thoroughly. Smoke Moulard Duck Breast until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F.
Step 6 - Slice thin or leave in fridge overnight. Only slice what you need to make an epic duck pastrami sandwich. We like it on rye with sauerkraut and brown mustard.
