I make potted duck once every fews months or so. It’s labour intensive but one of the best things to eat, without doubt. It’s cured, confited, smoked and then shredded. It’s a fusion (not confusion) of Asian flavour with French technique.
Potted Duck - Step 1, The Cure
Step 1 is to cure the duck legs and thighs. This cure is star anise, black peppercorn, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and juniper berries, toasted and then ground to a powder. This is added to sea salt, lemon zest, orange zest and freshly picked thyme leaves. The rub is massaged into the duck and the duck then left to cure for 24 hours in the fridge.
Potted Duck - Step 2, The Confit
The duck legs have now been spiced and salt-cured, rinsed well and then pat dry. Now for part 2, The Confit. This is done in duck fat (with a couple of rosemary sprigs) at 75 dec C (167 deg F) over a period of 18 hours…yes 18 hours. The muscle on duck legs and thighs is worked hard during the duck’s living days so tends to be tough meat. We need to break the meat down slowly over a long period of time, hence 18 hours. Note, that the roasting tin is covered with foil.
Potted Duck - Step 3, The Smoke
So those lovely duck legs and thighs have been bathing in the luxury of duck fat for 18 hours. The meat at this stage is as tender as duck. Now to elevate the flavour with a short smoking over hickory. I smoke them at 80 deg C (176 deg F) for 30 minutes. I want a hint of smoke, and not for it to overpower those lovely Asian spices the duck was cured in. I can in all honesty say this is the most difficult process…lifting the duck from the fat and seeing that unctuous meat trying to covertly slip from the bone is a temptation to be done with it and eat them there and then. But alas, I know that the final potted duck is too good to miss out on.
Potted Duck - Step 4, The Shred
Well, after 24 hours of curing, 18 hours of confiting and 30 minutes of smoking we are at the end of the duck journey. Only left now is to shred, blitz, pot, wait and then the final goal, eat!!!!
Shred: pull that unctuous smokey, spicy meat from the bone and shred until you can shred no more…little tastes at this stage are wholly permissible.
Blitz: that still warm duck fat from the confit is blitzed to a white emulsion – this fat has all the flavours of the duck and the spices that the duck was cured in. A little dab on the finger for a taste is again wholly permissible.
Pot: put the shredded duck in a sterilised pot/jar(s), compress and then pour over some of the emulsified duck fat. Some will deliciously seep through the shredded meat; most will reside on top creating a seal.
Wait: I know, I know, but leaving this a couple of days really does let everyone in the jar get to know each other intimately. After a couple of days, bring up to room temperature and then…
Eat: Oh yes, the day has arrived. Potted duck, plain crackers and a little pear chutney makes all that work, that labour, the temptation resistance worthwhile. Sit back and enjoy.
