Grilling
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[ Photographs: Joshua Bousel ]

About the author: Joshua Bousel brings you new, tasty condiment each Wednesday and a recipe for weekend grilling every Friday. He also writes about grilling and barbecue on his blog The Meatwave whenever he can be pulled away from his grill.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

About This Recipe

Yield: serves 8 to 10
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 3 days 5 hours
Special equipment: Smoker
This recipe appears in: Grilling: Duck Pastrami

Ingredients

  • For the Cure:
  • 1/4 cup Kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground juniper berries
  • 3/4 teaspoon pink salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  •  
  • 4 pounds skin-on boneless duck breast (about 4 large breasts each)
  •  
  • For the Rub:
  • 3 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely ground coriander seed
  • 2 teaspoons coarsely ground juniper berries
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
  •  
  • 1to 2 fist-size chunks of light smoking wood, such as apple or cherry
  •  
  • Type of fire: Indirect
  • Grill heat: Low

Procedures

  1. For the Cure: in a small bowl, mix together salt, 2 teaspoons pepper, 2 teaspoons coriander, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon juniper berries, pink salt, ginger, garlic, and cloves. Coat duck breasts entirely with cure and place in a large resealable plastic bag. Place in the coldest part of the refrigerator and cure for 72 hours, flipping bag twice a day.

  2. Remove duck breasts from bag and wash as much cure off as possible under cold running water. Place breasts in a large container and fill with water and let soak for 2 hours, replacing water every 30 minutes. Remove from water and pat dry with paper towels.

  3. For the Rub: mix together 2 tablespoons black pepper, 1 tablespoon coriander, 1 tablespoon juniper berries, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Coat duck breasts entirely with rub.

  4. Fire up smoker or grill to 225°F, adding chunks of smoking wood chunks when at temperature. When wood is ignited and producing smoke, place duck breasts in, skin side down, and smoke until an instant read thermometer registers 165°F when inserted into center of breasts, 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

  5. Remove from smoker and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve immediately, or store in refrigerator up to a week, slicing and serving as needed. For best results, steam slices to reheat.