Every duck season comes with the same question: What are we going to do with all those duck breasts coming home from the blind? These recipes offer a few ideas beyond the usual preparations, with flavors that work especially well for a relaxed meal shared with family and friends. But duck season is about more than what’s for dinner. It’s the stories from the blind, the friendly ribbing, the catching up and the time spent around the table once the day is done. These are the kinds of recipes that fit right into that rhythm. They’re easy to make, filling enough for a hungry crowd and the kind of dishes everyone can enjoy while swapping stories around the table.
Duck Enchiladas
For the Slow Cooker: Orange-Soy Cooking Sauce
5–6 duck breasts (about 3 pounds)
1 cup fresh orange juice
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons stone-ground mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
- Place duck breasts in a slow cooker, skin-side up if using skin-on duck. Whisk together orange juice, soy sauce, maple syrup, vinegar, mustard and garlic; pour over the duck breasts.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours, checking at 4 hours, until tender and easy to pull apart. Transfer duck to a plate; rest 10–15 minutes. Discard bones, cartilage and excess skin, then shred meat. Strain cooking liquid and reserve ½ cup. Add enough to the shredded duck to keep it moist.
For the Enchiladas:
3 pounds shredded duck breast
2 (16-ounce) jars medium green salsa
¾ cup heavy cream
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup chopped jalapeño, optional
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Combine salsa and cream in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine shredded duck with ½ cup of the salsa mixture.
- Stack tortillas and wrap in damp paper towels. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute, until warm and pliable.
- Dip each tortilla in the salsa mixture. Place flat and spoon about ⅓ cup duck mixture down the center. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
- Pour remaining salsa mixture over enchiladas and top with cheese. Bake 40–45 minutes, until cheese is melted and lightly browned and sauce is bubbling.
- Rest 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and jalapeño, if desired.
Country Slaw Dip
This creamy, tangy dip is the kind of appetizer that earns a permanent place in the rotation at a duck camp. For a festive presentation, serve it in a hollowed-out head of purple cabbage. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika for some color. Fritos Scoops make the perfect companion for this dip.
2½ cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 bunch green onions, chopped (green tops only)
1 cup chopped pepperoncini peppers
1–2 fresh jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped, to taste
1¼ cups mayonnaise, preferably Duke’s
- In a large bowl, combine the Swiss cheese, green onions, pepperoncini peppers, jalapeños and mayonnaise. Stir until well combined.
- Cover and refrigerate for 2–4 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
- To serve, hollow out a head of purple cabbage and spoon the dip inside. Serve with Fritos Scoops or crackers of your choice.
713 Rice
A savory, comforting side with plenty of flavor, 713 Rice is well-suited to a table filled with hearty dishes. This recipe makes an especially good companion to the duck enchiladas, but it also pairs well with grilled beef, pork or chicken.
2 boxes Uncle Ben’s Wild Rice
1 can (10½ ounces) beef consommé
2 cans (10½ ounces each) chicken broth
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 8-ounce package fresh mushrooms, sliced
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large skillet, sauté the bell pepper, onion and mushrooms in butter or olive oil until tender. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set aside.
- Pour the beef consommé and chicken broth into the same skillet and bring to a boil. Add the seasoning packets from the rice and stir to combine.
- Add the rice and stir. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and top with the sautéed vegetables.
- Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Stir before serving.