Sauce for seared or grilled duck

Michael B

Michael B

Active member
I'm not much of a chef. I hate to cook. Some day I'll try making a pan sauce that Hank Shaw describes (I bought his book), but I'm generally too lazy. So the question: what kind of off the shelf "sauce" do people like for duck? Like A1 for ducks... I actually wonder how A1 would be...

Mike
 
For me, not very good.
Though very personal. So you may like it. Many quality store boughten barbecue sauces would be better.
 
if you want a sauce for seared duck breasts - although not from a store - try this

my wife is disappointed if I do duck any other way (although i skip the onions)

http://www.ducks.org/Hunting/Waterfowl-Recipes-Wild-Game-Cooking/Duck-Breasts-with-Grand-Marnier-Sauce

serve with a nice Pinot Noir
 
Lawry's 30-minute marinades. Pick your flavor. I like the Caribbean Jerk with red onions, green & red peppers, and bacon with duck breast cubed on kabob skewers. Grill over foil, then add quick char. Good stuff in my opinion...
 
Discovered this season that a couple different store bought sauce mixs are absolutely delicious subsituteing duck instead of the steak recipe calls for. Panda brand either korean barbecue (Sweet and spicy) and mongolian barbecue mix ( sweet and a little warmer). I cut duck into 1/4" slivers about 2" long and marinate meat about 2 1/2 hrs. in a 3rd of the mix. Then cook as per instructions but I do let it simmer a little longer than called for. Absolutely delicious served over jasmine rice. Canada goose is just as good as duck.
 
A1? eeeew, aaack.

pan sauces are so easy. Once your meat is done take it out to rest a few minutes and add a bit of stock or wine to deglaze the pan (get all the brown bits off the bottom). Reduce to half and when ready to eat add a Tbls or two of butter to the pan but don't boil the butter, it thickens and adds body. You could also add a bit of currant jelly or orange marmalade for a little sweetness. Easy Peasy
 
Go to the store and get a jar of Lingonberry Jam (Red Current will do in a pinch). Warm it in a saucepan with a little rum to thin it out.
It's pretty dang good.
 
I second what Pete says except I prefer Balsamic vinegar instead of wine for a sauce. or sometimes a combo of both depending on what I have. Super easy and tastes delicious. I usually make some instant mashed potatoes while the sauce is reducing.
 
From Ralf Coykendall's book: "Duck Decoys and How to Rig Them" The last page:

Duck Breast A'La Bourbon

"Back to bourbon? Yes, Indeed. It is essential here, and this is a recipe for wild duck that will please everyone. It was my father's favorite.

Depending on size of duck(s) and appetite(s), allow the needed number of duck breasts to warm to room temperature.

In a large skillet, slowly melt three tablespoons of red currant jelly and a quarter pound of butter. After the mixture is fully dissolved, mix in one tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and one teaspoon each of salt and black pepper.

Turn up the heat under the skillet and add one third cup of sherry and two thirds cup of bourbon. Stir. When the mixture comes to a rolling bubble, add the duck breasts and cook, turning occasionally, for five to eight minutes depending on size of duck breasts and degree of rareness desired. Overcooking will toughen the meat.

Serve on wild rice, with more jelly and green peas. I know you will enjoy it. Maybe this should be called "Duck Breasts a'la Coykendall." Good gunning and Bon appetite."

I personally have made this with a common merg of all things and it was great. There is a lot of verbiage but still a very easy preparation.
 
Pete -

Ralf Coykendall's - Duck Decoys And How To Rig Them, has been in my library for years and is a classic favorite. So many good books, so many good recipes and so little time to try them all, but we try. So I guess that is what counts. It's our way of honoring the bird that gave it's life to feed us.

Salude!
 
Some awesome ideas!! I love sauces for my duck dishes.


You could try a jar of black raspberry jelly in a sauce pot and add 1 - 2 cups regular Dr. Pepper and bring to a light simmer. Add a pinch of salt and cayenne pepper and reduce by half. Brush on while on the grill when you are ready to serve.


Best,
Steve
 
When I am spending a chunk of time in food prep., I often just grab a half liter bottle of Barefoot Pinot Noir, or Cabernet Sauvignon and make a reduction to be saved and used as a sauce base for other dishes. Bourbon and sherry, per Pete's approach, adds another excellent background flavor layer, as does red currant jam (home made is fabulous stuff), cranberry sauce w/ whole cranberries, or thimble berry jam (A group of Monks in the Keweenaw make and market it up here.). If you can find fresh raspberries and blackberries, add these to the red wine reduction and a splash of bourbon or sherry a minute or so prior serving. Do not stir the raspberries...

Major Grey's or Crosse and Blackwell's, Hot Mango Chutney is also a good sauce base choice to thin with bourbon or sherry for seared duck dishes. Chutney is not much different than our jam... This makes a great table sauce for ruffed grouse as well.

Dijon mustard, canned whole cranberries, and sherry, with course ground black pepper (proportions determined by your tastes for sweet vs. bitter) added in the last few minutes of heating makes a very good sauce for venison, waterfowl, and bear.

Red curry sauces paired with grilled or seared duck pair well with strong flavored meats like waterfowl. S & B market a really good Japanese curry paste in bar form with the logo: Golden Curry on the box header. They offer three heat levels, based on consumer preferences.

You can also make a Satay Peanut sauce off a base of Sambal Olek Thai red chili paste. Birds eye chilies are pretty potent, so don't get carried away... Just grab some chunky peanut butter, a lime, low sodium soy sauce, ground ginger,brown sugar, and some coconut milk. This is a good mix with teal, wood ducks, or pintail. I also have used this with grilled sharptail with excellent results. Add a little applewood to the charcoal...

I use a mortar and pestle (Target sells a nice porcelain unit.) to grind dried Juniper berries, with coarse ground black pepper, ground bay leaf, and sea salt combined, all applied as a rub prior pan searing duck breasts or venison chops. This makes a great German dish. After searing the breasts, let them rest on a separate plate. Add a splash of sherry to reduce with the pan crumbles and drippings, prior adding a half-pint of heavy cream. Bring back to a simmer and fold-in cooked shitake or honey mushrooms. When the sauce returns to a slow simmer, reintroduce the duck breasts;heat for about five minutes on medium; serve with a brown and wild rice mix.

Another option is to peel several garlic cloves (4-5), add 1/4 stick of unsalted butter, and half to three quarters of a cup of extra virgin olive oil to a backing dish and roast at 350F for a minimum of a half hour. I add cayenne and some course ground pepper medley. When cooled, pour this into a food processor to emulsify the mix and store for use as a baste for grilling duck, goose, or venison. Making this with some added roast jalopeno peppers yields a really good variant or venison.
 
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