Smoked Duck Breast with Szechuan Five Spice
Duck breast is dry-marinated with an aromatic five spice blend and soy sauce, then hot smoked. The combination of star anise, Szechuan pepper and cinnamon gives the meat a deep, spicy aroma. Apple and cherry wood complement the Asian spices with a slightly fruity smoke note.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Preparation
20 min.Mix all spices with soy sauce and sesame oil into a paste. Pat the duck breast dry, score the skin in a diamond pattern without cutting into the meat. Apply paste evenly, massage in and vacuum seal.
Marinating
8-12 hrs.Marinate the vacuum-sealed duck breast at 4 °C in the refrigerator. At least 8 hours, preferably overnight. Then allow to acclimatize at room temperature for 30-45 minutes.
Smoking
1.5-2.5 hrs.Regulate smoker to 110-120 °C, add apple and cherry wood chips. Place duck breast skin side up on the grate and smoke until an internal temperature of 74 °C is reached. Add wood chips regularly.
Resting
10-15 min.Remove duck breast from the smoker, loosely cover with aluminium foil and rest for 10-15 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute evenly. Slice against the grain and serve.
Pro Tip
Briefly sear the skin side in a hot dry pan before smoking – this keeps it crispy while still absorbing the smoke aroma perfectly.
Glossary Terms
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