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Grilled Duck Breast

mmmmmm duck

Duck breasts are made for grilling! The next time you and your friends are talking about putting some steaks on the grill remember ducks are delicious.....mmmmmmm duck. Outdoor grills with wood and/or charcoal are great for duck. You'll follow the same procedure as steak to make perfectly cooked duck.

Ingredients

Conversions to European measurements can be found here!

4 large mallard duck breasts
8 teaspoons salt
pepper to taste
6-8 ground bay leaves

Procedure

Grind the bay leaves with a mortar and pestle (or whiz them up in a coffee grinder). Mix the powdered bay leaves with the salt and pepper.

Score the fat/skin side of the breasts with a sharp knife in a crisscross fashion. Do not cut all the way through the fat.

Sprinkle the fat side with the salt mixture

Take the prepared breasts to the grill when they are room temperature. Cook them on the grill fat side down for about 5-7 minutes. Flip the breasts and cook on the meat side for 3-5 minutes. Let the meat rest and serve.

Tricks

If you have to grind your bay leaves manually and you don't have a mortar and pestle the microwave might become your new best friend. You can put the bay leaves in the microwave for a couple of seconds to remove any remaining moisture from the leaves. Don't cook the leaves. If they start to turn brown because they were microwaved too long throw them out. Bay leaves will be much easier to grind by hand if they are completely devoid of moisture.

You can use the back of a coffee cup or a sturdy glass to grind the bay leaves. Apply a fair amount of downward force onto the edge or corner of the cup and work the leaves on your cutting board.

If you have tried all of this and you are still not making much progress you can throw a little coarse or Kosher salt on the board and work the bay leaves into the salt with the edge of your cup. The salt crystals act like sand paper and help to break down the leaf.

Notes

Duck is not like chicken; it does not get cooked to 180 degrees. Because of this make sure the duck you buy is very fresh. Don't be shy about asking your butcher point blank, "When did you get this duck in? Is it fresh?" If he can't answer the question or says a couple of days ago...move down the isle.