Smoked and Grilled Duck Breasts with Crawfish Etouffee

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chilerelleno

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And the Thanksgiving feasting continues with some tasty birds and mud bugs.

I picked up some nice boneless duck breasts from one of my local independent butcher shops, South Alabama Custom Meats.
I paired it with some crawfish and the plan was etouffee.

Smoked and Grilled Duck Breasts
I had planned to finish these with crispy skins, but I had a brain fart whilst tending the grill and charred it to a crisp alright... Dang'it!
But all was not lost, took the skins off and the meat was super succulent with a great flavor.

4 Duck breasts
Rubbed with a mix of baking powder and salt, then left to air dry for 30 hours.
I also injected the meat with a brine solution for the duration.
Before cooking I scored the skin and rubbed them with a mix of Cajun spices.

Then it was into the smoker at 180° until I had an IT of 100°.
From there they went onto the grill to crisp the skin.
And that is where I brain farted and charcoaled the skin.
Heat too high and I put them on the main grates, fatty duck skin burns quickly.
Oh well... Meat wasn't ruined by any means.
I finished the meat to an IT of 150°, a nice medium.
Very juicy, tender and flavorful.

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Crawfish Etouffee

Make a roux of 1 stick of butter and 2/3C flour.
Cook to a nice color like that of peanut butter.
Add in your Cajun Holy Trinity, 1-1/2C finely diced onion, 1C finely diced Green bell pepper, 1/2C finely diced celery and cook till veggies start to soften.
Add in 2C chicken stock, 1T minced garlic, 1-1/2C chopped tomatoes.
I used a mix a Cajun spices to get a nice spicy flavor suitable for my palate.
Bring it to a slow boil and then lower to simmering, add in crawfish and cook for another 10 minutes.
Serve over white rice.

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Chili everything looks lights out!!! But if I remember correctly you live in LA and that tells me you can shoot your own ducks! They all fly that way about this time of year. I’m heading back to Arkansas in January for another duck trip. I’d love to head further south and hunt down by you but I’m not sending Team Wonder Dog into gator infested waters! Kinda like having these two around the house!

Scott
 
Chili everything looks lights out!!! But if I remember correctly you live in LA and that tells me you can shoot your own ducks! They all fly that way about this time of year. I’m heading back to Arkansas in January for another duck trip. I’d love to head further south and hunt down by you but I’m not sending Team Wonder Dog into gator infested waters! Kinda like having these two around the house!

Scott
Thank you Scott.

No I'm not murdering any ducks lately, haven't done any waterfowling since my teens.
We hunted the South end of California's Central Valley around Buttonwillow.
Gosh, we still used lead shot back then.
But I'm only hunting deer, hogs and small game now, no birds.
Ah heck, c'mon down, the gators are holed up/inactive this time of the year and even they ain't they aren't eating due to the cold. They are a non-issue this time of the year.
 
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Man I just had to do the old Al Bundy hand in the waistline move to give my stomach some room after looking at those pics. With your family gone whose eating all that food? Very very nice indeed.

Point for sure.
Chris
 
Obviously a great post but it was the duck that caught my attention! I love duck but it is hard to get here in the mountains. As a result, it hasn't found its way into my smoker. Thanks for kicking my posterior, Chile. This looks so good I will have to pick some duck up next time I go to the big city. Big like!
 
Man I just had to do the old Al Bundy hand in the waistline move to give my stomach some room after looking at those pics. With your family gone whose eating all that food? Very very nice indeed.

Point for sure.
Chris
LOL.. Thanks Chris,
I've spent the last two days like that, eating these for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Plus I'm putting two meals from each into the freezer for my meals on the road, get into the hotel each night and pop a homemade meal into the microwave.
 
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OMG Chile!!!!! I am moving south.... I miss the food down there, Although it Never looked as good as what you create and torture us with. Definite points!!!!! Very Jealous..........
 
Chile that sure is some fine lookin eats Points
Richie
CR,Another awesome smoke/cook as always !!!! like
Looks top notch John!
Obviously a great post but it was the duck that caught my attention! I love duck but it is hard to get here in the mountains. As a result, it hasn't found its way into my smoker. Thanks for kicking my posterior, Chile. This looks so good I will have to pick some duck up next time I go to the big city. Big like!
OMG Chile!!!!! I am moving south.... I miss the food down there, Although it Never looked as good as what you create and torture us with. Definite points!!!!! Very Jealous..........
Thanks a lot guys, the duck was a treat for sure.

I'll be buying more cause my failure with the skin must be corrected.
Maybe I'll pan fry to render the skin and finish on the grill.
 
And the Thanksgiving feasting continues with some tasty birds and mud bugs.

I picked up some nice boneless duck breasts from one of my local independent butcher shops, South Alabama Custom Meats.
I paired it with some crawfish and the plan was etouffee.

Well slap me side ways, cause my jaws stuck open like a bird waiting for the good stuff and my tongue's a hanging out like a bid ole dog. Did a real heavy drool. Dam Chile man were did ya learn to cook? Again that has me did I mention drooling.
How many points can I give for that plate?
kit



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Well slap me side ways, cause my jaws stuck open like a bird waiting for the good stuff and my tongue's a hanging out like a bid ole dog. Did a real heavy drool. Dam Chile man were did ya learn to cook? Again that has me did I mention drooling.
How many points can I give for that plate?
kit
LOL. (Passes Kit a bib)
Thank you, very kind.

I learn by watching others, family and friends, Home Economics in school, TV and YouTube.
My mother started teaching me to cook when I was in my early teens.
For some reason she thought I would be a bachelor for a long time.
 
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