Wild game recipes can be intimidating to eat and even more intimidating to cook. This recipe, however, is a delicious easy-to-make snack that goes great after a long day in the field or sitting around watching the game on Sunday. It’s complimented excellently by a light draft beer or a fine boxed wine. In the sometimes all to tedious process of getting game from field to plate, these delicious little poppers make an easy addition to any outdoors man or women’s cookbook. Duck slathered in BBQ sauce and cream cheese is succulent enough to begin with, but these little savory devils just go to prove the age-old adage: If it ain’t broke, you should still try putting bacon on it. Duck Bites
What you need: - 2 ducks (wood duck is my favorite) * Goose or chicken will also work if you’re in a pinch - 1 pound of bacon - 1 small tub of cream cheese - 1 small jar of sliced Jalapenos - 1 small package of toothpicks - Any charcoal or gas grill
Preparation: - The first step to making any wild game is preparation. Start by cutting the 4 duck breasts into small bite size pieces. Next marinade them in the fridge using strongly concentrated salt water for 2 or 3 days, changing the saltwater solution once a day or more when it becomes bloody and red. The salt water breaks down the enzymes in the meat and makes it very tender.
-Next rinse the meat to get rid of the extra salt flavor. Rinse out the bowl and put the meat back in, this time adding a healthy dose of your favorite BBQ sauce. Allow the duck to marinade one more night in the BBQ sauce.
-Take the bacon and cut it in half, giving yourself around 30 half pieces of bacon.
-Now, simply take a piece of marinated duck and add a healthy swab of cream cheese, and a jalapeno.
-Wrap the bacon tightly around the duck-creamcheese-jalapeno internals and secure it with a toothpick.
(Chefs tip: soak the toothpicks in water for about an hour prior to cooking to avoid having them burst into flames while on the grill) -Once you have wrapped all the bites I like to smother them in another dab of BBQ sauce.
-Now, just throw them on a preheated grill and cook them for 5 to 10 minutes, turning once, or until the bacon is crisp and duck is no longer pink.
- Place on a serving platter and allow them to cool slightly then enjoy!
BY Alex Culp culpx025@d.umn.edu