Duck Breast Prosciutto Recipe

Duck prosciutto (or goose prosciutto) is an old Italian tradition that originated, as best I can tell, in the country’s Jewish community, for whom regular pork prosciutto was forbidden.

Some recipes, especially those around Venice and Friuli, cure the leg and thigh of large geese, while others stick to the breast meat. Either way, the result, when done right, creates a dark, rich, almost funky cut of meat that really stands out on a charcuterie plate.

Slice it as thin as you can on the diagonal and serve it with melon, figs, good cheese, on top of a fried egg, with bruschetta — you get the point.

Duck Prosciutto Recipe

And the best thing about duck prosciutto? It’s probably the easiest charcuterie project you can undertake. It is where you should start if you are a beginner.

Hunters, take note: Most wild ducks are too small to do this justice. But mallards, canvasbacks, redheads and pintails are OK. I find that Canada and specklebelly geese work even better. Non-hunters, buy breasts from Muscovy or moulard ducks, or use goose breasts.

I do not wrap my duck prosciutto in cheesecloth for hanging, as many do. Some people prefer this because they say it helps keep the meat moist. I prefer to achieve this through proper humidity control. If you plan on hanging your duck for only a few weeks, go ahead and use cheesecloth, as it makes the breast easier to hang.

Homemade Dry Cured Duck Prosciutto • The Healthy Foodie

There is another reason I skip the cheesecloth for long hanging: Mold. Mold can grow on meat whether it’s wrapped or not, but when it is wrapped, you can’t see it until the mold has grown substantially. White mold is good, black mold means you need to toss the meat. Green mold you should wipe away with salt water.

You will see I have a very spare cure for my duck prosciutto. Just salt, sugar and some thyme. You can add other spices if you want, as I used to. But the more you make duck prosciutto, the more you want it pure, without the interference of so many spices.

How long to hang your duck prosciutto? From 2 weeks to 3 months, depending on the size of the breasts and the amount of fat and the temperature and the humidity. If you are a beginner, hang your duck breast in the refrigerator for 2 weeks before eating. It will be tasty, and should whet your appetite for a longer cure later.

Smokey Duck Prosciutto

Why bother with a long hang time? Because the longer meat hangs, the more complex it gets: Think about the difference between a nice rosé and Barolo that’s been aging for a generation.

I can tell in a bite whether someone’s charcuterie has hung for a long time, or for just the bare minimum. There is a beguiling funk to well-aged charcuterie that cannot be rushed. The more you eat cured meats, the more you crave that flavor.

I cure my longest duck prosciutto for two months by starting the drying in 85 to 90 percent humidity, then ratcheting it down 5 percent a week each week until I get down to 65 percent, then I hold it there. I can hang it this way for a few more weeks, but there is such a thing as too long — you are making charcuterie here, not jerky, so the meat should retain some moisture.

Salt: The Great Transformer

What happens if you inadvertently make duck jerky from your prosciutto? All is not lost. If you really can’t slice it super-thin because it’s hardened too much, chop it into small dice and add it to a long-simmering stew. The prosciutto will soften and you’ll appreciate it’s chewy texture in the stew.

Once your duck prosciutto is ready, you can eat it straight away or wrap it and store it in the fridge for a few months. It will continue to dry out in the fridge, however. It also freezes well for a year or more.

Duck ham, or duck prosciutto, can be dried for just a week or two, or for up to two or even three months. Start with a shorter cure until you get the hang of it, and eventually you will find the hang time you like. Start with the simple cure I have here, and add spices or herbs in future batches, if you so desire.

Seared Duck Breast With Prosciutto, Sage, And Peaches Recipe

Calories: 151 kcal | Carbohydrates: 3 g | Protein: 22 g | Fat: 5 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 87 mg | Sodium: 65 mg | Potassium: 303 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 60 IU | Vitamin C: 7 mg | Calcium: 6 mg | Iron: 5 mg

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How To Make Duck Prosciutto — Duckchar

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Pasta Alfredo With Crispy Duck Prosciutto — Duckchar

©2023 Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. All rights reserved. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Privacy Policy • Powered by CultivateWP.Salt cured duck breast is one of the easiest dry-cured meats you can make. The basic recipe only requires duck breast and salt, but you can fancy it up with spices any way you choose.

Let’s face it, old school methods of food preservation without refrigeration can be a bit intimidating. How many times have you been warned to keep meat refrigerated, and there’s always someone at a potluck worrying about a bowl of potato salad that’s been out of the refrigerator for a bit too long.

Then there’s charcuterie, where you’re asked to take a piece of meat and hang it to without refrigeration for weeks or months at a time. Trust me, it’s worth it.

Amazon.com: Meatcrafters Sliced Duck Breast Prosciutto, Dry Cured, Antibiotic Free, All Natural Meat, 1oz (4 Pack)

Technically, duck “prosciutto” isn’t really prosciutto, but it’s used in the same way. If you’re an Italian charcuterie purist, you’d associate prosciutto with salt-cured meat made from the hind leg of just about any animal, but most often pig.

Lamb prosciutto is also a thing, and even on occasion goose prosciutto, made from a salt-cured goose leg. Duck legsare pretty small, even on large domestic birds, and the term duck prosciutto refers to a salt-cured duck breast.

According to the Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Washington, the tradition of duck prosciutto comes from the Jewish community in Italy and Spain. Pork prosciutto obviously isn’t kosher, but it’s a huge part of the Mediterraneanculture, and salt-cured meats were essential for survival before the advent of refrigeration. The practice is centuries old, and there are references to “Jewishham” or duck prosciutto in literature dating back to the time of the inquisition.

Easy Duck Prosciutto (a Nitrate Free Recipe)

Whether you call it duck prosciutto or salt-cured duck breast, no matter. It’s still delicious. Slice it super thin and serve it with all the same fanfare and accompaniments that go well with pork-based prosciutto.

Try adding it to a charcuterie board with cornichons, melon, aged cheese and all manner of other cured meats. I’m hoping to serve it up alongside some of my homemade farmstead cheddar, which may not be traditional but the fact that both came out of my kitchen seems fitting.

Salt-curing doesn’t prevent bacteria from growing in the meat, it just creates the right conditions for the right kind of bacteria. In a high salt environment, spoilage bacteria have a hard time taking over.

Maple Cured Duck Prosciutto

While they’re struggling, salt-lovinglactic acid bacteria go to work. The same little beasties that are responsiblefor yogurt and sauerkraut are going to go to work on a piece of meat, quickly becoming the dominant organism.

Those same lactic acid bacteria then release a bit of acid, which lowers the pH of the meat and makes it even harder for spoilage bacteria to grow. It’s that same acid that gives yogurt its tang and sauerkraut a bit of vinegar kick. Inside of the meat, it creates incredible depth of flavor all the while effectively dry pickling the meat to prevent spoilage.

There are plenty of recipes for duck prosciutto out there, many of which require complex weights and measures. That’s because they’re using curing salt (nitrites), which requires specific concentrations. Just enough to be effective, but not so much that it’s toxic.

Food Play: ' Home Cured Duck Prosciutto With Melon .'

If you’re interested in curing duck breasts using curing salts, here’s a tested recipe with detailed instructions. The truth is though, adding nitrites for duck prosciutto isn’t strictly necessary and the recipe is much simpler without it.

When you’re just using salt and duck breast, the measurements don’t actually matter that much. In an ideal world, weigh the duck breast before you start, so you have a