Full of the aromas of cinnamon, orange and rosemary, this recipe sings the praises of the holiday season—and it’s simple to pull off. (Photo By: Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley)
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I’ve been so tempted to serve wild game for the holidays but have always been too scared to go through with it. Timing is important when cooking game—a dry turkey could be fixed with a bit of gravy, but an overcooked duck or goose is lost. While I probably won’t reach for game birds when feeding a large crowd, this recipe showed me that smaller gatherings can be made extra special when you share hunted meat. You should consider wild duck roasted pink and served alongside soft pears in a dark, syrupy red-wine sauce.
When I throw a dinner party, my biggest worry is timing and turning out every dish while they’re still hot. The great thing about this recipe is that the poached pears could be prepared ahead and served at room temperature, allowing you to shift your focus on getting the perfect cook on the duck, which will take no longer than 30 minutes, plus resting time.
Duck cooked to medium (around 140-145 degrees internal temperature) provides optimal juiciness and flavor. (Photo By: Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley) With wild waterfowl, I always take temperature readings from the breast. Legs and thighs tend to take longer to cook, so you run the risk of overcooking the breasts if taking readings elsewhere. The breasts are really the star on a wild bird, although the fatty lower extremities have their own allure. I don’t mind eating the legs and thighs closer to medium rare; they tend to be tougher, so undercooking them a bit will keep them from getting too chewy.
I am a big fan of probe thermometers, especially when cooking larger pieces of meat. You get real-time temperature readings without having to open up the oven door, or the lid of your grill or smoker, and letting heat escape. Then, when the desired internal temperature is achieved, the console beeps. It’s a simple way to avoid the disaster of turning out overcooked or underdone wild game, especially during special occasions when you’re also expected to greet and mingle with guests. Probe thermometers are inexpensive, and I think every wild game cook should have one in their kitchen. Do remember to calibrate them regularly, though.
Regarding the pears: Use red wine that you wouldn’t mind drinking to poach the pears; don’t use something expensive, but don’t skimp on it, either. I used a full-bodied red blend that I knew I liked, which tasted great cooked down into a syrup and as a leftover in a glass with my meal. This recipe is enough to feed four people, with the addition of your favorite sides. A few side dishes that can be served at room temperature include cabbage salad, German potato salad, roasted squash, garlicky green beans, and a regular lettuce salad for a lighter meal.
Roast Duck with Red Wine-Poached Pear Recipe Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2-3 large whole ducks, skin on 2 tbs. melted butter Fine sea salt, to taste 4 firm bosc pears ½ cup sugar Zest of 1 orange Juice of 1 orange, about ½ cup 1 cinnamon stick 3 whole cloves 2 cups dry red wine 2 tbs. balsamic vinegar 1 small sprig rosemary Cooking Directions:
Take duck out of the refrigerator 1 hour prior to cooking. With a peeler, peel orange zest into strips, being careful not to take too much pith (the bitter white part). In a saucepan that can fit the pears snuggly on their sides, add all poaching ingredients except the pears. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Peel the pears—do not peel pears beforehand because they will quickly turn brown—and add them to the wine mixture on their sides. Simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, rotating the pears every 5 minutes to evenly expose the flesh to the hot poaching liquid. Pears should be soft but not mushy and falling apart. Take pears out of the poaching liquid and set aside. Discard solids (zest, cinnamon stick, cloves, and rosemary). Continue to simmer the liquid until it reduces into a syrup, stirring often; sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Stir in a pinch of salt. Return pears to the saucepan, right side up, and set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 400-degrees Fahrenheit. If you have the option of convection baking, use it for more even brownness. Pat ducks dry with paper towels and paint them with melted butter. Season to taste with fine sea salt, including inside the body cavity. Place ducks in a roasting pan, rimmed cookie sheet or cast-iron skillet, breast side up, and roast on the middle rack until internal temperature in the breasts reaches 140 degrees. Allow plenty of room between the ducks for better browning. Take ducks out of the oven, loosely tent with foil and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before quartering. After resting, carve out the duck breasts, legs, and thighs and serve on warmed plates. Serve with poached pears and red wine syrup, as well as your favorite sides to complete the meal.
