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Honey-Glazed Duck Bacon
Honey-Glazed Duck Bacon
This might be the most luxurious bacon you will ever eat. I purchased 4 duck breasts, about 8 oz each, and cured them the exact same way as regular pork belly bacon. In addition, I brushed honey across the skin side of the breasts right before smoking them; giving the bacon a slight sweetness. The entire process took 8 days before I could eat it, so patience is key. You can eat the duck bacon as is or use as a replacement for pork bacon in numerous recipes.
Equipment
- Electric Smoker
- ziplock bag
Ingredients
- 4 duck breasts about 8 oz each
- 2 tbsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tsp paprika
- 3/4 tsp pink curing salts
- honey
Wood Chips
- hickory wood chips
Instructions
- Mix together the dry rub ingredients.
- Place the duck breasts in a large ziplock bag. Pour in the dry rub ingredients and massage into the duck breast. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal. Cure for 5-6 days; flipping the bag everyday.
- Remove the duck breasts from the bag. Rinse off any excess dry rub. Pat dry with paper towels and allow to dry out in the refrigerator for 1 day.
- Let your duck breasts rest at room temperature for 2 hours before smoking. Brush on a thin layer of honey on the skin side of the breasts.
- Preheat your smoker to 225°. Place the duck breasts in the smoker. Add in your wood chips to the tray and smoke for 2 hours.
- Pull the duck breasts from the smoker and let cool at room temp. Refrigerate for 1 day before slicing and cooking.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the duck breasts no more than 1/8” thick.
- Warm up a griddle or sauté pan over medium heat. Add in slices of the duck bacon.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes a side until crispy.
Biala Kielbasa (White Polish Sausage)
Biala Kielbasa (White Polish Sausage)
Sausage is a staple of Polish cuisine. The word “kielbasa” happens to mean sausage in Polish. Sausage is so popular in Poland that the government has official guides of classification based upon size, meat used, ready-to-eat, and raw varieties. This particular recipe is for biala kielbasa(Polish white sausage). This garlicky tube of meat is made out of pork shoulder and bacon, ground together; flavored with salt, pepper, marjoram, sugar, and the aforementioned garlic. The sausage is found raw, not smoked; typically used in soups, boiled in beer, or grilled.
Equipment
- meat grinder
- sausage stuffer
Ingredients
- 4 lbs boneless pork shoulder cut into small cubes
- 1 lb bacon diced
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tsp marjoram
- 3/4 cup ice water
- pork sausage casings
Instructions
- Mix together the spices. Set aside.
- Mix together the pork shoulder, bacon, and whole garlic cloves.
- Grind using a medium ground plate.
- Thoroughly mix the spices and ice water together.
- Pipe the sausage into the casings with your sausage stuffer.
- Twist to 6” in length. Let rest in the refrigerator overnight before cutting to dry out the casing.
Chimichangas
Chimichangas
In the mood for Tex-Mex? Chimichangas are the solution to what you crave. The burrito was created in a Mexican restaurant in Arizona in the 1920’s, where a burrito was dropped accidentally in a deep fryer. Low and behold, it birthed the chimichanga. The chimichanga increased in popularity throughout the 1950’s, becoming a staple at many Mexican restaurants.
Ingredients
- 12” flour tortilla
- refried beans
- Mexican rice
- meat of your choice pork, chicken, beef
- shredded cheese
- hot sauce of your choice
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 cup salsa rojo or verde
Instructions
- Lay a flour tortilla on a flat surface. Spread beans across the surface; followed by Mexican rice, meat, cheese, and hot sauce.
- Fold into a burrito; making sure both sides are tucked in.
- Fill up a medium sized pot with 2” of vegetable oil over medium heat. Place the folded side of the burrito into the oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
- Flip over and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
- Drain the grease on a paper towel.
- Pour either salsa verde or rojo over the burrito. Top with more cheese and sour cream.
