Mighty Duck
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1 pint pineapple orange juice
- 15 whole black peppercorns
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 (5 1/2 to 6 pound) frozen Long Island Duck, thawed
- 2 handfuls shredded chard
- 2 shallots, minced
- Dash sherry or balsamic vinegar
- Combine all brine ingredients in a plastic container with a lid.
- Place the lid on the container and shake to dissolve the salt.
- Remove the pop-up thermometer, liver, gizzards, and heart.
- Cut off the wings.
- Using kitchen shears, locate the spine at the base of the neck.
- Cut up the line of the backbone towards the neck cavity.
- Turn the duck and cut straight towards the rear cavity.
- Remove the backbone.
- Turn the duck over and cut straight down the middle of the breast bone, leaving 2 equal duck halves.
- To separate the legs from the breast, flip your halves over so the flesh side is facing up at you.
- Using a knife, make a crescent shape cut between the leg and the breast.
- Lay your knife flat against the skin and make 3 marks in one direction and then in the other, making an X.
- Make sure that you are cutting through the skin and not the meat.
- Line the inside of a plastic lexan or a pot with a zip-top bag.
- Place the duck quarters inside the bag, and pour the brine over the duck.
- Seal the bag, ensuring that all air is removed from the bag.
- Brine the duck for 2 to 2 1/2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Bring 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches of water to a boil in a large pot.
- Place a colander into the pot and line the sides of the colander with the duck.
- Do not stack the duck quarters on each other.
- Cover and turn the heat to medium low.
- Steam the duck for 45 minutes.
- Set oven to 475 degrees F. Place a large cast iron skillet into the oven.
- Remove duck pieces from steamer and place legs, skin side down, into the hot skillet.
- Place the skillet into the hot oven immediately and cook the leg quarters for 10 minutes.
- Add the breasts, skin side down, and cook for 7 more minutes or until the duck takes on a deep mahogany color and the skin is very crisp.
- Remove the duck from the skillet and rest under foil.
- Add the chard and the shallots to the skillet.
- Toss the chard in the fat until it barely wilts.
- Season with the sherry or balsamic vinegar.
- Serve the duck with the chard.
kosher salt, pineapple, black peppercorns, thyme, garlic, chard, shallots, sherry
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/mighty-duck-recipe.html (may not work)