Smoked Duck Breast with Sichuan Plum Glaze
Duck breast is first dry-cured and then hot-smoked until the skin caramelizes to a crisp finish. A glaze of Chinese plum sauce, Sichuan pepper, and ginger adds aromatic depth to the meat. The result is juicy, slightly sweet-spicy with a pronounced smoky flavor.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Scoring and Curing
4-6 hours refrigeratorScore the duck skin in a diamond pattern (approx. 1 cm spacing, not into meat). Mix curing salt, brown sugar, Sichuan pepper, five-spice and ginger, then rub evenly over all sides of the breast. Vacuum seal or wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
Preparation and Drying
30-45 minutesRinse duck breast under cold water, pat thoroughly dry and brush lightly with sesame oil. Rest openly at room temperature on a wire rack for 30-45 minutes to form a slight pellicle (dry film) that helps smoke and glaze adhere better.
Smoking
approx. 2-3 hoursSet smoker to 120-135 °C and add cherry and plum wood. Place duck breast skin-side up and smoke until an internal temperature of 68 °C is reached. Smoke should be thin and bluish – avoid thick white smoke.
Glazing and Finishing
20 minutesWhen the core temperature reaches 68 °C, apply a thin layer of plum sauce. After 10 minutes brush on a second layer of glaze and continue smoking until core temperature reaches 72-74 °C. Rest the duck breast for 10 minutes under aluminum foil, then slice across the grain.
Pro Tip
Apply the glaze only in the last 20 minutes of smoking in two thin layers – glazing too early causes the sugar to burn and turn bitter.
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