Smoked Duck Breast Szechuan Honey
Duck breast is dry-cured with an aromatic Szechuan honey mixture and then hot smoked. The combination of numbing Szechuan pepper, sweet honey, and five-spice powder gives the meat a complex, slightly spicy note. The result is juicy, aromatic, and has a wonderfully crispy skin.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Preparation & Rubbing
15 minutesMix all dry ingredients together, then stir in the honey until a paste forms. Score the duck skin in a diamond pattern without cutting into the flesh. Massage the rub in thoroughly and rest covered in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours.
Preparing the smoker
30 minutesPreheat the smoker to 120-130 °C. Mix cherry and plum wood chips in a 1:1 ratio and add to the smoke chamber. Remove duck breasts from the refrigerator and allow to acclimatize at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Smoking
1.5-2.5 hoursPlace duck breasts skin side up on the grate. Smoke at a constant 120-130 °C until a core temperature of 74 °C is reached. In the last 15 minutes, briefly raise the temperature to 140 °C to crisp the skin.
Resting & Serving
10 minutesRemove duck breasts from the smoker and loosely cover with aluminum foil. Rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Slice thinly across the grain and serve with plum hoisin sauce.
Pro Tip
Sear the skin side of the duck breast in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes before smoking – this renders excess fat and ensures a crispier final crust in the smoker.
Glossary Terms
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