Duck Carnitas Tacos
Course: Recipes, Cast iron grilling, Mexican, Skillet12
servingsIngredients
- INGREDIENTS FOR CURE MIX
cups 2 cups kosher salt
cup 1 cup granulated sugar
tablespoon 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
5 bay leaves ground
1 stick canela crushed (Mexican cinnamon)
teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
tablespoon 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
cup 1 cup orange juice
- INGREDIENTS FOR DUCK CARNITAS
pounds 4 pounds duck legs and thighs cured for 2 hours (see cure recipe below)
pounds 2 pounds duck fat or lard
1 medium onion peeled and sliced
6 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
10 whole peppercorns
5 bay leaves
3 dried chipotle chiles
tablespoond 1 tablespoond dried mexican oregano
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 stick canela (mexican cinnamon)
cup 1/2 cup orange juice
cup 1 cup coca cola
cup 1 cup light Mexican beer like Tecate
1 can condensed milk (6 ounces)
tablespoons 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- INGREDIENTS FOR THE SERRANO CHILE SALSA
pound 1 pound tomatillos peeled and washed
1 medium sized onion peeled and quartered
6 garlic cloves
2 to 6 serrano chiles, depending on your spice preference
cup 1/2 cup white vinegar
teaspoond 1 teaspoond Mexican oregano
tablespoons 2 tablespoons kosher salt
cups 2 cups cilantro washed and roughly chopped
- INGREDIENTS FOR FINAL PREPARATION
12 corn tortillas 6 inch
tablespoons 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
pounds 2 pounds cooked and pulled duck carnitas
cups 2 cups Serrano chile salsa
cup 1 cup diced red onions
cup 1 cup grated cotija cheese
cup 1 cup chopped cilantro
INSTRUCTIONS
- PREPARATION FOR CURING THE DUCK LEGS
- Mix all ingredients. Rub duck legs thoroughly with cure mix, place in a large baking pan and let cure for 2 hours. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water and pat dry.
- PREPARATION FOR DUCK CARNITAS
- Rub Duck legs liberally with cure mix, place them in a large dish and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. Next rinse duck under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Preheat oven to 300 degrees In a large Victoria cast iron skillet (I used the Victoria cast iron wok) on the stove over medium heat melt lard or duck fat. Add the duck legs and all other aromatics bring to a simmer, cover with aluminum foil and place in 300 degree oven for approximately 2 hours, until tender and falling from the bone. Remove from oven, place the skillet back on the stove and heat on the burner until duck skin becomes brown and crispy on the outside and let cool in the liquid. Remove duck legs from the liquid and let drain on a baking rack. Pull duck meat and skin from the bone and roughly chop.
- PREPARATION FOR THE SALSA
- Place all ingredients except the cilantro into a large sauce pot, add water to cover and bring to a simmer. Cook the ingredients until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool. Remove all ingredients, using a slotted spoon, to the pitcher of an electric blender, add cilantro and puree until smooth. Add a small amount of the cooking liquid to adjust the consistency. Reserve.
- FINAL PREPARATION
- Heat a large Victoria cast iron skillet over medium high heat, add vegetable oil and pulled duck and cook until crispy and heated through season with salt to taste. Heat the flat side of the Victoria cast iron plancha over medium high heat and cook each tortilla on both sides, place 2 ounces of duck in the center of each, drizzle with Serrano salsa and sprinkle on onions, cilantro and cheese.
