Heath Wood
For many years, I assumed that the only way to eat duck was to cook it medium rare and serve. I’ve encountered countless people who claim that duck is too dry, hard to cook, and many other things that scared me from trying any other cooking methods. For inspiring cooks or folks who simply enjoy cooking, the only way to learn what tastes good and the proper way to prepare it is by trying different things for yourself when it involves wild game.
I found out for myself that duck can easily be cooked, the meat can have incredible flavor, and if prepared right, the juiciness that results from a proper cook, is something that will be enjoyed in any recipe.
One of my favorite foods is tacos. The possibilities for taco fillings are endless; I decided to put a spin on one of my favorite tacos, a grilled chicken taco with Mexican street corn, as the filler for this recipe. When I replaced the usual chicken with a duck from Mossy Oak GameKeeper Butchery, I discovered a new recipe for my wild game arsenal that will be used many times over.
Ingredients:
- 1 whole duck
- Traeger Grills Fin & Feather Rub
- Tortilla Shells
Street Corn:
- 1 - can of sweet whole kernel corn
- 2 - jalapeno peppers- diced
- ¼ cup of red onion
- 4 tbsp of real mayonnaise
- 4 oz. of shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp of chili powder
- ½ tsp of cayenne pepper
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to Prepare: Duck
On this cook, I used a whole duck from the Mossy Oak GameKeeper Butchery.
- Place 1 teaspoon of olive oil and spread it over the entire duck.
- Cover the whole duck with Traeger Fin & Feather Rub. The olive oil acts as a binder to help adhere to the rub.
- Preheat the grill to 225 degrees – I used my Traeger Grills Pro 780 and Traeger Mesquite Blend Pellets
- Add the whole duck in the center of the grill with included meat probe attached.
- Smoke the whole duck for approximately two hours or until the internal meat temperature is 140 degrees.
- After the duck reaches 140 degrees, remove it from the grill and rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
How to Prepare: Mexican Street Corn
- Place corn in a cast-iron skillet and grill until corn is slight browned
- Mix remaining ingredients into skillet with corn
- Serve
How To Serve:
When ready to assemble duck tacos, I used my Cold Steel Tim Wells Scalper Slock Master knife to remove the breast and then slice into narrow strips for the tacos.
- Place a flour tortilla shell in a hot skillet until golden brown on both sides.
- Add three to four strips of sliced duck meat to the center of the shell.
- Finish by adding two to three tablespoons of street corn to the side of the meat and then top with a creamy ranch dressing.
The blend of smoked duck breast, Mexican street corn, and creamy ranch dressing make for a perfect combination of flavors. Smoked Duck Tacos would make a great meal to serve your friends and family for dinner or enjoy while at your next hunting camp.
Need wild game meat for a recipe you've been wanting to try? Check out GameKeeper Butchery. GameKeeper Butchery is dedicated to procuring the finest assortment and highest quality of specialty meats from the United States and around the world. Our commitment is to deliver the safest, freshest and most wholesome products.
