Dried duck breast Easy homemade cured recipe

Take a duck breast, put it in salt for 12 hours, rinse it and that’s it. A delight. Simple, little technique, just a little spread of the process over time.

In my family, we very often serve homemade dried meat as an aperitif, or with good country bread during picnics. Traditionally with us, pork tenderloin. I admit that with duck breast, it’s really great too.

In this article, I invite you to discover everything there is to know about dried duck breast, from its preparation to its conservation. Because it’s really very easy and quick. Fast for what you have to do of course. Because the process is a bit long. I’ll explain.

You need a beautiful duck breasttherefore the fillet of the duck breast, which is cooked in coarse salt possibly garnished with spices or herbs.
Salting therefore allows the meat to be cookedas in ancestral methods of preserving food, thus drying it. Hence its name dried duck breast.

After approximately 12 hours in the salt, we rinse the duck breast then we dry it well with absorbent paper. We can season it in different ways that I explain to you below, we keep the duck breast wrapped in a cloth in the refrigerator And we wait about 2 weeks for the flesh to firm up before eating.

Once dried, duck breast can be thinly sliced ​​and served as an aperitif, starter, or as an ingredient in main dishes. A bit like a raw ham.

Backplanning:

• 5 mins preparation of the duck breast (dry it well and put it in the salt)
• 12 hours in salt
• 15 mins rinsing
• 5 mins drying
• 5 minutes seasoning and wrapping in a clean cloth
• 14 days of rest in the vegetable drawer

And it’s ready. So if you have a party or a meal where you want to serve this dish, start at least 15 days in advance.

Preparing dried duck breast

Selection of duck breast

Choose a high quality duck breast weighing around 500 grams. The duck breast should be fresh, tender and dark red in color. Before putting it in the salt, dry it well with absorbent paper.
You can possibly remove the excess from the bit and therefore fatty part by placing the duck breast flat on a cutting board, fat against the board, and cutting off the fat that protrudes from the meat. It’s optional.

Which salt to choose?

Avoid fine salt. Choose coarse salt. Ideally coarse sea salt, or coarse Guérande salt.
You can optionally add a little Provence herbs to the salt. But the aromatics that will give your duck breast a particular flavor are generally added later in the preparation process.

How long does it take to salt a duck breast?

Salting is the crucial step in the preparation of dried duck breast. It is recommended to salt the magret for 12 to 24 hours. The time in salt depends on whether you like your dried duck breast more or less salty. The rinsing time will depend on the chosen time.. The longer the salting, the longer you will have to leave it in the water.

For my part, I find that the best duration is 12 hours in the salt and I rinse the duck breast thoroughly for a good fifteen minutes while changing the water.
If the duck breast is salted for longer than 12 hours or if you do not want a too pronounced salty taste, you can leave the breast in the water for a few hours.

Drying process

After salting and after having rinsed the duck breast well, you must dry it well before storing it in the refrigerator, otherwise it risks becoming moldy.
Dry it with absorbent paper. When it is completely dry, season it according to your tastes or desires (see below).

Some keep it hanging in a dark, dry, dry place, or in an airtight container. I prefer wrap the duck breast in a clean cloth and place it in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator.

Keep the duck breast in its cloth for 2 weeks before eating it. This will allow the flesh to firm up after being in the water and the flavors to diffuse well into the meat.

Seasoning and flavors

To add flavor to dried duck breast, it is possible to use aromatics. It’s up to you to play what you like.

• Herbs like thymeof rosemarya mixture ofherbs of Provence…
• Spices like crushed black pepperof Espelette pepperblend 4 spices Or 5 berries, garam masala…

Choose dried aromatics, we don’t want to add humidity as this could jeopardize the good conservation of the duck breast. Just avoid the salt.

Preserving dried duck breast

Store your homemade dried duck breast in its tightly closed cloth in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator.
After the 2-week rest period, keep the duck breast for the next 2 to 3 weeks for optimum texture. You can keep it a little longer, but it will tend to harden a little and be much less pleasant and flavorful.

For longer storage, opt for sous-vide.

What should I do if my dried duck breast is too salty?

If the duck breast is too salty for your taste, it is possible to rinse it again with cold water and let it soak in cold water for a few hours. And here we must again let the meat rest dry before consuming it.

You can serve it in a multitude of ways: as an aperitif Or as inputor even as element in a main dish…. Here are some ideas:

• Thinly sliced ​​and served on an aperitif board with cheese, dried fruits… On toast with for example a little fresh goat’s cheese, pan-fried vegetables, guacamole + cherry tomatoes, fruits even in a sweet and sour way like apricot…
• Dried duck breast is an ideal ingredient for garnish a mixed saladthe classic Landes salad or simply with a mixture of raw vegetables, a few nuts, and a good homemade vinaigrette.
• Sprinkle with chips of dried duck breast on a dish like asparagus in season, risotto or pasta…
• In a sandwichuse it as the main ingredient in a sandwich, accompanied by vegetables such as tomato, lettuce leaf, slice of cucumber and fresh cheese to create a tasty and ultra-indulgent sandwich.

Be creative and above all have fun…