Award-winning chef, restaurateur, and Prime Cuts host David Bancroft is known for reimagining, and redefining, wild-game cooking. When the Iron Chef Showdown contestant is out of the kitchen, however, he’s also known to be deep in the woods hunting up another field-to-table-inspired creation. And, his latest one—this ancho chili honey seared wood duck recipe with a sweet potato hash side—is absolutely to die for.
Bancroft and his son Walker harvested the protein for this dish at the family’s Union Springs, Alabama hunting camp south of Auburn. “Wood ducks are small birds, and a special species,” Bancroft notes. “It was like shooting dive-bombing birds!”
How to Clean Your Wood Duck
Cleaning a duck isn’t a simple thing, but if you’re a hunter, chances are you’re familiar with the process and can get right into this wood duck recipe. But, if you’re not, we’ll break it down a little bit here.
The first thing you want to do is let your duck rest in a cool place for 12 to 24 hours. This makes it easier to skin or pluck your bird.
After your bird rests you can either pluck or skin, depending on your preference.
Next, you’ll want to gut the duck. This is a multi-step process that involves getting your hands inside the bird and removing the innards. There are some great guides out there on how best to do that effectively.
How to Cook Your Wood Duck
How you cook your wood duck is entirely up to you. However, our favorite way is seared on a cast iron like David Bancroft does it in this wood duck recipe.
This wood duck recipe also pairs well with these sides:
- Candied Butternut Squash Recipe
- Joe Thomas’s Grilled Sweet Potato Slices
- Easy Snacks: Homemade Potato Chips
David Bancroft’s Top Seared Wood Duck Recipe
4
servingsHere’s the Iron Chef Showdown runner-up’s latest creation: ancho chili honey seared wood duck and sweet potato hash.
ANCHO CHILE HONEY SEARED WOOD DUCK Ingredients
6-8 Wood duck breasts
- DUCK SPICE RUB
1 tbsp Fine kosher salt
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Smoked paprika
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Sugar
Rub is good on all birds, backstraps, lamb or pork chops.
Add 1/4 tsp cayenne to create a spicy rub.
- ANCHO CHILE HONEY SAUCE
1 1/2 cups Honey
1/2 cup Sugar
5 Garlic cloves (minced)
1 tbsp Fine kosher salt
1 1/2 tbsp Pepper
1 cup Water
1 tbsp Ancho chile flakes or 1 ancho chili
3 tbsp Sherry vinegar
- SWEET POTATO HASH
2 Large sweet potatoes (1/4-inch diced)
1 Red onion (diced)
1 Red bell pepper (diced)
1/2 tbsp Rosemary (chopped)
2 tsp Duck rub
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Olive oil
Add a dash of cayenne (for spice)
SWEET POTATO HASH DIRECTIONS
- Toss all ingredients listed above to season evenly.
- Place in Pyrex dish and bake in 350° oven until tender or about 15-18 minutes.
- Plate alongside seared wood duck.
- SEARED WOOD DUCK DIRECTIONS
- Mix the rub spices listed above.
- Season each breast evenly with slice rub.
- Heat large cast-iron skillet to medium/high heat.
- Drizzle a little grape seed or peanut oil in skillet and lay breasts skin-side down.
- Press each breast down flat with spatula to ensure skin sears evenly.
- Cook 2-3 minutes (or until crispy), then flip each breast and cook on flesh side for 2 minutes.
- Remove breasts from skillet and allow to rest before slicing.
- Blend all ancho chile honey sauce ingredients listed above until smooth.
- Place contents in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
- Once at a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the sauce slightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Spoon or drizzle the sauce on the duck. Enjoy!
