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’s 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, AL hunting camp south of Auburn. “Wood ducks are small birds, and a special species,” Bancroft noted. “It was like shooting dive-bombing birds!”
Once he and Walker made it home and cleaned their birds it was time to prepare their field to table dinner with the below seared wood duck recipe .
Anyone who’s ever dined at Auburn, AL-based Acre Restaurant will attest to David Bancroft’s passion for field-to-table cuisine being wildly apparent the moment they stepped inside. And, those who know the award-winning chef and Prime Cuts host personally will tell you he’s just as passionate about getting outdoors to pursue many of the wild-game species featured on its menu.
Here’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 spicy potatoes.
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 it and bring to a boil.
- Once at a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the suave slightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Spoon or drizzle