Smoking Duck

Don't overcook...and why put it in a gumbo?

I'm making Charlie G's smoked duck and andouille gumbo. It's pretty damn amazing.

I wasn't going to smoke the duck, but after looking at the recipe, the only thing that makes this gumbo any different from every other gumbo is the smoked duck.

Now that you say this, it makes sence. Mine always came out just a hair short of Jerkie!

Thanks for the insight guys, i think i'm leaning towards just doing my everyday gumbo instead. Hate to waste my mallards by turning them into jerky.

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I quit doing this years ago. Could never get the ducks or speckle bellies tender. I had to be doing something wrong?

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The main tyrick is you can't take 'em past medium rare and expect them to be moist. And, the best ducks around to smoke will be teal or mallards, but you only want to smoke those with a good layer of body fat...that's a must.On a water smoker, I can have teal to a med rare level in a little better than an hour, and a fat mallard will be ready in 2, more or less. It's a great preparation if trhey aren't overcooked.

I've smoked ducks for gumbo several times, and I've never had a problem other than wishing the process didn't take so long. I'd definitely recommend brining before smoking.

Once you have finished smoking the duck, strip the meat you will use for your gumbo, and use everything else (especially the skin if you want an intense smoke flavor) to make a duck stock. I do not bother to add any vegetables to the stock since I will be adding those I want to the gumbo. The stock will provide your gumbo with more smoke flavor than the duck meat.

use really big papers.

I made this same gumbo this yesterday. I smoke the Ducks with the skin on and in a mag. pot with the top off about 2 hours at 200 degrees. Debone and throw it in the gumbo.