Spice Crusted Duck Tacos with Creamy Southern Slaw & Mango Salsa
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Long Journeys with Epic Rewards
My journey to the duck blind has been a long time coming. For many years, I dreamt about moving to the western United States. I was constantly daydreaming of calling bugling bulls in September, chasing rutting mulies in November, and hunting massive flocks of ducks and geese all winter. For many guys and girls like me, it was a pipe dream. I spent my days working a white-collar job in a town an hour and a half from where I grew up in central North Carolina internally dreading that I may never experience all that America has to offer.
This is how we are supposed to live life…right?
Go to college. Get a desk job. Save for retirement. Sit in a tree whitetail hunting on Saturday mornings. For some, that may be life, but I wanted more! After a series of unfortunate events personally and professionally in 2017; I made a commitment to myself. I promised, “By 2019 I will be calling bugling bulls in September, chasing rutting mulies in November, and shooting at massive flocks of ducks and geese all winter as a resident of my new state.”
In December of 2018, I loaded everything I owned in my F-150 and a U-Haul trailer and set out on a 2,100-mile road trip to Bozeman, Mt. Upon arrival, it was immediately apparent that I was not going to be disappointed. The amount of public land, pristine waters, properly managed reservoirs, and wildlife that was accessible to the average joe was overwhelming. Within the first 30 days of arriving, I was living out my dream. My buddy Calvin and I harvested a cow elk, during the late shoulder season, on a piece of Montana BLM just 90 minutes from my front door. A group of extraordinary fellas I barely knew at the time invited me on a goose hunt overlooking a 100- acre cornfield on a plot of Montana State Land. To top it all off I was exploring Mountains that always have a shade of purple cast over them at dawn and dusk, creating sunsets that explode with an expose of color not even matched by Sherwin William himself.
The idea that every American has the right to go out and harvest wild game on our public lands is an idea that I hope all of you exercise at some point in your life. If the idea of calling bugling bulls in September, chasing rutting mulies in November, and shooting at massive flocks of ducks and geese all winter isn’t enough; then maybe filling your belly with your bounty is. My current roommate is a professional waterfowler, and as you might imagine has a freezer full of mallards, redheads, pintails, Canada, and snow geese. This recipe was the first meal I cooked for my group of hunting buddies in Montana. Please- go use, protect and eat off the public lands of our great country.
Mango Salsa
If I have one tip for anyone when cooking Hispanic food- MAKE YOUR OWN SALSA! There are a million different options and they are all really pretty easy to make. Chop, season, combine, dunk a salty chip and eat. I love adding fruit to my salsa’s- especially when using a bird like a wild mallard. The citrus and sweetness play perfectly against the robust flavor of the duck. Chop your mango while avoiding the hard-inedible pith in the middle. Chop your tomatoes in equal size chunks and add to the mango.
Ingredients:
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1 Medium/Large Mango
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4 Roma Tomatoes
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1 Jalapeno
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1/2 White Onion
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1 TBSP Olive Oil
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1 TSP Kosher Salt
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1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro
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Juice from 1/2 Lime
Directions:
For this sweet salsa, I mince a whole jalapeno, leaving the seeds and core in. I like the heat, but you could remove the core to reduce the heat content if you desire. Dice ½ of a medium white onion and combine all your ingredients with the oil, seasoning, fresh cilantro, and lime juice.
Creamy Southern Slaw
Ingredients:
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1/2 Head Purple Cabbage
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1/2 Head Green Cabbage
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1/2 Cup ‘Dukes Mayonnaise’ (the real stuff, not Miracle Whip)
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1 1/2 TSP Kosher Salt
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1 TSP Black Pepper
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Garlic Salt, to taste
Directions:
If you have a mandolin this is the time to use it. If not, break out your chef knife and get chopping. I typically halve the cabbage, remove the core and then cut it into quarters. Once I have two quarters, I chop the cabbage as thinly as I can without losing any fingers. I then combine in a large mixing bowl with kosher salt, black pepper, and mayo. Let your slaw sit in the fridge until ready to serve. This allows the flavors to marinate and the texture to soften slightly.
Spice Crusted Duck Breasts
Ingredients:
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1 TSP Chili Powder
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3/4 TSP Cumin
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1 TSP Paprika
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1/3 TSP Cayenne Pepper
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3/4 TSP Onion Powder
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3/4 TSP Black Pepper, ground
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1 1/2 TSP Garlic Salt
[This is my go-to spice blend for any Hispanic dish. Add all the spices to a small bowl and mix well. Drizzle the breasts with just enough olive oil to cover all sides. This is done to give our spice blend something to stick to and also prevent sticking to our grill. Once you have an even coat of oil, liberally coat all sides of the breasts with spice/seasoning blend until fully covered.]
Directions:
Prior to putting your breasts on your medium-high grill, make sure the breasts are at room temperature. Being at room temperature will prevent shocking the meat and allow you more control on the final temperature you want your duck to be. I recommend just 3-4 minutes per side for a mallard breast. This should result in an internal temperature of 125 degrees F. Remove the breast from the grill and let rest for 8-10 minutes. Don’t cut the breast right away- all the delicious juices will run all over the plate and you will have a dry tough bird. After the 8-10 minute rest, cut across the grain.
Now that you have worked up an appetite after preparing the delicious components of your tacos, it is time to assemble the final product. I start with a base of creamy slaw and a few succulent slices of duck, top with mango salsa, a dash of habanero hot sauce, and ‘cotija’ cheese. This is one of my favorite ways to eat a duck taco but make your taco with your favorite taco accouterments’ (“toppings” for you rednecks) and enjoy with hunting buddies, friends, and family!
