Bathe duck in a spiced (nutmeg, allspice) and spicy (habanero) marinade, stick it in the oven, ignore it for five hours, then serve it with fixings for build-it-yourself tacos. FYI: Many butchers stock only frozen duck, so make sure to call ahead and pick it up two days before cooking so it can defrost. A single-edge razor blade, which is very thin and sharp, works particularly well for scoring the duck skin and fat.
Recipe information
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
Special Equipment
Preparation
Step 1
Lightly score skin of both ducks using a clean razor blade, cutting most of the way through skin and fat but not into flesh below (a very sharp, thin knife will also work). Season ducks generously with salt and place each one in a large resealable plastic bag.
Step 2
Finely grind allspice in spice mill or with mortar and pestle and place in a blender. Finely grate nutmeg into blender. Add habanero chiles (we recommend keeping the seeds in as the ducks’ fat will keep it from absorbing too much heat), soy sauce, rum, vinegar, and sugar. Purée until smooth. Divide marinade between bags; add a piece of ginger to each. Seal bags, pressing out air, and work marinade around to coat ducks. Chill, breast side down, 12 hours.
Step 3
Preheat oven to 450°F. Remove ducks from marinade and place, breast side up, on a wire rack set inside a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (don’t worry about any marinade that may be inside ducks; it will add flavor as they cook). Roast ducks just until beginning to brown, 10–12 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250°F and continue to roast until ducks are very dark brown, leg joints wiggle freely when flexed, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breasts registers 195°F, 4 1/2–5 hours. Let rest 30 minutes before shredding.
Step 4
To serve, pile meat on hoisin-slicked tortillas and top with cabbage, scallions, ginger, serrano chiles, mint, and cilantro as desired; squeeze lime wedges over.
