COFFEE AND MOLASSES CURED DUCK BREAST BACON

Coffee and Molasses Cured Duck Breast Bacon image

Yield Makes about 2 1/2 pounds

Number Of Ingredients 10

4 cups cold water
2 cups freshly brewed strong coffee
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons Insta Cure No.1 (curing salt)
1/4 cup molasses (regular or robust, not blackstrap)
3 cups ice cubes
6 Pekin (sometimes called Long Island) duck breast halves with skin (about 7 oz each)
Special Equipment
a 1- to 2-gallon plastic storage tub; a 22 1/2-inch kettle grill with a lid and a hinged top rack; a 12- by 8- by 2-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan; 6 cups hardwood sawdust (3/4 lb; not from treated wood; see Shopping List, page 162); charcoal briquettes; a chimney starter; long metal tongs; an instant-read thermometer

Steps:

Cure duck:
Stir together water, coffee, kosher salt, brown sugar, and Insta Cure in storage tub until solids are dissolved, about 3 minutes, then add molasses and stir until dissolved. Add ice and stir until cure is cold (ice may not melt completely; keeping liquid cold slows salt absorption).
Add duck to cure and weight down with a large plate (to keep submerged). Chill, tub covered with a lid or plastic wrap, 6 hours.
Rinse duck and pat dry, then discard brine.
Prepare grill and cold-smoke duck:
Prepare grill and cold-smoke duck followingprocedure for grilling and cold-smoking chicken legs . (Duck will not be cooked.)
Cool duck completely, uncovered, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap until ready to thinly slice and fry (seeduck breast bacon and frisée salad recipe ).