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Duck Prosciutto
Total Project Time: 22 days
Sounds difficult, doesn't it? Well, it ain't. Throw some duck breasts in a bed of salt for a day, then wrap them in cheesecloth and hang them for 3 weeks. Blammo. Done. And then you get to tell your friends, “Yeah, I made duck prosciutto,” and they’ll start introducing you to their ladyfriends as this guy who makes his own prosciutto. It’s like magic and shit.
1. Intro
2. Procure Equipment
3. Buy Ingredients
4. Prepare Ingredients
5. Salt Nap
6. Hang Time
7. The Unveiling
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2. Procure Equipment
Before Event
The day or multiple days before the event, procure the following equipment:
• 2 8x11-inch glass casserole dishes
• Food preparation gloves
• Plastic wrap
• Cheesecloth
• Butcher string
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3. Buy Ingredients
Before Event
The day before the event, procure the following ingredients:
• 4 duck breasts
• 1 tsp. Instacure No. 1 curing salt
• 1 box (3 lb.) Kosher Salt
• 1 ⅓ tbsp. black pepper -
4. Prepare Ingredients
Day 1
Remove the duck breasts from their packaging. Rinse them under cold water, and pat each breast dry with paper towels.
Pour a ½ inch bed of salt in each of the 8x11-inch casserole dishes.
Measure out 1 tsp. Instacure No. 1 curing salt. -
5. Salt Nap
Day 1
Wearing food preparation gloves, massage the Instacure No. 1 curing salt into each of the breasts.
Place the duck breasts on the salt bed, ensuring that there is space in between the breasts so they do not touch each other.
Cover the duck breasts with the salt until the breasts are completely covered. Check the sides and bottom of the casserole dish to be sure each part of the breast is covered; adjust the breasts as needed.
Seal the glass casserole dishes with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. -
6. Hang Time
Day 2
The next day, remove the breasts from the salt. Brush off most of the salt.
Measure out 1 ⅓ tbsp. black pepper. Sprinkle the pepper over each of the breasts.
Wrap each breast in cheesecloth, using butcher string to wrap around the cheesecloth.
Hang the wrapped duck breasts in a cool, dry place for about 3 weeks, until firm to the touch. -
7. The Unveiling
Day 22
Around 3 weeks after hanging, once its firm to the touch, cut the duck prosciutto down.
You do not need to cook the duck prosciutto before consuming, but it's damn tasty in risottos, pastas and atop a slice of 'za. Slice thin and enjoy.
