Brining a duck, then roasting on a rotisserie delivers succulent meat that shreds into a delicious filling for tacos.

Recipe Tags:

Chilling Time: 1 hour, Brining Time: 24 hours, Grilling Time: 3 hours

Preparation Time:

Serves: 4

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Ingredients

Brine:

  • 16 cups (4 L) cold water
  • 2 cups (500 mL) Ontario Apple Cider
  • 1 cup (250 mL) sea salt
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) Ontario Honey
  • 4 sprigs fresh Ontario Thyme 
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) whole black peppercorns
  • 2 sticks cinnamon, broken into pieces
  • 5 lb (2.5 kg) Ontario Duck 

Spice Rub:

  • 1/4 cup (50 mL) pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 cup (50 mL) dehydrated minced onion 
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL)  coarsely ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL) kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL) packed brown sugar 
  • 8  small tortillas

Slaw:

  • 2 cups (500 mL) shredded Ontario Red Cabbage
  • 1 cup (250 mL) julienned Ontario Celery Root
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced 
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) coarsely chopped fresh Ontario Coriander Leaves
  • 3 tbsp (45 mL) apple cider vinegar    
     

Instructions

Brine: In large clean bucket, place add cold water. In large pot, bring apple cider to rolling boil. Add sea salt and honey and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat; pour mixture into cold water. Add thyme, black peppercorns and cinnamon sticks. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

Rinse duck under cold running water; add to chilled brine, making sure it is completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Spice Rub: In small bowl combine; pumpkin pie spice, dehydrated minced onion, pepper, kosher salt and sugar; set aside. 

Prepare rotisserie on barbecue per manufacturer’s instructions. Rub duck inside and out with all of the spice rub. Secure and balance duck to rotisserie rod. Cook at 400°F (200°C) until duck is evenly browned, and a thermometer inserted sideways into thickest part of thigh reaches 185ºF (85ºC), 2 to 3 hours. Adjust temperature as needed and brush duck occasionally with melted duck fat.

Remove duck to cutting board, loosely cover with foil and let stand 10 minutes. Remove and discard skin; shred meat.

Slaw: In large bowl, add cabbage, celery root, green onions, coriander and vinegar; toss.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve shredded duck on warm tortilla shells with slaw.  
 

Nutritional information

1 Serving (2 Tacos):

  • PROTEIN: 38 grams
  • FAT: 8 grams
  • CARBOHYDRATE: 47 grams
  • CALORIES: 405
  • FIBRE: 3 grams
  • SODIUM: 2150 mg