#CookoutWeek is still here and this time we’ve whipped up a recipe that’s perfect for Taco Tuesday, duck tacos! You know we love a good taco recipe like this one here, and here, oh and here. This version is a little bit different because the main ingredient is duck breast from the wonderful company, Maple Leaf Farms.
But, before we get to the delicious citrus-soy duck tacos, we’ve got to taco-bout the crunchy apple slaw that goes on top of them!
The most important thing when chopping your ingredients for this slaw is a sharp knife. We use the Shun knives for majority of our chopping necessities but also have a few custom made knives too. I would highly suggest this one as an all purpose chopping knife, it’s awesome! Don’t be afraid of a sharp knife, you are way more likely to cut yourself on a dull knife than a sharp one.
Also, how pretty is this slaw? You could use regular green cabbage instead of purple but I feel like the purple is prettier and that’s really my only reason for using it. I also think this type of slaw is way better for a cookout since it isn’t mayo based. You don’t have to worry as much about keeping the temperature safe since there are no eggs in it!
We are obviously using the slaw for our duck tacos but you could serve it on the side with burgers, hot dogs, chicken, really anything you make during your summer cookout!
This recipe is so easy and the vinaigrette with it is super tasty. If you wanted to spice it up a little, you could even add some jalapeños! That would be a super awesome addition to this apple slaw. Hmm… now I’m rethinking everything. The recipe I used for inspiration had a pinch of cayenne in the vinaigrette so that’s an option too!
Now for the protein, some boneless duck breast from Maple Leaf Farms! You know we love our fried chicken but sometimes we want a healthier option too and you can definitely find that with duck. Plus, duck fat “has similar health benefits to olive oil and other unsaturated fats” and it’s quite delicious.
Straight from their website – “Even though our White Pekin duck breast is comparable in fat and calories to a skinless chicken or turkey breast, it has a rich, bold flavor. Through our natural breeding and feeding programs, Maple Leaf Farms duck has less fat and more lean meat than ever before. Read more about our quality control methods here”
We used our sous vide to cook the duck and I would 100% suggest doing that way and then finish grilling it on the stove or your outdoor grill. We use the Anovo sous vide and LOVE it. I got it for The Beard for Christmas like 3 years ago and it’s been one of those “how did we cook without this” type of tools.
You basically cook the duck in an airtight plastic bag in a water bath for 3-12 hours and then sear it using your desired method. You are left with a crispy duck taco that is perfectly cooked.
I don’t have pictures of the sauce we whipped up for our duck tacos but the citrus-soy sauce is a necessity! It’s a play on typical hosin sauce, a little bit thicker and tangier but perfectly paired with the duck and apple slaw.
We used corn tortillas but you could definitely use soft flour or even crunchy corn shells too! You could even roll these up and make a duck burrito, YUM! Let us know what other taco recipes you want to see for Taco Tuesday in the comments below or on social and be sure to check out all things #CookoutWeek!
- 2 cups purple cabbage
- 1 1/2 cups green apples (about 1 cup)
- 1 carrot
- 2 green onions
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- juice of 1 lime
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 6 uncooked corn tortillas
- 2 boneless duck breasts
- salt + pepper
- Shred cabbage and put in large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Chop apples into matchstick sized pieces and add to cabbage.
- Dice carrots and add to cabbage/apple mixture.
- Chop green onions and add to cabbage/apple/carrot mixture.
- Prepare dressing by adding olive oil, honey, and apple cider vinegar while whisking vigorously until completely combined. Add lime juice and salt and pepper and whisk to combine.
- Gently stream salad dressing over your slaw and mix until fully combined.
- Set in fridge until ready to top duck tacos!
- Add all ingredients EXCEPT cornstarch + water to a pot and mix to combine.
- Simmer for about 15 minutes on medium heat.
- Mix cornstarch + water together in a small bowl to make a slurry. Be sure all cornstarch is fully combined in the water.
- Add the slurry to your citrus-soy sauce and whisk until fully combined. Continue to cook until desired sauce thickness.
- Set aside until ready to drizzle on duck tacos!
- Use your sous vide to prepare the duck breast by placing the duck breast in an airtight plastic bag and gently sliding into your water bath.
- Cook at 130 degrees for 2-3 hours. When you remove the duck from the sous vide, remove from the plastic bags and pat dry on a cutting board with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
- Using a cast iron skillet, cook on medium skin side down for about 5 minutes then flip and cook on the other side for 2 minutes, be sure to watch that it doesn't burn.
- Remove from pan and let cool slightly and then slice into pieces!
- Prepare your tortillas while the duck is cooking and place in a tortilla warmer to keep them fresh.
- Assemble your tacos with duck on the bottom, topped with a dollop of the citrus-soy sauce and finished with a heap of apple slaw!
- You could also add jalapenos to your apple slaw to make it a little spicier!
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