Name: Carnitas de Pato Tacos
Yield: 12 tacos
Ingredients: 12 6-inch corn tortillas; 2 tbsps vegetable oil; 1 cup red onions (, diced); 1 cup cotija cheese (, grated); 1 cup cilantro (, chopped); 4 lbs duck legs and thighs; 2 lbs duck fat or lard; 1 medium onion (, peeled and sliced); 6 cloves garlic (, peeled and smashed); 10 whole peppercorns; 5 bay leaves; 3 dried chipotle chiles; 1 tbsp Mexican oregano; 2 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 stick canela ( (Mexican cinnamon)); 1/2 cup orange juice; 1 cup Coca-Cola; 1 cup light Mexican beer (, like Tecate); 6 oz condensed milk; 2 tbsps kosher salt; 2 cups kosher salt; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 tbsp Mexican oregano; 5 bay leaves (, ground); 1 stick canela (, crushed); 1/4 tsp cloves (, ground); 1/2 tsp allspice (, ground); 1 tbsp black pepper (, freshly ground); 2 tbsps chipotle chiles (, chopped and canned in adobo); 1 cup orange juice

Carnitas de Pato Tacos

Slow roasted Michoacán style confit of duck with Serrano salsa, red onion, cilantro and cotija cheese.

Servings

tacos

Servings

tacos

Ingredients

12 6-inch corn tortillas

2 tbsps vegetable oil

1 cup red onions, diced

1 cup cotija cheese, grated

1 cup cilantro, chopped

CARNITAS DE PATO

4 lbs duck legs and thighs

2 lbs duck fat or lard

1 medium onion, peeled and sliced

6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

10 whole peppercorns

5 bay leaves

3 dried chipotle chiles

1 tbsp Mexican oregano

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 stick canela (Mexican cinnamon)

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup Coca-Cola

1 cup light Mexican beer, like Tecate

6 oz condensed milk

2 tbsps kosher salt

CURE

2 cups kosher salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp Mexican oregano

5 bay leaves, ground

1 stick canela, crushed

1/4 tsp cloves, ground

1/2 tsp allspice, ground

1 tbsp black pepper, freshly ground

2 tbsps chipotle chiles, chopped and canned in adobo

1 cup orange juice

SERRANO CHILE SALSA

1 lb tomatillos, peeled and washed

1 medium sized onion, peeled and quartered

6 cloves garlic

2 to 6 serrano chiles, depending on your spice preference

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 tsp Mexican oregano

2 tbsps kosher salt

2 cups cilantro, washed and roughly chopped

Wine Pairing

Grenache

Instructions

SERRANO CHILE SALSA

PLACE all salsa ingredients - except the cilantro - into a large sauce pot, add water to cover and bring to a simmer. Cook the ingredients until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.

REMOVE all ingredients, using a slotted spoon, to the pitcher of an electric blender, add cilantro and puree until smooth. Add a small amount of the cooking liquid to adjust the consistency. Reserve.

CURE

MIX all cure ingredients.

CARNITAS DE PATO

RUB duck liberally with cure mix, place them in a large dish and refrigerate for 2 hours. After 2 hours rinse duck under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.

PREHEAT oven to 300ºF.

MELT lard or duck fat in a large roasting pan on the stove over medium heat. Add the duck and all other aromatics bring to a simmer, cover with aluminum foil and place in oven for approximately 2 hours, until tender and falling from the bone.

REMOVE from oven, place roasting pan back on the stove and heat on the burner until duck skin becomes brown and crispy on the outside and let cool in the liquid. Remove duck legs from the liquid and let drain on a baking rack. Pull duck meat and skin from the bone and roughly chop.

TO FINISH

HEAT a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, add vegetable oil and pulled duck and cook until crispy and heated through.

HEAT each tortilla on both sides, place 2 ounces of duck in the center of each, drizzle with Serrano salsa and sprinkle on onions, cilantro and cheese. Enjoy.

Ingredients

12 6-inch corn tortillas

2 tbsps vegetable oil

1 cup red onions, diced

1 cup cotija cheese, grated

1 cup cilantro, chopped

CARNITAS DE PATO

4 lbs duck legs and thighs

2 lbs duck fat or lard

1 medium onion, peeled and sliced

6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

10 whole peppercorns

5 bay leaves

3 dried chipotle chiles

1 tbsp Mexican oregano

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 stick canela (Mexican cinnamon)

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup Coca-Cola

1 cup light Mexican beer, like Tecate

6 oz condensed milk

2 tbsps kosher salt

CURE

2 cups kosher salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp Mexican oregano

5 bay leaves, ground

1 stick canela, crushed

1/4 tsp cloves, ground

1/2 tsp allspice, ground

1 tbsp black pepper, freshly ground

2 tbsps chipotle chiles, chopped and canned in adobo

1 cup orange juice

SERRANO CHILE SALSA

1 lb tomatillos, peeled and washed

1 medium sized onion, peeled and quartered

6 cloves garlic

2 to 6 serrano chiles, depending on your spice preference

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 tsp Mexican oregano

2 tbsps kosher salt

2 cups cilantro, washed and roughly chopped

Wine Pairing

Grenache

Instructions

SERRANO CHILE SALSA

PLACE all salsa ingredients - except the cilantro - into a large sauce pot, add water to cover and bring to a simmer. Cook the ingredients until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.

REMOVE all ingredients, using a slotted spoon, to the pitcher of an electric blender, add cilantro and puree until smooth. Add a small amount of the cooking liquid to adjust the consistency. Reserve.

CURE

MIX all cure ingredients.

CARNITAS DE PATO

RUB duck liberally with cure mix, place them in a large dish and refrigerate for 2 hours. After 2 hours rinse duck under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.

PREHEAT oven to 300ºF.

MELT lard or duck fat in a large roasting pan on the stove over medium heat. Add the duck and all other aromatics bring to a simmer, cover with aluminum foil and place in oven for approximately 2 hours, until tender and falling from the bone.

REMOVE from oven, place roasting pan back on the stove and heat on the burner until duck skin becomes brown and crispy on the outside and let cool in the liquid. Remove duck legs from the liquid and let drain on a baking rack. Pull duck meat and skin from the bone and roughly chop.

TO FINISH

HEAT a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, add vegetable oil and pulled duck and cook until crispy and heated through.

HEAT each tortilla on both sides, place 2 ounces of duck in the center of each, drizzle with Serrano salsa and sprinkle on onions, cilantro and cheese. Enjoy.