HOME-CURED DUCK PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Gently wash duck breast of excess blood and then dry with a towel, try to get rid of as much surface water as possible and set aside.
• In a bowl prepare the curing mix by mixing the salt and the brown sugar evenly. Alternatively you can mix all contents into a jar seal it and shake until evenly mixed.
• In an air-tight plastic container pour about 1inch thick of of the curing mix, and gently lay the duck breast (skin side up) ontop of it. ,Make sure the breast doesn't touch the sides of the container.
• Pour the remaining mix ontop of the breast, completely covering it and filling the container (make more if there is not enough to fill the container).
• Place the sealed container in the fridge and leave for 1 to 2 days.
• The salt is now curing the meat and drawing the moisture out of the duck breast. Thus preserving the meat and enabling it for human consumtion without cooking, just like italian proscuitto. The sugar imparts a slight sweet flavour onto the meet to offset the saltiness.
• After 1 to 2 days remove the container from the fridge and remove the duck breast from the cure mix.
• Quickly wash off the excess mix with water, but don't keep it under the water for too long.
• Pat the cured breast dry and wrap tightly with a clean muslin, cheese, or thick cloth. Suspend the duck from a string in a dry, warm area for 5 to 7 days to thoroughly dry the duck out.
• Alternatively at this stage the breast can be thinnly sliced and pan fried as a duck version of pork bacon.
• After 5 to 7 days the duck is ready to be thinnly sliced like normal proscuitto and used in salads, pastas, or served as part of a meat & cheese platter. Enjoy and watch your friends' reactions when you tell them you cured the proscuitto yourself!
• To store, keep duck refridgerated and wrapped in clingfilm.
• Flavour Variations: To impart other suttle flavours into the meat feel free to add dried herbs and spices to the curing mix before curing. Dried orange peel, dried cranberries, and pink peppercorns work nicely with duck breast. The overall curing mix should always work on a 3 parts salt to 1 part everything else.