Sea Duck Philly Cheesesteak
Alec Boyd-Devine
Ingredients
-
4 Small Ducks (8 breasts)
- 1 Green Bell Pepper
- 1 Red Bell Pepper
- 1 Yellow Onion
- 4 Hoagie Buns
- Cheese Sauce
- 8 Slices of Pepper Jack Cheese
- 3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
- ½ Tbsp Dried Garlic
- ½ Tbsp Italian Seasoning
- ½ Tsp Nutmeg
- ¼ Tsp Flaky Salt
- ¼ Tsp Black Pepper
- 5 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
Growing up in northern Indiana, I was situated between two minor flyways within the Mississippi Flyway. Northeast Indiana tends to get “skipped” as ducks fly south. They head down near Lake Michigan, then over Lake Erie—bypassing my small town completely. Look at any model of the Mississippi Flyway and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
The ducks we typically shot were local birds—mallards and wood ducks—which are mild-tasting. Upon moving to Alaska, I was warned by pretty much everyone that the ducks here taste bad. Even the mallards were said to taste strong, and I was told not to even bother with the sea ducks.
But I decided to be my own judge.
On opening day of Alaska’s duck season, I set out to harvest my first sea ducks. I was fortunate to have my college duck-hunting partner visiting my wife and me. We set out in the pre-sunrise haze to an island where I’d seen some birds flying past. I set my black spray-painted mallard decoys out, and sure enough, eventually two juvenile Surf Scoters decoyed in. After a few hours—and lots of misses—we managed to bag a couple more Scoters.
After returning from my first successful sea duck hunt, I went with my tried-and-true method for introducing new folks to duck meat: the duck Philly cheesesteak. I find that even non-duck eaters will finish these sandwiches every time.
I used to cook them a bit differently, but after visiting the City of Brotherly Love, I decided to apply what I learned there to my own duck version of their namesake sandwich. I find that small ducks like teal, buffleheads, harlequin, and juvenile Scoters will yield about one sandwich each. The amount of spices, herbs, and vegetables listed here is ideal for four of these smaller ducks—making four sandwiches.
I remove the skin from the birds for this recipe. While I agree that skin—and therefore fat—adds flavor, I find it's best to remove it from sea ducks in particular. This is because the fat on sea ducks can add an undesirable flavor akin to the fish they feed on.
Start by slicing your duck breasts very thin—honestly, as thin as you can. Toss the slices into a bowl and mix in the spices, coating the meat thoroughly. Set aside.
Thinly slice the onion and both peppers into strips. Add cooking oil to a hot pan, and toss in the onions. Once the onions begin to turn translucent, add the peppers. When the peppers start to soften, add the duck, Worcestershire sauce, and minced garlic. Cook the duck to medium—this won’t take long if it's sliced thinly.
While the duck cooks, add a layer of cheese sauce to both the top and bottom halves of each hoagie bun.
Once the duck is browned on the outside, add the slices of Pepper Jack cheese over the duck, onion, and pepper mixture. Lay your cheese sauce covered hoagie into the pan, so the bread softens and the cheese sauce warms. Put a lid on this to maintain the moisture and help quickly melt the cheese. Once the Pepperjack is melted, remove the bread, and scoop the cheesy meat and veggies to the sauce covered hoagie and enjoy!
Oh, and I disagree with the locals, sea ducks don't taste bad at all, especially when enjoyed the Philly way.
About Alec Boyd-Devine