We have adapted a Wild Duck Sausage recipe that is both simple and delicious. No need for fancy meat grinder attachments or special ingredients, beyond the use of Wild Duck itself. Domestic duck is too fatty and if used in this recipe? I believe it would be far too mushy. But if you’re fortunate enough to have wild duck breasts on hand and need recipe ideas? This sausage is spectacular. It is a special as a patty as it is browned and served any variety of ways. Shown here crisped and then mixed with our Fall Harvest Salad, it makes a knockout dinner with a glass of Pinot Noir.
We’ve also paired it with wild rice, fresh spinach, and mushrooms to stuff roasted acorn squash! Which makes a fabulous side dish or a light fall meal itself. Our son loves it for breakfast as well, with crunchy toast and poached eggs. I’m personally gunning to try it next with butternut squash ravioli and crispy sage!
Wild Duck Sausage (Yields approximately 2-3 lbs.)
Ingredients
2 cups wild duck breast meat, cubed
1 cup bacon, cut into 1″ pieces
1 tsp fresh rosemary, diced
1 tsp. fresh thyme, diced
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. whole mustard seeds
1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. avocado or other neutral oil
1/3 cup yellow onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 fresh orange juice
Cayenne pepper
1/2 cracked black pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 large egg
Directions
- Place cubed duck breast and bacon into a food processor and pulse with metal blade until ground into small bits. Don’t mascerate to the point that it becomes a paste. Transfer to large mixing bowl.
- In a dry skillet, toast sage, and mustard seeds over medium low heat until fragrant. Add fresh rosemary and thyme to mixture and toast a minute or two more.
- Add butter and oil to skillet and bring to medium heat. Sauté onions along with toasted herb mixture until onion is transluscent. Add garlic and sauté a minute longer, until garlic is fragrant.
- Add orange juice and continue to cook over medium until liquid is reduced by half. Perhaps 8-10 minutes.
- Add cayanne pepper (a pinch or more to taste), black pepper, and salt. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Once cool, add onion/spice mixture along with 1 egg to the bowl with the duck/bacon. Mix thoroughly using your hands.
- Mixture can be formed into patties or kept as bulk sausage. If freezing, use freezer-safe baggies and store flat.
