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Easy Duck Prosciutto

This easy duck prosciutto calls for only three ingredients and a week's worth of patience. It's worth it, though! Impress your family and friends by including thin slices of this simple nitrate-free home-cured meat on charcuterie boards, cheese plates, or on top of an arugula salad with lemon and parm. Delicious!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Curing Time 8 days
Course Appetizer

Equipment

  • Non-reactive container
  • Cheesecloth
  • Kitchen string

Ingredients
  

  • 1 duck breast boneless
  • 2 cups kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper

Instructions
 

  • Pat the duck breast dry and cover the bottom of the pan in a layer of salt. Nestle in the duck breast skin-side up and bury it in salt. Ensure that the duck isn't touching anything other than salt.
  • Refrigerate covered for 24-hours*.
  • The next day, rinse the duck breast under cold water, washing off the salt. Pat dry.
  • Season both sides of the duck breast with white pepper.*
  • Wrap the duck in a length of cheesecloth and tie it up with kitchen string.
  • Hang the duck up to dry cure in a cool, humid place. A basement or cold room work beautifully for this, the ideal temperature being 50-60ºF/8-15ºC.
  • After a week, squeeze the middle of the duck to check for doneness. If it feels squishy (raw), let it hang for another day or two to firm up.
  • When ready to serve, thinly slice the prosciutto on the bias, ensuring that each piece comes with a layer of fat.

Notes

  • Do not let the duck breast sit in salt for more than 48-hours, as this will result in overly salty prosciutto. 
  • Consider experimenting with other seasonings such as rosemary, thyme, juniper berries and bay leaves. 
  • The longer the duck prosciutto cures for, the drier it gets. Refrigerating it slows down this process, but it will continue to develop in the fridge, getting drier and saltier over time. 
Keyword Charcuterie, Cured Meats, Fermentation, Fermented Foods