Guys, I am so excited to share this recipe for you today, I sat with anticipation the two hours it to make it, that’s how thrilled I am about it. However first things first, happy Cinco de Mayo! Grab your margarita, sit down and enjoy the #SundaySupper fiesta we’ve brought for you today.
Lately, if I’m going to grab some Mexican food I’ve been all about carnitas, crispy bits of slow cooked pork that simmered away in its own fat for hours on end. Can anyone really say no to something as delicious sounding as that? Making carnitas is not only an investment in time though, you also need to pick up enough lard to cover the pork butt.
One day I thought to myself, why not just make the carnitas with duck? One duck breast usually renders me about a quarter to 1/3 a cup of fat. I figured if I could the duck in the oven with just a little fat to get it started, enough would melt off into my pan to produce beautiful crisp skin and tender moist meat. The outcome? Exactly as I expected. The sound of duck fat bubbling away in my oven was the most pleasant noise in the world as these baked away.
While I used duck thighs that I picked up at my farmer’s market to make my carnitas, this recipe will also work with duck breast, it just might cook in less time or you can purchase a whole duck and quarter it if you plan on cooking for a crowd.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pound duck thighs
- 3 tablespoons duck fat
- Corn tortillas
- chopped cilantro, thinly sliced radish and red onions, lime slices (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix together the ground cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.
- Rub the spice mixture over the duck thigh and place in a ziplock bag to marinate for up to six hours or overnight.
- Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees.
- In a small baking dish - you'll need one that's just large enough for the duck to fit in, place 3 tablespoons of duck fat on the bottom and place in the oven to render if it is in a solid state for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and place the duck in the baking dish and cover tightly with foil.
- Bake for an hour and a half to 2 hours or until the skin in crispy and the meat easily pulls away from the bones. Let cool before shredding the meat from the bones. This can be made ahead of time.
- To serve:
- In a skillet over medium heat, place a tablespoon of duck fat and the shredded meat and duck skin. Heat until crispy about 5 minutes.
- Serve on top of a corn tortilla with thinly sliced radish, red onions, chopped cilantro and a lime wedge.
Notes
If you like to save your duck fat, you'll need to pass the cooked fat from the carnitas through a sieve multiple times to separate the fat from the spice mixture. I poured the fat into a coffee filter over a sieve and then once more through a sieve. Store in a jar or airtight container in your fridge.
Let’s not forget about the rest of the great recipes this week! We have you covered for all your party needs today!
Cinco de Mayo Appetizers & Sides {Aperitivos}:
- Chipotle Roasted Chickpeas from Home Cooking Memories
- Cinco de Mayo Tuna Pepper Poppers from Shockingly Delicious
- Elote (Mexican Grilled Corn) from Magnolia Days
- Esquites or Mexican Corn Salad from Kimchi Mom
- Grilled Corn on the Cob with Lime-Cayenne Butter from Healthy. Delicious.
- Guacamole Rice from Foxes Love Lemons
- Healthy Mexican Ceviche from Mama’s Blissful Bites
- Loaded Cheesy Nachos from Gotta Get Baked
- Lobster Guacamole from I Run For Wine
- Roasted Garlic and Bacon Guacamole from Ruffles & Truffles
- Slow Cooker Chicken Con Queso from Daily Dish Recipes
Cinco de Mayo Main Dishes {Platos Principales}:
- Barbacoa Beef from The Urban Mrs.
- Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado Cream Sauce from Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- Chicken Fajita Feta-ccine from Chocolate Moosey
- Chicken Fajita Salad w/Home made Easy Salsa from Momma’s Meals
- Chicken Mole Potato Skins from Noshing with the Nolands
- Corona Beer-Battered Fish Tacos from Pescetarian Journal
- Duck Carnitas from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
- Enchiladas with Red Chili Sauce from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Fish Tacos with Lime Salsa from Curious Cuisiniere
- Japanese Mexican Tacos from Ninja Baking
- Lightened Up Taco Salad from Kudos Kitchen
- Mexican Pizza with Chipotle Orange Sauce from Family Foodie
- Oven Baked Beef, Bean, and Cheese Chimichangas from In The Kitchen With KP
- Pork Carnitas from From the Bookshelf
- Red Chile Jam + Tequila Chicken Quesadillas from Vintage Kitchen Notes
- Roasted Poblano and Corn Lasagna from Juanita’s Cocina
- Shrimp Soft Tacos with Lime Dressing and Crunchy Vegetables from Crazy Foodie Stunts
- Slow Cooked Carne Asadas from Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Soft Shell Tacos from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Spicy Shredded Beef Chimichangas from Supper for a Steal
- Spicy Steak Fajitas from Cravings of a Lunatic
- Stuffed Poblano Peppers from Country Girl in the Village
- Tequila Lime Chicken from No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
- Tex-Mex Chopped Chicken Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing from The Weekend Gourmet
- Tofu Tacos from Hip Foodie Mom
- Yucatan Pollo Pibil and Corn Tortillas from MarocMama
Cinco de Mayo Desserts {Postres}:
- Dairy-free Flan from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
- Dark and Spicy Chocolate Pots de Creme from Happy Baking Days
- Fried Ice Cream for a Crowd from Growing Up Gabel
- Luxuriously Healthy Chocolate Frosting from What Smells So Good?
- Mexican Brownies from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Paletas de Tamarindo (Tamarind Popsicles) from La Cocina de Leslie
- Peanut Mazapanes from Pies and Plots
Cinco de Mayo Drinks {Bebidas}:
- Fresh & Fruity Sangria from Webicurean
- Fruity Aguas Frescas from The Foodie Patootie
- Mango Aqua Fresca With Chia Seeds from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
- Margarona from The Messy Baker
- Tamarindo Drink (Agua de Tamarindo) from Basic N Delicious
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter today to celebrate Cinco de Mayo! We’ll tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and food photos.
Do you have your ticket to the Food and Wine Conference yet? If not, there will be a $100 discount available on the full conference pass today if you participate in the #SundaySupper twitter chat from 7 to 8pm Eastern Time, and purchase your ticket during the chat. The discount code is: SundaySupper. *Note the code is only valid during the chat time frame.
Pingback: Roasted Poblano & Corn Lasagna ~ Cinco de Mayo #SundaySupper! | Juanita's Cocina
ahhhh you have got to make me duck someday-you’re like the duck queen!!!
Pingback: Elote (Mexican Grilled Corn) Recipe | Magnolia Days
Pingback: Dark and Spicy Chocolate Pots de Creme for #SundaySupper | Happy Baking Days
Pingback: Duck Carnitas #SundaySupper - The Girl in the L...
Pingback: Chili Crab Salad on Watermelon Carpaccio #Sunday Supper - A Stack of Dishes
Absolutely brilliant idea to use duck for carnitas. Just the thought of cooking anything in duck fat makes me smile. Amazing.
Pingback: Mexican Pizza with Chipotle Orange Sauce #SundaySupper — Family Foodie
Pingback: Grilled Corn with Lime-Cayenne Butter for #SundaySupper | Healthy. Delicious.
Pingback: Chicken Con Queso Burritos for Cinco De Mayo | Daily Dish Recipes
Pingback: Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad) #SundaySupper #CincodeMayo
Pingback: Fruity Aguas Frescas for #SundaySupper
Very creative! I would never of thought to use duck!! Nice recipe!!
Love this spin on carnitas! A restaurant near to my home makes duck nachos, and they surprised me by being so incredibly awesome! making some duck carnitas at home sounds fab!
Um…yum?!?!? I wouldn’t share these carnitas with Michael…I’d sit in a corner with a package of tortillas and eat them all on my own!!
Do you have any idea how much I love duck? You always inspire me with you recipes! I just can’t wait to try this one.
Pingback: Pork Carnitas #SundaySupper | From the Bookshelf
I haven’t made duck yet, but I’m dying to. This sounds amazing with the crispy fat and the tender meat and the tortillas. I seriously need to make duck soon!
Pingback: Chicken Fajita Feta-ccine | Chocolate Moosey
Pingback: Loaded Cheesy Nachos for #SundaySupper #CincodeMayo | gotta get baked
LOOK at what you did with carnitas. I am like…gobsmacked!
Pingback: Peanut Mazapanes | Pies and Plots
Pingback: Fried Ice Cream for a Crowd #SundaySupper - Growing Up Gabel
Pingback: Fresh & Fruity Sangria #SundaySupper | Webicurean
duck carnitas – what a good twist!
I bought pork to make carnitas for the first time a few days ago. Now, duck sounds so amazing! The fat is so good tasting for potatoes, I can´t begin to imagine how good these tacos are!
Pingback: Chicken Mole Potato Skins for Cinco de Mayo #SundaySupper | Noshing With The Nolands
This totally makes sense, and I’m soooo glad you thought of it 😉 Can’t wait to give this a try, as I’ve been a bit timid about duck, but in this recipe it sounds like a perfect place to start!
I have never seen duck fat or duck thighs around here, these would be truly epic!
Love this idea! I’ve had the duck nachos Katie mentioned and they are awesome. I bet your duck carnitas are even better.
Oh. My. Gosh. I adore both duck and the typical carnitas so for me, this is just a completely brilliant mix of the two. I WILL be trying this.
You are the queen of making delicious things with duck! The description alone made my mouth water.
Pingback: Fish Tacos with Lime Salsa #SundaySupper » Curious Cuisiniere
Now I’m sitting here in anticipation to try it. They look wonderful, and I love duck!
I’ve never made duck…it’s one of those meats that I’m afraid of screwing up!
Your carnitas looks amazing!
Don’t be afraid of duck Amy! It’s a lot easier to cook than you think! Plus you get rewarded not only with a delicious meal, but all the duck fat to save and use afterwards. 🙂
I’ve been trying to figure out what to do with duck, now that I’ve found it in my local grocery store. THIS looks like a super win!
Oh my YUM!!!! I’m always looking for new reasons to eat duck – and this is it!
What a great recipe, I would love to try these!!
Guuuuuurrrrrl, I am picking up what you’re putting down. These carnitas look and sound incredible. I love duck so much and the way you describe it after it’s cooked in your oven “beautiful crisp skin and tender moist meat” is making me ravenous right now. Awesome variation on carnitas, Susan!
I love duck, thanks Susan for a new way to make it.
I’ve never cooked with duck before . . but hot damn, it sure looks good. . and so flavorful! LOVE!
Excuse me, did you say Duck Carnitas? Why, yes you did! WOAH – I must try this ASAP.
Pingback: Stuffed Poblano Peppers for Cinco de Mayo #SundaySupper | Country Girl in the Village
Pingback: Guacamole Rice #SundaySupper - Foxes Loves Lemons
Pingback: Fruity Aguas Frescas for #SundaySupper
Pingback: Chicken Spinach and Artichoke Enchiladas - The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen | The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Pingback: Corona Beer-Battered Fish Tacos #SundaySupper #Cinco de Mayo
Pingback: Enchiladas with Red Chili Sauce #SundaySupper - Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks