Asian Inspired Duck Bites

Benjamin David | January 1, 2021

If you are looking for an easy way to cook a duck for friends, or a family gathering, then Asian inspired duck bites are a great way to go. Asian inspired duck bites are quite simple to make. They are essentially just a duck breast, seared to a rare or medium rare in an chinese 5 spice blend, garnished with a bright pickled radish and greens, plated onto fried wontons.

Our favorite duck breasts to use are Green Teal breasts, skin on. Green Teal has a fat that melts in your mouth, like the fat from a high quality beef steak. However, we’ve also used Gadwalls, Widgeons, Mallards, and Buffleheads. The trick is to avoid overcooking your ducks. Overcooking ducks, regardless of species, will change the flavor of a duck from mild, to livery.

Ingredients: Duck Breasts

Ingredients: Pickled Garnish

Ingredients: Wonton Crackers

Ingredients: Plating

Directions: Duck Breasts

1. Thoroughly season breasts on both sides with Chinese 5 spice blend. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
2. Zest duck breasts with orange zest.
3. Sear breasts skin side down, until the outer layer of the skin and fat crisp, and release from the hot pan, flip over to sear the skinless side. Only cook the breast to a rare or medium rare. DO NOT Overcook!
4. Let duck breasts rest, then slice into 1/4″ to 3/8″ slices.

Directions: Pickled Garnish

1. Quarter, then thinly slice red onion, no larger than matchstick size. (½ cup)
2. Halve, then thinly slice red onion, no larger than matchstick size. (1 cup)
3. Place onion and radish in a pyrex mixing bowl.
4. Boil 2 cups of water.
5. Pour boiling water over onion and radish in the pyrex mixing bowl, to lightly blanch.
6. Let onions and radish cool.
7. Once cooled, drain all the water off of the onion and radish.
8. Add 1 tsp. sugar to the bowl.
9. Add 2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar.
10. Add 2 tsp. sesame oil.
11. Toss the onion, radish, sugar, vinegar, and sesame oil until everything is evenly coated.
12. Add 2 cups of microgreens, or baby arugula.
13. Season with fresh cracked black pepper and salt to taste.
14. Season with asian 5 spice blend.
15. Zest with orange zest.
16. Toss all the ingredients until everything is evenly coated.
17. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Directions: Wonton Crackers

1. Heat a frying pan.
2. Fry wonton wrappers in sesame oil until crispy and golden brown. (season lightly with salt if desired)

Directions: Final Prep

1. Plate sliced duck breasts on a serving platter, use a little bit of the pickled garnish to garnish the breasts, and zest with orange zest.
2. Put remaining pickled garnish in a serving bowl.
3. Place fried wontons in a separate bowl.
4. Let your dinner guests assemble their own bites, and find their own preferred balance of acidic garnish and savory duck.

Your guests should love your Asian inspired duck bites, even those that don’t typically enjoy duck. Acid and orange zest help cut any gaminess, but a rare or medium rare duck breast should taste more like a beef steak than a calf liver, if cooked correctly.

Have anything to add? Do something a little differently? Let us know in the comments.

Written By Benjamin David

Benjamin is an avid outdoorsman with a wide range of experience hunting, fishing, climbing, and backacking. He brings his knowledge and experience, to Sportsman's Magazine, and is a major content contributor. Leave Ben a comment or question.