Apricot Glazed, Apple Stuffed Grilled Duck

There’s something special about a fat, late-season Midwestern mallard. Instead of just breasting them out, I like to pluck these birds and cook them whole. For this one, a bit of stuffing in the form of tart sliced apples helps add some flavor and moisture to the duck as it cooks.

This apricot flavored glaze is perfect for a fat, late-season puddle duck. Images by author

Fat, late-season mallards or other puddle ducks are the perfect choice for this recipe.

This recipe always comes to mind when we take a string of late-season puddle ducks.

While it takes a little longer to pluck vs. just breasting out the ducks, the results are worth it.

Take the time to pluck fat, late-season ducks.

For the glaze, I start with a base of apricot jam.

Start with a base of apricot jam or preserves.

To it, add soy sauce for a sweet and salty flavor balance. To that, a bit of dijon mustard adds flavor and some hot sauce balances out the flavor.

Warm the glaze ingredients and stir to blend.

Start by plucking the duck. I remove the wings, but leave the legs and thighs attached. Peel and slice some granny smith or other tart apples.

Peel and quarter the tart apples to stuff inside the duck.

Stuff the sliced fruit inside the body cavity of the duck. Season the duck all over with salt, pepper, and garlic or make it easier by sprinkling on some Realtree APX All-Purpose seasoning blend.

Stuff the ducks with apple and season well all over.

For the glaze, add the apricot jam to a saucepan, along with the soy sauce, mustard and hot sauce, and butter. Bring the mixture to a light boil and stir until everything is combined into a slightly thick glaze.

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Place the duck onto the pre-heated grill at 350 degrees. Brush the glaze over the entire bird. Grill for 20-30 minutes, glazing every five minutes or so with more sauce to build a nice mahogany layer over the skin.

Brush on the glaze as the duck grills.

For me, duck tastes best when eaten medium-rare. After 15 minutes, I start checking the thickest part of the breast meat with an instant read thermometer. Once it reaches 130, pull the duck and lightly tent it with foil to rest a few minutes before serving.

Serve medium-rare over a bed of rice.

I like to serve the ducks whole over a bed of rice. Figure one duck per every two diners. To eat, slice the meat off the breast and into thin medallions and serve alongside the leg/thigh combo.

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