duck ham

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 2 duck breasts, approx. 500 g each
• 400 g sea salt
• 200 g brown sugar
• 8 juniper berries
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp pepper, coarsely ground
• 1 tsp, str. Allspice d’Espelette
• 1 tsp, leveled paprika powder, smoked

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest period approx. 7 days; Total time approx. 7 days 20 minutes

homemade ham from duck breast

Wash the duck breasts and pat dry. Trim the skin on all sides by about 2 cm so that the fat only covers the center of the duck meat. This prevents the fat from protruding too much after salting/drying. Press the juniper berries, crumble the bay leaves, and mix with the other spices, salt, and sugar. Divide the mixture into 4 portions. Place a piece of cling film on the work surface, spread 1 portion of the mixture in the center in the shape of the duck breast, place the duck breast skin-side down on top, and spread 1 portion of the mixture on top to cover the entire breast. Wrap tightly in cling film, folding the short sides only once so that the liquid can drain away easily later; the long sides can be wrapped several times. Apply a little pressure here and shape the duck breast. Repeat with the other duck breast. Place both parcels skin-side down on a small baking tray and refrigerate. After a few hours, liquid will start to seep out of the packets; drain the liquid once a day. After 7 days, unwrap the breasts and brush them dry. If you like, you can now wrap the duck ham in gauze and hang it in the refrigerator for a few more days to dry. It can also be eaten immediately.