25 Comments
Jan 24, 2023Liked by Holly Heyser

Yummy! Doesn't get easier than that.

Lucky you.

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Jan 24, 2023Liked by Holly Heyser

The hunt was your lucky day. The easy was your recipe. Here in Souteast Michigan, we rarely see teal anymore, and this year, duck season was almost non-existent.

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Jan 24, 2023Liked by Holly Heyser

I'll try that. I usually split teal, quail and the occasional dove up the back, flatten and broil, but cutting them into two pieces seems like a better method. Also, yes to green-winged teal. They are among my very favorite ducks to hunt

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Jan 24, 2023Liked by Holly Heyser

The ducks don't even stop here anymore. They keep on flying. We used to have continuous flocks of thousands coming in over the last 3 years it has dwindled to this year we spotted one.

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Jan 24, 2023Liked by Holly Heyser

Wow! Can’t wait to try that! I had one of those days on Sunday and brought home a beautiful mixed bag including some fat little Teal.

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Jan 24, 2023Liked by Holly Heyser

Technically, I think what I do isn't spatchcocking, because I don't cut the backbone out. Do that, and you lose the tail, which is one of my favorite bites of any bird. I use scissors and cut up one side of the back

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Jan 24, 2023Liked by Holly Heyser

Holly,

Great determination!

Great hunt!

Great meal!

Thank you!

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founding

Thanks for the video accompanying this. Gives me an idea of what kind of marsh/water you hunt. Here in North Texas, I think most of the duck hunting happens on the big reservoirs which is harder for a non-boat, non-dog owning hunter. There are some WMAs with wetlands or creeks to hunt but it's neat to see a marsh like that with the ducks flying.

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Jan 25, 2023Liked by Holly Heyser

YUM. We're going out this weekend and I am hoping fervently to come home with something I can try this on! Great video -- it makes it look super easy.

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Jan 25, 2023Liked by Holly Heyser

Hey Holly,

Do you ever take the ribs off/ other bones out of the breast leaving you with a bone in wing and leg with boneless breast? Advantages or disadvantages of cooking it that way? Is it not worth the extra work and easier to debone after cooking?

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Yet another wonderful recollection. I've missed your long form writing.

Last year I switched to a new place and more teal came into the picture. I'm going to try this splitting method. Also, I know this is heathen and I'd never admit this around cooking purists, but I cook them in the air fryer. Crispy skin and juicy. Don't tell.

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Holly just had to respond to this as we are big waterfowl hunters here. Teal are numerous and my favorites both to shoot and to eat either roasted whole, Cooked down slowly in a gravy, or split marinated and grilled quickly medium rare as all ducks should be. My recipe for whole teal is as follows. Clean and dry plucked birds rub with olive oil, season with an all-purpose cajun seasoning. Wrap with bacon and grill over medium hot fire moving the birds to keep from burning until bacon is done and maybe charred a bit. When done move to indirect side of fire and glaze with the following sauce which can be varied wildly according to taste by using the flavor of jelly you like. One of my favorites is red plum jam. Sauce melt 1 Jar of jelly with 1/2 stick of butter about 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce and 2-3 tablespoons of Worcestershire. Let the glaze get sticky or candied. You can take the legs off if you like but the breasts eaten whole on the bone oh boy. Im sure you know what I mean the salty sweet thing going on with medium rare duck breasts is something special indeed. Of note this exact recipe which I taught to a friend was used at a culinary contest in New Orleans judged by Paul Prudhomme. For that Black currant Jamb was used and the Teal breasts were sliced thin so a little of the sauce could drizzle into the cuts.

Best

John Hardy

Hunt Fish and Dine

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That recipe won first place.

John Hardy

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