Sounds difficult, doesn't it? Well, it ain't. Throw some duck breasts in a bed of salt for a day, then wrap them in cheesecloth and hang them for 3 weeks. Blammo. Done. And then you get to tell your friends, “Yeah, I made duck prosciutto,” and they’ll start introducing you to their ladyfriends as this guy who makes his own prosciutto. It’s like magic and shit.
22 days
Day 1: 30 minutes
Day 2: 30 minutes
Day 22: 15 minutes
- 2 8x11-inch glass casserole dishes
- Cheesecloth
- Butcher string
- 4 duck breasts
- 1 tsp. Instacure No. 1 curing salt
- 1 box (3 lb.) kosher salt
- 1 ⅓ tbsp. crushed black pepper
Measure out all the ingredients.
Pour a ½ inch bed of salt in each of the 8x11-inch casserole dishes.
Remove the duck breasts from their packaging. Rinse them under cold water, and pat each breast dry with paper towels.
Wearing food preparation gloves, massage the Instacure No. 1 curing salt into each of the breasts.
Place the duck breasts on the salt bed, ensuring that there is space in between the breasts so they do not touch each other.
Cover the duck breasts with the salt until the breasts are completely covered. Check the sides and bottom of the casserole dish to be sure each part of the breast is covered; adjust the breasts as needed.
Seal the glass casserole dishes with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.
The next day, remove the breasts from the salt. Brush off most of the salt.
Measure out 1 ⅓ tbsp. black pepper. Sprinkle the pepper over each of the breasts.
Wrap each breast in cheesecloth, using butcher string to wrap around the cheesecloth.
Hang the wrapped duck breasts in a cool, dry place for about 3 weeks, until firm to the touch.
Around 3 weeks after hanging, once its firm to the touch, cut the duck prosciutto down.
You do not need to cook the duck prosciutto before consuming, but it's damn tasty in risottos, pastas and atop a slice of 'za. Slice thin and enjoy.