Ingredients

Duck

• 2 to 3 pounds duck breasts, legs, or thighs, in any combination
• Kosher salt

To Finish

• 1 batch Green Mole
• Duck stock or beef stock, as needed
• Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
• Lime wedges
• Cooked white rice

Method

Prepare the Duck

1. Trim excess fat from the duck.

2. If using whole legs, separate the drumsticks and thighs with a cleaver or heavy kitchen shears.

3. If using breasts, score the skin in a shallow crosshatch pattern without cutting into the meat. This helps the thick layer of fat render.

4. Season the duck generously with salt. For more deeply seasoned meat, refrigerate it uncovered for several hours or overnight.

First Cook

Cook breasts separately from legs and thighs, since they require very different finishing temperatures.

Legs and Thighs: Conventional Oven

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).

2. Arrange the legs and thighs skin side up in a single layer in a baking dish.

3. Roast until each piece registers at least 185°F (85°C) in its thickest part, without the thermometer touching bone. Remove pieces individually as they reach temperature.

4. Pour off and reserve the rendered duck fat.

Legs and Thighs: Air-Fryer Option

1. Preheat the air fryer to 300°F (150°C).

2. Arrange the pieces skin side up in a single, uncrowded layer. Cook in batches if necessary.

3. Air-fry until well rendered and each piece registers at least 185°F (85°C) in its thickest part, without the thermometer touching bone.

4. If the air fryer begins to smoke, carefully drain the accumulated fat from beneath the basket.

Air frying is especially effective for rendering the skin during this first cook. Do not take the legs all the way to falling-apart tenderness, since they will finish cooking in the mole.

Duck Breasts: Air Fryer

1. Preheat the air fryer to 325°F (165°C).

2. Arrange the breasts skin side up in a single, uncrowded layer.

3. Air-fry until the skin is rendered and the center of each breast reaches 145°F to 150°F (63°C to 66°C). Check each breast separately and remove it immediately upon reaching temperature.

4. Rest the breasts whole for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Carryover cooking will raise their internal temperature several degrees.

Duck Breasts: Skillet and Oven

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).

2. Place the breasts skin side down in a cold, ovenproof skillet. Set the skillet over medium-low heat and cook until the skin is deeply browned and much of the fat has rendered.

3. Turn the breasts skin side up and transfer the skillet to the oven.

4. Cook until the center of each breast reaches 145°F to 150°F (63°C to 66°C).

5. Remove the breasts promptly and rest them whole for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Carryover cooking will raise their internal temperature several degrees.

Make-Ahead Stop

The legs and thighs may be cooked through the first stage and refrigerated for later finishing.

Cool them promptly and refrigerate separately from the prepared Green Mole. Keeping the duck and mole separate preserves the texture of the skin and allows the sauce consistency to be adjusted before finishing.

For the best texture, cook duck breasts immediately before serving rather than preparing and reheating them in advance.

Finish Legs and Thighs

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).

2. Reheat the Green Mole gently, stirring or whisking until smooth. Add stock as needed to restore a thick, spoonable, gravy-like consistency.

3. Arrange the legs and thighs skin side up in a baking dish.

4. Spoon the mole around the duck, allowing it to come just up to the level of the skin while leaving most of the skin exposed.

5. Bake until the meat registers 195°F to 205°F (91°C to 96°C) and offers almost no resistance when pierced. The meat should pull easily from the bone.

6. Keep the mole at a gentle simmer during the finish. If it begins to boil vigorously or becomes too thick, lower the oven temperature and add a small amount of stock.

7. For additional surface texture, briefly place the finished duck under the broiler, watching continuously to prevent the mole from scorching.

Finish Duck Breasts

1. Reheat the Green Mole gently until steaming, thinning it with stock if necessary. Do not let it boil vigorously.

2. Slice the rested duck breasts across the grain into pieces approximately 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick.

3. Remove the mole from direct heat and arrange the sliced breast in the hot sauce.

4. Spoon mole over the slices and let them warm gently for 1 to 2 minutes. The final serving temperature should be approximately 150°F to 155°F (66°C to 68°C).

5. Do not simmer the sliced breast in the mole. Prolonged cooking will make it dry and obscure the contrast between the rendered skin, sliced meat, and rich sauce.

To Serve

Serve the duck over white rice.

For breast meat, arrange the slices in overlapping rows and spoon mole over and around them, leaving some of the rendered skin visible.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

Inspirations

• Duck Duck Goose: Mexican Duck with Green Mole