Marsh-to-Mouth & More

Marsh-to-Mouth & More

STORY BY GREGG POWERS , COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST FOR DUCKS UNLIMITED

The farm-to-table, or to waterfowlers, the marshto-mouth movement has captured people’s taste buds nationwide. Interest in consuming locally sourced meats, fruits and vegetables has blossomed in urban and rural areas across the country, as evidenced by the growth of local farmers markets and restaurants specializing in dishes prepared with local ingredients.

Food is better for you and the environment when you know where that food comes from. If you’re a hunter, this concept is nothing new. Hunters have been harvesting locally sourced, organic meat since prehistoric times. And today, new hunters are taking up the sport with the primary goal of harvesting healthy meat.

Waterfowlers source their duck and goose meat from wetlands that support waterfowl up and down the migratory bird continental flyways. Instead of supermarkets, this protein comes from prairie potholes on the continent’s Great Plains and lush wetlands in the expansive Boreal Forest.

It comes from marshes and flooded agricultural fields along established migratory pathways. It comes from wintering grounds in California’s Central Valley and the Gulf Coast. It is brought to the table by camo-clad people participating in a centuries-old tradition.

Ducks Unlimited plays a critical role in the marsh-to-mouth movement. Land protection is a vital tool by which Ducks Unlimited conserves waterfowl habitat throughout North America. Landowners can help Ducks Unlimited achieve its vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies (and maybe your dinner table) with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever.

Ducks Unlimited works with willing landowners to permanently conserve land using a conservation easement. Granting a conservation easement permanently protects land and enables you to keep your property in private ownership without requiring it to be open to the public.

A conservation easement attaches to the property deed. It runs with the land, protecting conservation values that make your land significant by limiting or extinguishing certain property rights such as development that have the potential to impact those features negatively. (Landowners should work with their tax advisor to determine any financial benefits they can utilize.)

Ducks Unlimited’s conservation easement approach does not convey ownership or management rights to Ducks Unlimited as a utility easement would. Instead, Ducks Unlimited is entrusted to protect the conservation values through regular monitoring visits.

In addition, Ducks Unlimited maintains a Revolving Land Program. Through this program, we identify properties already on the market that maintain much of their habitat value but are at risk for conversion to cropland or other types of development.

Enjoy two favorite waterfowl recipes shared by Ducks Unlimited’s 45th President and current Chairman of the Board Doug Schoenrock, and his wife Linda.

Smoked Goose or Duck Breasts

BRINE INGREDIENTS

1 quart apple cider (juice is OK, too)

1/4 cup of kosher salt or 3 tablespoons of canning salt

2 bay leaves, crushed

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon peppercorns, cracked or

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 to 1.5 lb. of duck or goose breasts, skinless Container

Glass is best; plastic (Tupperware) is OK, too.

PROCESS

1. Mix all ingredients, making sure the salt dissolves.

2. Soak duck or goose for at least 2 hours, but 12 hours is best.

3. After brining, rinse duck or goose and pat dry with paper towels.

4. Place in 210°–215°F smoker (I prefer pecan or alder wood, but hickory or oak work fine as well, they’re just a little stronger.)

5. Smoke for 3-3.5 hours. Allow to cool a bit and put into the refrigerator.

EAT

Eat it cold.

Slice thin for charcuterie with a game sauce like Bronco Bob’s Raspberry Chipotle Sauce. Slice thin for sandwiches with cheese, mustard and mayo. Lasts a week or so.

Duck Poppers a la Fulgham

THIS RECIPE WAS TAUGHT TO DOUG BY TOM FULGHAM

INGREDIENTS

A limit of ducks

Worcestershire sauce

Honey

Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning Sliced jalapeno pepper: medium or hot

2 packs of thick-sliced bacon

Cream cheese

SET-UP

1. Slice duck breasts into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick slices and place in a large plastic bowl

2. Lightly cover the duck pieces with Worcestershire sauce.

3. Sprinkle some creole seasoning on the duck pieces.

4. Put them in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours.

PREPARATION BEFORE COOKING

1. Remove duck pieces from refrigerator, cover them in the bowl with honey, and stir with a spoon.

2. Take bacon out of pack and cut the slices in half, take jalapeno peppers out of jar for easy access, and take cream cheese out of package.

3. First take a half slice of bacon and place on cutting board, then put one of the pieces of duck on one end of the bacon, take a small spoonful of cream cheese and one jalapeno pepper and place it on the end with the duck.

4. Take the end of the bacon the ingredients are on and roll the bacon around it. Use toothpicks to hold the ingredients in place.

ON THE GRILL

1. Place on grill over low heat.

2. Keep a glass of water handy in case the bacon drippings cause the grill to flame up.

3. Turn as needed until bacon is fully cooked.

4. Take off the grill and enjoy.

Find Out More

Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved 16 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information, visit ducks.org