Wild Game Recipes: Duck Sliders
You've had a successful duck hunt and returned home with enough birds for several delicious meals. Aside from roasting the duck, what can you do with it?
Today, we want to share one of the tastiest wild game recipes we've found for duck: duck sliders. Keep reading to learn more about why you should hunt ducks, how to make these sliders from Wild Fowl Magazine, and how to stay safe when hunting waterfowl.
Why Hunt Duck?
Well, it's delicious!
However, aside from the tasty meat hunters bring home from a successful day in the field, duck hunting is challenging and fun. It's also awesome to witness the annual migrations, see these birds in flight, and be in their natural habitats.
Many waterfowl hunters also hunt with their faithful companions, their bird dogs. Having your dog in the field and spending the day enjoying nature is a dream fulfilled for many hunters.
A day hunting ducks is a beautiful way to spend your day.
Wild Game Recipes: Duck Sliders
If you're a frequent duck hunter, getting in a roast duck rut is easy. So, we recommend trying something new with these little burgers featuring ground duck.
Cook time: 5-7 minutes. Servings: 8
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground duck
- 1-2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
- 8 slider buns or potato dinner rolls
- 8 slices of your favorite cheese
- Pickled onions or sliced sweet pickles
- Mustard, ketchup, or barbecue sauce
Hint: You can prepare ground duck by adding pork fat (or lard). For every 3-½ to 4 pounds of duck breasts, add 1 pound of pork fat (ask at your supermarket meat counter).
Sprinkle chili powder and salt over ground duck and mix well with clean hands. Form the meat into patties the size of slider buns. Make a small indentation the size of a quarter in the center of each patty.
Fry or grill duck burgers on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes for medium doneness. Toast buns and slightly melt cheese, then build your burger with your favorite condiments. Enjoy!
Be Safe When Duck Hunting
To enjoy duck sliders or however you prefer your wild duck meat, you must stay safe when hunting in the field! Every time you go out, it's important to come home safely – along with the game you shot.
Hunting waterfowl is a lot of fun, but it's also dangerous if you're not prepared. A lack of understanding about how to carry your firearm in the field, how to train your dog to flush out and retrieve birds, or how to make sure you have a clear, safe shot before firing as ducks take to the air can lead to significant injuries.
Our state-approved Hunter-Ed courses cover firearm safety basics, how to keep hunting dogs safe in the field, and more safety essentials. Most states require hunters to pass a safety course before getting a hunting license and heading out for a day in the field. However, even if it's not required, it's a smart idea to get certified!
So, if you've read this article and have duck sliders on your mind, find the course for your state, plan your hunt, and then get out in the field to bring home some ducks!
Originally published November 10, 2015. Content updated November 16, 2023.
Food photography from Wild Fowl Magazine
