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Duck Popper Sliders

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Duck season has come to an end here.  I hope that many of you ended up with a stocked freezer just waiting to be turned into a delicious meal. If you’re looking to change up the standard popper recipe, give these Duck Popper Slider’s a try!

If you’re looking to change up the standard popper recipe, give these Duck Popper Slider’s a try!

In Tennessee, Active Military and Veterans are privileged with their own day of hunting.  An overly hospitable Blue Bank Resort and the guide services of long-time friend, Caleb Dunn*, provide an amazing experience on Reelfoot Lake.  We were treated as honored guests, fed like kings, and fortunate enough to have a sky full of waterfowl. As the hunt came to an end, we had a boat full of ducks and a handful of current and prior service members that were honored to be given such treatment and thankful to take part in what turned out to be one amazing hunting experience. Good dudes, good food, a good dog, and some favorable conditions made for a great time!

*Apparently Caleb has his own recipe similar to this one except it is served as more of an open-faced sandwich that he compares to Philly Cheesesteak.  I haven’t personally tried it, but the guy can cook and I’ve yet to try any of his food that wasn’t delicious!  I typically drag myself away lethargic and over-indulged.  With that being said, his concept may also be worth trying.

What are Duck Popper Sliders?

Poppers are a very common wild game appetizer typically made with either duck or dove, and sometimes geese.  In addition to the breast meat, the most common ingredients are jalapeno peppers, onions, cream cheese, and bacon.  Duck Popper Sliders are a spinoff of this traditional recipe and they equally, if not more, delicious!

Ingredients Needed for Duck Popper Sliders

As I mentioned above, the ingredients for these sliders are essentially the same as poppers with just a couple of extras.  You will need the following:

  • Duck breasts
  • Bacon
  • Jalapeno peppers
  • onion
  • soft cheese such as goat cheese, brie, cream cheese, etc.
  • Hawaiian rolls
  • Fischer & Wiser Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce (or comparable sauce)
  • Salt & Pepper
  • oil or butter

How to Make Duck Burger 

I chopped the partially frozen duck breasts and bacon and mixed them together at an 80/20 ratio before running the mix through the meat grinder.  A food scale is the most efficient way to accomplish this, but to put in a clearer perspective: A limit of Mallards in Tennessee (4, with no more than 2 being female) would be mixed with approximately 1/3 lbs. of bacon and can feed two hungry couples and a really hungry seven-year-old! If you’re a “bacon makes everything even better” person then, by all means, do your thing and alter the ratio as you see fit!

How to Make Duck Sliders

Form the ground meat into patties that are just a bit larger than the rolls. Place the oil or butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Dice the jalapeno (seeds removed) and onions. Sauté them in skillet until they reach your likeness. Set the sautéed veggies to the side. Add the slider patties to the skillet and cook to medium-well, or however you like your burgers prepared. Place the patty on the bottom half of the toasted roll and top it with the sautéed jalapenos and onions before drizzling raspberry chipotle sauce over the top. Spread the cheese on the top half and combine the halves to form the slider.

Tips for Tasty Duck Sliders

There are two key things to keep in mind when making these duck sliders:

  1. As with any other grinding process, you want to keep everything cold. I mean really cold.  I put all of my grinder components in the freezer for about thirty minutes prior to processing any meat.  I even have the bowl that the ground meat falls into in there. It also helps to have the meat partially frozen as well.  
  2. Toast those buns! Buns have the ability to take your burgers to the next level.  For these duck sliders, place the halved Hawaiian roll face down in the skillet until its crisped and golden brown.  This will add warmth, texture, and even more flavor. 

 

Duck Popper Sliders

If you’re looking to change up the standard popper recipe, give these Duck Popper Slider’s a try!

Ingredients

  • 8 Duck breasts
  • 1/3 lbs. Bacon
  • 4 Jalapeno peppers
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tbsp oil or butter
  • 1 tbsp of soft cheese (goat cheese, brie, cream cheese, etc.)
  • Hawaiian rolls
  • Fischer & Wiser Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce (or comparable sauce)
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Patty the ground meat into 2-ounce patties that are just a bit larger than the rolls.
  2. Place one tablespoon of oil or butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Dice the jalapeno (seeds removed) and onions. Sauté in skillet until they reach your likeness.
  3. Remove the vegetables from skillet, leaving them in a serving bowl to the side. Add the slider patties to the skillet and cook to medium-well, or however you like your burgers prepared.
  4. Using the same skillet, toast the inside of Hawaiian rolls. This leaves the top of the bun soft with a warm crisp inside.
  5. Place the patty on the bottom half of the roll and top it with the sautéed jalapenos and onions (1-2 tbsp) before drizzling raspberry chipotle sauce over the top. Spread the cheese on the top half and combine the halves to form the slider.
  6. Enjoy your Duck Popper Sliders!





© Cody
Category: Wild Game

Peanut Butter & Banana Pita (aka The Elvis Pita)

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This deliciously molten Peanut Butter & Banana Pita with chocolate is the perfect combination of sweet and salty and can be made in under ten minutes!! 

This deliciously molten Peanut Butter & Banana Pita with chocolate is the perfect combination of sweet and salty and can be made in under ten minutes!! 

This is one of our favorite late night fixes. Quick, easy, and tasty, what’s not to like!? Don’t be surprised if some funky dance moves emerge in the kitchen while it’s being made, either.  Rumor is, some of “The King’s” dance moves were inspired by his late night tips with his iconic pb & banana twist!

 

Grab a napkin on the way out for what the finger licking can’t clean up!

Peanut Butter & Banana Pita (aka The Elvis Pita)

Peanut Butter & Banana Pita (aka The Elvis Pita)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 slice Joseph's whole wheat pita
  • 1 tsp salted butter
  • 1/2 banana, sliced
  • 2 tbsp peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp dark chocolate chips
  • (Optional: 1/2 slice of freshly cooked bacon, crumbled)

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
  2. Spread the peanut butter over the pita. We use Joseph's Flax Oat Bran and Whole Wheat pitas. Slice the banana to your desired thickness and cover 1/2 of the pita. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the bananas. (If you choose to add bacon, add it now.) Close the pita, folding it in half (like a taco).
  3. Place the stuffed pita into the butter coated skillet. Heat each side until slightly golden (1-2 minutes).
  4. Let it cool for a minute and enjoy!!

Notes

If you choose to add bacon, I recommend cooking it before you begin step 1.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
© Cody
Category: 30 Minutes or Less

PB&J Burger

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When PB&J meets bacon cheeseburger, you get an interesting flavor combination that keeps you chomping til it’s gone!

When PB&J meets bacon cheeseburger, you get an interesting flavor combination that keeps you chomping til it's gone!

A few months ago, I came across this overly delicious (dangerously delicious) peanut butter whiskey. It wasn’t sold locally yet, but it is now! Luckily, shortly after I tried it, we traveled a few hours away for a family event.  On our way home, I found it on the shelf and went all Garth Brooks, “BRING ME TWO……….”.  With each hand gripping a bottle of the peanut butter nectar, my wheels were spinning about the night’s plans.  I now had this delicious drink and hadn’t had supper.  So, I called the fam with the jams and we worked out a plan.  PB&J Burgers!!!! I had never made them and none of us had eaten them, but with this new drink and Marley’s Jams, it just made sense. 

We all gathered round the table and were each probably halfway through the burger before we made a decision.  We loved them! It’s kind of like that weird friend that you love because, despite their weirdness (uniqueness), they’re awesome in their world……..and yours! That is the best way I can describe it, strangely amazing.

The Burger

The are a couple key considerations in creating this concoction.  Those are seasoning and ratios.  My preference and advice is to keep the peanut butter and jam as underlying flavor notes. Otherwise, it dominates and makes you feel more like you’re eating a sandwich than a burger.  But again, you do you! Same goes with the patty size. There has been some debate about 1/4 lb vs 1/3 lb, but both are good.  This is simply a matter of preference.  

The seasoning, however, is key.  You can season your meat with your preference but keep in mind that this is what brings cohesion to the burger. I’ve tried a few different ways and the two best seem pretty funky.  They are, actually, but they work.  You’ve seen both brands here before and they are Manitou Trading Company’s Five Spice Powder and Flavor God’s Jamaican Jerk Seasoning. I’ve found that for dark jams, like grape or blackberry, the five spice powder works great.  For red jams, like strawberry or raspberry, the jerk seasoning is the way to go.  They just work! I’ve done blind challenges for people to choose their favorite to confirm, too. 

PB&J Burger

When PB&J meets bacon cheeseburger, you get an interesting flavor combination that keeps you chomping til it's gone!
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/3 lb hamburger patty
  • 1 slice smoked cheddar
  • 1 tsp peanut butter
  • 1 tsp jam
  • 1 1/2 slice of bacon
  • 1 brioche bun

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon to your preferred crispiness. I like to put some fresh cracked pepper on mine.
  2. Season the burger and sear each side in a cast iron for approximately 60-90 seconds. You want a crisp char on each side. Then place in the oven for about 8 minutes.
  3. About half way through, top the burger with cheese, allowing the cheese to melt.
  4. Place the bun face down on a buttered cast iron over medium heat to toast. Be careful not to burn.
  5. Spread the peanut butter on the bottom half of the bun and the jam on the top half.
  6. Place the burger on the bun, top with bacon, and complete. With this setup, the bite should go: nutty, beefy, smoky, savory/peppery, then sweet. With so much flavor, you'll be halfway through the burger before you have it all figured out!

Nutrition Information:


Amount Per Serving:
© Cody
Category: Beef
For other great burger ideas, see The Triple Stack Burger and The Funky Java Burger. 

The Triple Stack Burger

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Three meats and three cheeses stacked up to make one amazingly delicious burger!

Three meats and three cheeses stacked up to make one amazingly delicious burger!

The Story Behind the Triple Stack

At 19 years old, I stopped by TGI Friday’s to get a bite to eat with my mom.  I ordered what I think was called the “triple jack burger”.  Jack Daniels is, or was at the time at least, a big thing there so I’m guessing that’s where the “jack” part came from, or maybe pepper jack cheese.  Same year, I’m in Iraq talking about one of the first things that I’m going to eat when we get back to the States.  In my experience, this is a pretty common conversation.  It doesn’t matter if you’re eating steak and lobster every Wednesday, your mind always tries to wander to something “better” that you can’t get to……..yet. On this one, all I kept going back to (in terms of food at least) was that burger.  

Months later, I walked through the doors of TGI Friday’s with a few friends to get my fix.  We ordered drinks and, although I was overly certain on what I wanted, began searching the menu.  Then, I started to get that stomach drop feeling of startled panic.  I had skipped straight to the only section that mattered to me, the burger section. Guess what wasn’t there!? The burger that I had been mouth watering over for the past several months!!! 

To make the situation worse, every menu item had the calories posted right next to the title.  As I voiced my devastation, my friend threw in his complaint of the calorie notes.  Nobody wanted to see that, haha. We were there to indulge, not be taunted with the reality of bad decisions.  One of the guys asked, “just want to go somewhere else?” Me, “yea man, this place sucks”. We paid for the drinks and bounced. If I’ve been back since, it was masked by my unfilled crave for the long lost burger. 

The Fix

You know how craves go! Nothing satisfies except that exact thing, right? My only option was to figure it out and recreate.  For this, some lame copycat recipe (not that I don’t use those, too) wouldn’t give me my fix.  I had to go above and beyond to make it better than the real deal; a burger that would put a grin on my face and honor that night’s exiting statement.  Over a decade later, I’ve done it!

The Triple Stack Burger

Three meats and three cheeses stacked up to make one amazingly delicious burger!

Ingredients

  • 1/3 lb hamburger patty
  • 4 slices black forest ham
  • 2 slices of quality bacon
  • 1/4 cup pimento cheese
  • 1 bakery fresh bun
  • 1 tsp of sweet & spicy bbq sauce

Instructions

  1. The Burger: I prefer burgers on a flat iron. I just think they're better that way so I sit a flat iron on my grill grates with some wood chips underneath for the best of both worlds. Also, I'm a firm believer that fresh ground is better than prepackaged, but there isn't always time for that. Regardless, just patty 1/3 pound of the ground beef, season it, and cook to your liking via your preferred method. For seasoning, I typically use seasoned salt but Bad Byron's Butt Rub works good here too.
  2. The pimento cheese (don't buy the stuff in the container): Using a cheese shredder, shred 1/2 lb of American cheese, 1/2 lb of Monterey Jack cheese, and 1/4 lb of medium or mild cheddar cheese into a large bowl. Add 3 tbsp of chopped pimentos, 1 chopped jalapeno, and 1/2 cup of mayo (light is fine) and mix thoroughly. You'll have plenty of extra for sandwiches, etc. I took what was left to a party with some Wheat Thins for people to munch.
  3. The Triple Stack: On a fresh bakery style hamburger bun or brioche bun, stack the cooked patty, ham, bacon and pimento cheese. Spread the barbeque sauce on the top half of the bun and press down enough to mash the pimento cheese across the other toppings, but not so much that you smash the whole thing. For the sauce, I recommend Rufus Teague Touch O' Heat for this behemoth. The sauce is supposed to be an underlying flavor note. While I always encourage you're own personal touch, let's try to keep this a burger and not turn it into a barbeque sandwich.