apple-stuffed guava duck

2020-01-31

Guava (Sp. = guayaba) is a small fruit native to Mexico. It is commonly used to make drinks, preserves and candy.

This is a slow-roasted duck stuffed with apples and painted with guava chile paste.

Instead of that horrible 'orange sauce' that comes with the store-bought duck— which no doubt refers to the color, not the content — I used a guayaba con chile candy roll that the local store sells. I just unrolled it and covered the duck breast with it to let it melt and season the duck. The candy is both sweet and spicy, a combination that goes well together with roast duck.

Thawed in the refrigerator for 3 days, slow-roasted for 4 hrs. @ 170 ºF followed by 30 minutes at 400 ºF to render out more fat and crisp the skin. For food safety reasons, do not do this when the duck is still frozen. It takes too long to thaw at that low temperature.

Why do I cook at such low temperature?
Because that warms the meat through slowly which keeps it from drying out like happens at high temperatures. Be sure to cook long enough to get 145-150 ºF. internal temperature for 15 minutes. The meat may still look pinkish, but it will be cooked through, juicy and tender.  

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 3-4 servings:

  • 1 frozen Pekin duck, 4-6 lbs.
  • guava candy roll
  • 2 ripe apples, preferably fairly sweet
  • S&P, spices of your choice
Pic1: guava duck

Directions

Pic2: stuff apples in duck
Pic3: guava candy roll
Pic4: melted