Some consider wrapping ducks in bacon—or anything in bacon, for that matter—to be cheating. Yes, it's easy and, yes, anything wrapped in bacon will taste, well, like bacon. But here's the thing: bacon-wrapped ducks are delicious. I've found they're even good enough to shut up a lawyer.
"Jalepeno Quackers"—a bacon-wrapped, bite-sized chunk of duck breast with a slice of jalapeno and sharp cheddar in the middle—are a favorite in my home. And Delta Waterfowl recently shared a recipe for "Spoony (northern shoveler) Wraps" that I intend to try this season.
However, here's my issue with using bacon: Many use it as a crutch, implying bacon must be used because, they believe, ducks are otherwise not palatable. I can't fathom how anyone fails to appreciate the glorious meal that is a mallard breast pan-seared medium rare, and yet insinuations to the contrary persist. Even less tasty ducks, including spoonbills, are quite tasty when prepared in such fashion.
However, I do wrap my ducks in bacon for presentation as appetizers or when I just want to change things up. So, I say go ahead and wrap ducks and other game in bacon—but let's not suggest it's the only route to go.
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