Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›Kettner Exchange›Duck Meatball Recipe

Duck Meatball Recipe

Inspired by Kettner Exchange
Time1h 10m
Serves4

anson mills grits, heirloom tomato, parmesan

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Ingredients

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Duck Meatballs

Anson Mills Grits

Heirloom Tomato Salad & Finish

Method

Duck Meatballs

  1. 1

    Soak breadcrumbs

    Place the plain breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour the 1/4 cup whole milk over them. Stir and set aside for 5 minutes until absorbed.

  2. 2

    Mix meatball ingredients

    In a large bowl combine the ground duck, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, minced shallot, minced garlic, chopped parsley, chopped thyme, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined — do not overwork or meatballs will be dense.

  3. 3

    Form meatballs

    Portion mixture into 1 1/4-ounce (about 2 tablespoon) meatballs — you should get roughly 18–20 meatballs. Roll gently to form tight spheres and place on a tray.

  4. 4

    Sear meatballs

    Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add meatballs in a single layer without crowding (work in batches). Sear until deeply browned on one side, about 2 minutes, then roll to brown other sides, overall 4–5 minutes per batch.

  5. 5

    Finish in stock

    Once all meatballs are seared, return them all to the skillet, pour 1 cup chicken or duck stock into the pan, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes until cooked through (internal temperature 160°F/71°C). Remove meatballs to a plate and keep warm. If you prefer a pan sauce, simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce slightly and spoon over meatballs.

Anson Mills Grits

  1. 6

    Boil liquids

    In a medium saucepan bring 3 cups water and 1 cup whole milk to a gentle boil with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt.

  2. 7

    Add grits and simmer

    Slowly whisk in 1 cup Anson Mills stone-ground grits. Lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until tender and creamy — about 25–30 minutes (stone-ground grits take longer than quick grits).

  3. 8

    Finish grits

    When grits are creamy and grains are tender, remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Taste and adjust seasoning with 1/4 teaspoon additional salt or pepper if desired. Keep warm until serving.

Heirloom Tomato Salad & Finish

  1. 9

    Prepare tomatoes

    Slice heirloom tomatoes into 1/4- to 1/2-inch rounds or wedges depending on size. Arrange on a small platter or bowl.

  2. 10

    Dress tomatoes

    Drizzle 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon sherry or red wine vinegar over the tomatoes. Scatter torn basil leaves, season with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp flaky salt and 1/4 tsp pepper), and gently toss or leave arranged for a composed garnish.

  3. 11

    Plate and garnish

    Spoon a generous portion of warm Anson Mills grits onto each plate (about 3/4 cup). Top with 4–6 duck meatballs per serving and spoon any pan sauce over. Arrange several slices of dressed heirloom tomato alongside the grits. Finish with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan sprinkled over the grits and meatballs and a few extra basil leaves for color.

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