Pato Carnitas Recipe

Make the teriyaki-style marinade

In a bowl combine soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, grated ginger, minced garlic, and the chopped white parts of the scallions. Stir until sugar dissolves.

Pat duck legs dry with paper towel. Season both sides with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Place duck legs in a shallow dish or resealable bag and pour half of the marinade (reserve the other half for glazing). Marinate at least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Heat 2 tsp vegetable oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear duck legs skin-side down until the skin is deep golden and fat renders, 6–8 minutes. Turn and sear the other side 2 minutes.

Pour the remaining marinade into the skillet, then transfer the skillet to the oven. Braise the duck until very tender and the meat pulls away from the bone easily, 1.5–2 hours.

Remove duck from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Using two forks, shred the duck meat into bite-sized 'carnitas' pieces, discarding large bones and excess fat but reserving a little rendered fat for crisping if desired.

While duck cooks, make the hoisin sauce. In a small bowl whisk together hoisin sauce, minced (seeded) habanero, ground cumin, rice vinegar, honey, and 2 tbs water. Taste and add more water to reach a thick but pourable consistency.

If you prefer milder heat, use only 1/4 habanero or omit seeds. Reserve for glazing and drizzling at assembly.

Combine diced pineapple, minced jalapeño, finely diced red onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl. Stir and let rest 10–15 minutes to meld flavors. Adjust salt and lime to taste.

Prepare cucumber batons, thinly slice remaining scallions on the bias, and seed pomegranate if not already done. Keep cilantro leaves and lime wedges ready.

If you want slightly crispy carnitas, heat 1 tbsp neutral oil or reserved duck fat in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add shredded duck in a single layer and let sit without moving for 2–3 minutes until edges brown. Toss and let more pieces crisp for another 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Warm tortillas or buns. If using tortillas, lightly brush with oil and warm in a skillet 20–30 seconds per side; keep covered.

To assemble, place a portion (about 1/4 of the shredded duck) on each tortilla or bun. Spoon a little habanero-cumin hoisin over the duck, add a spoonful of jalapeño-pineapple salsa, a few cucumber batons, sliced spring onion, and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds and cilantro leaves.

Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing. Offer extra hoisin and salsa for guests to add more heat or sweetness.