This is an obvious play on the southern pulled pork sandwich, which is typically made with braised pork shoulder. Duck legs are an interesting upgrade. While duck breasts are best cooked quickly and served rare, the legs need to be slow-cooked to make them tender. I believe in employing strong flavors such as fresh ginger, star anise, fennel, and cinnamon to cut through the richness of duck. The pickles and coleslaw are optional, but I can’t imagine having a pulled pork—or, in this case, pulled duck—sandwich without them. That crunchy, vinegary bit of freshness truly rounds out the sandwich.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　

Duck

10 skinless duck legs (about 5 pounds)

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 1/4 cups Bar Americain Barbecue Sauce (page 236) or store-bought barbecue sauce

　　3 cups chicken stock, homemade (page 240) or store-bought

　　1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped

　　1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

　　6 cloves

　　2 star anise

　　2 cinnamon sticks

　　1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

　　1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

　　

Coleslaw

1/2 cup mayonnaise

　　2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

　　2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

　　1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

　　1/2 teaspoon celery salt

　　1/2 head napa cabbage, finely shredded

　　1 large carrot, coarsely grated

　　1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　4 to 6 brioche buns, split and lightly toasted

　　Spicy Pickles (recipe follows; optional)

　　

SPICY PICKLES

3 cups apple cider vinegar

　　2 cloves garlic

　　1 jalapeño chile, thinly sliced

　　3 tablespoons sugar

　　2 teaspoons kosher salt

　　1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill

　　2 Kirby cucumbers, sliced 1/4 inch thick

　　(makes 1 pint)

　　

Step 1

To cook the duck, preheat the oven to 325°F.

　　

Step 2

Heat a grill pan over high heat. Season the duck legs with salt and pepper on both sides and brush with 3/4 cup of the barbecue sauce. Grill the legs until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

　　

Step 3

Put the stock in a medium roasting pan, add the remaining 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, the onion, ginger, cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds, and black peppercorns and season with salt. Arrange the duck legs in the pan, cover with foil, and braise in the oven until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

　　

Step 4

Meanwhile, make the coleslaw. Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, celery seeds, and celery salt in a large bowl. Add the cabbage, carrot, and onion, season with salt and pepper, and toss well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours before serving.

　　

Step 5

Transfer the duck to a platter and tent loosely with foil. Skim off any fat from the liquid; then strain the liquid into a bowl. Pour 2 cups of the braising liquid into a large sauté pan and boil over high heat until reduced to 1 cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Shred the duck into bite-sized pieces, add to the reduced sauce, and toss to combine.

　　

Step 6

Mound the duck onto the bottoms of the buns, top with some of the coleslaw and a few pickle slices, if desired, and cover with the tops. Serve extra pickles on the side.

　　

SPICY PICKLES

Step 7

Bring the vinegar, garlic, jalapeño, sugar, and salt to a simmer in a saucepan over high heat and cook until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the dill, and let cool to room temperature.

　　

Step 8

Place the cucumbers in a small container with a lid, pour the vinegar solution over them, and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days before serving.

　　Reprinted with permission from Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Sally Jackson, (C) 2011 Clarkson PotterBOBBY FLAY, a New York Times bestselling author, is the chef-owner of six fine dining restaurants, including Mesa Grill, Bar Americain, and Bobby Flay Steak, and an expanding roster of Bobby's Burger Palaces. He is the host of numerous popular cooking shows on Food Network, from the Emmy-winning Boy Meets Grill and Grill It! with Bobby Flay, to the Iron Chef America series, Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, and Food Network Star. Brunch @ Bobby's debuted on the Cooking Channel in fall 2010 and America's Next Great Restaurant debuted in March 2011 on NBC. This is his eleventh book. His website is BobbyFlay.com.