Duck Hash with Poached Eggs and Pickled Red Onions

On a trip to Oregon a few years ago I fell in love with duckas well as developing a real crush on potatoes cooked in duck fat.

Duck fat potatoes are only half the story here. Every time I visit Oregon, I'm so excited to see duck on almost every menu. If I wanted, I could eat duck something for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

While in Oregon, I ate duck hash, duck steamed buns, duck phở, duck tacos, and duck confit. My favorite was always a glass of Oregon Pinot or a flight of whiskey and an order of duck egg rolls from Veritable Quandary in Portland. VQ has always been a must whenever I've gotten around to itbut I sadly learned that this amazing Portland historic site closed in September of 2016.

UPDATE: As I rewrite this post I just discovered it VQ was reborn with a new name: Q inside 2017. I was just out there and completely missed this fact. Okay, I'll be back Willamette.

Duck hash with poached eggs, pickled onions and duck fat potatoes.

There is no doubt that this is a gourmet brunch recipe.

Can you see yourself ordering this and some mimosas? I thought so.

If you're looking at this recipe thinking I can't roast a duck? Let me reassure you. It's easy! You literally put the duck in the oven at a very low temperature and let it cook for a long time.

You will end up with a generous amount of what I believe is the Holy Grail of fats, duck fat (affiliate link)and surprisingly, the deliciously tender duck meat and that magical crispy skin. Let me just say that it is absolutely worth taking the time to prepare this perfect roast duck. Don't worry; I will guide you step by step.

Crispy duck fat potatoes topped with a perfectly poached egg and some pickled onions = HEAVEN.

Your first question might be: where can you find a duck in the first place?

If you're like me, you know people who hunt ducks. Oddly enough, most duck hunters I know don't even like to eat duck. It seems like such a waste of goodness. Give me the whole duck.

Your second choice for finding a duck, if your local store doesn't sell them, is an Asain market: Many Asian markets sell ducks in the meat sections.

Now, I'm the kind of white girl who has no problem walking through an ethnic market and looking for atypical ingredients for whatever I want to try to cook. I'm not shy!

Over the years, I've received a few curious looks when I walk into the local Hispanic market and ask for pork fat to make tamales. Not the packaged one but the one they use to fry chicharrones. Yes, take me That from behind. That's where there's some serious flavor.

They look at me like this white girl get cute a tamale. But let me assure you that I can make tamales with the best. Just like I can make truly authentic lumpia, bacon and chicken adobo.

Don't underestimate this white girl when it comes to ethnic cuisine.

From kale to banana pudding to fried rice to Spam, I can hang with the best of them. I have a sincere appreciation for the history of food and have a passion for understanding how to achieve authentic flavors in my recipes. I study it as one might study sports statistics or military history. The facts of food history fascinate me. I guess this is why I'm the foodology geek.

If you're not lucky enough to have an Asian market in your area, you can still have fresh, quality duck delivered right to your door in a container of dry ice. I have ordered duck to keep in the freezer many times. For a truly top-notch whole duck I recommend D'Artagnan. (affiliate link) D'Artagnan is a supplier of quality meat and they have truffles. If you've never actually tried truffles, here's your chance. Truffle mac, anyone?

Do you have a great source of local meat in your area? I'd love to hear it! Leave me a comment below or send me an email. I always try to connect with people with excellent food resources.

I know that in many areas of the United States it is difficult to even find consistently fresh fruits and vegetables, let alone sustainably quality meat.

I created this duck hash recipe in an attempt to relive some of the romantic Oregon trips my husband and I have taken—I ended up making it for him on Valentine's Day this year.

Salted and crispy potatoes with duck fat are a wonderful thing in themselves, but serve them with rich roast duck and soft poached eggs, and you've got a magical and truly impressive brunch.

Roasting the duck is the most time-consuming part of this recipe, but it's so worth it. It's very practical. You will end up with a good amount of leftover duck fat (affiliate link) which you can use for french fries and other potatoes for months. I usually keep it in the fridge and then use it for breakfast potatoes whenever I'm craving something crunchy and savory.

If you don't want to worry about rendering your own duck fat, you can purchase it here (affiliate link).

If you're not sure how to poach eggs, check this out educational video by one of my all-time idol chefs, Jamie Oliver.