Duck Fat Pancakes for Mother's Day

Pancakes fried in duck fat, soaking in blueberry syrup

Can I call it or what? Duck is in. I roasted a duck last year on a whim, and repeated the experience several more times based on all the positive response. When you make a duck you get a lot of extra fat. There are a bunch of things you can make with that duck fat, might I suggest duck fat mayo for starters. But you just can't always use up all the duck fat all every time. A quart of duck fluids, half fat, half stock, has been lurking in my freezer. A year is too long for anything to be in the freezer. I don't believe the fat would go bad, but it takes on the unmistakable flavor of freezer. Ick. I pulled out the tub of duck.

Tub of creamy duck fat, not to be ignored.

Pancakes are like my favorite. I like waffles, but pancakes are easy and fast to make. The time commitment in making pancakes is the absurd amount of time you should allow yourself to linger after eating a big plate of pancakes. Laying in bed reading, or curled up watching movies and tv is highly suggested. Duck fat pancakes (my version is inspired by this recipe from Bon Appetité), which are just normal pancakes fried in duck fat, are an extra special Sunday treat, so clear your schedule.

Let's not forget Mother's Day is this weekend? Bring your foodie mom something extra decadent. 

Duck Fat Pancakes
makes 12 large pancakes or 24 medium ones, this recipe is easy to split in half for smaller batches

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups milk
1/4 tsp vinegar or lemon juice
2 tblsp canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp sugar
4-6 tblsp duck fat

maple syrup
butter

Heat a skillet to medium heat. Heat oven to 150 degrees and place a heat proof platter or cookie sheet on the top shelf. Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Pour milk, lemon juice, eggs, oil, and sugar into a  separate bowl and whisk until eggs are just beaten. Add wet ingredients to dry. Mix until barely combine. Its okay if clumps remain. You do not want to over beat your batter. It will make tough pancakes. If you are feeling nuts about having clumps of flour you can pinch them with your clean fingers, but the more you disturb the batter the worse your pancakes will be.

Duck fat melting. You don' need to see this to 

know how to make these pancakes, but this is an extremely 

sexy moment that deserved to be captured. 

Add 1 tablespoon of duck fat to the skillet. Let melt, swirling pan to coat evenly. Add about a ladle full of batter. Let the pancake cook until edges are dry and bubbling in the center. You can peak under a corner to determine how brown the pancake is.

Pancakes essential fry in duck fat, making really good pancakes even better.

Turn pancakes and cook for about 3 more minutes until browned to your liking. Place on tray that you have been preheating in the oven. You may need to turn the heat up or down after the first pancake. Its just the way it goes with making pancakes. Continue to make pancakes until batter is used up. Continue adding duck fat after every 3-4 pancakes. Serve with maple syrup. Prepare for oncoming food coma.

Do you really want to go for the full breakfast experience and treat a crowd? I suggest serving these pancakes with rich, strong and thick coffee. I like mine black with sugar in, and never tastes so good as after a bite of pancakes. Bacon and fruit salad are great to offer on the side. Milk, grapefruit or orange juice may be worth serving depending on your crowd as well, that is if little ones are around.