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64 NEBRASKAland • DECEMBER 2015 T his recipe is not new. Many hunters serve their duck, geese and dove breasts this way, but I did make a couple tweaks. First, I marinated and seasoned the breasts before filling them with cream cheese, jalapeno and wrapping them in bacon. Second, I basted the bacon with a wet mixture of brown sugar and warm spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, before taking the poppers off the grill. This gives them a sweetness that pairs well with the bacon's saltiness – I like to call these poppers "meat candy." Duck breasts can be cut up into smaller pieces and then butterflied to fill. Goose breasts are much larger and thick, and at times, they do tend to be less tender than ducks, especially breasts from a big Canada goose. I would cut up those breasts into smaller pieces, place them between two sheets of plastic wrap and lightly flatten with a mallet. Not only will this help to tenderize the meat, it will also make the pieces easier for you to fill and wrap in bacon. I served these poppers at the Missouri River Expo at Ponca State Park in September, and they were a big hit. They were gone as quickly as I put them out. When making these, resist the temptation to snack at the grill, or there will be none left for your dinner guests! Servings: 2 appetizers (10 poppers) Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes Ingredients: • 2 duck breasts or equivalent goose, cut into 10 pieces • 5 slices of bacon, cut into halves • Cream cheese • 1 jalapeno, cored/seeded and julienned (matchsticks) • 10 toothpicks Marinade: • 2 tablespoons of olive oil • 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar • 1 garlic clove, minced • ½ teaspoon of dried, crushed rosemary • Freshly ground pepper, to taste Brown Sugar Glaze: • 3 tablespoons of brown sugar • ½ teaspoon of nutmeg • ½ teaspoon of cinnamon • 1½ tablespoons of water 1. Butterfly duck/goose. Lay the butterflied pieces between two pieces of plastic wrap, and then lightly pound with a mallet to flatten meat. This will make the meat easier to work with. 2. In a medium size bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, rosemary and freshly ground pepper. Add meat, mix well and marinate for at least 20 minutes. To make the glaze, combine brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and water. Mix well and set aside. 3. Remove the duck from the marinade and fill with cream cheese and jalapeno matchsticks. Then roll everything together with half a slice of bacon. Spear a toothpick through the poppers to keep everything intact for grilling. 4. Grill (or broil) the poppers until the bacon is cooked on all sides. When they're just about done, baste with the brown sugar glaze. Remove toothpicks and serve. This recipe and photograph originally appeared on Jenny's Food for Hunters blog at Foodforhunters.com. By Jenny Nguyen Bacon-Jalapeno Waterfowl Poppers An updated version of a go-to recipe.