Skip to Content

Shredded Duck Burgers with Balsamic Cherry Salsa

Shredded duck burgers packed with slowly cooked shredded leg meat & cherries, then topped with a quick balsamic cherry salsa.

Duck with cherries is such a classic combination and combining them in the delicious sandwich is borderline genius!

Shredded duck burgers topped with cherry salsa.

Beef Ain’t The Only Burger Game In Town!

I love a good burger and I am a little bit obsessed with going beyond beef and these duck burgers are a great example of that.

They join offerings as diverse as an Indian inspired lamb burger to Venison burgers and vegetarian halloumi burgers to loosely Thai influenced fish burgers.

Cherry with fruit is just divine, my Thai duck curry features pineapple and of course duck with an orange sauce will live on forever!

Here we use sweet cherries which are the perfect complement to rich dark duck meat.

It is particularly good when you add just a bit of balsamic to cut through the sweetness.

The patty for this burger features slowly roasted duck legs that are shredded or pulled, and give this sandwich a wonderful texture.

Shredded duck burgers topped with cherry salsa on a burger bun.

Frequently Asked Questions.

Can the burgers be made in advance?

Yes, in fact, they are better made in advance! I usually make them a day or two before I plan to eat them.

Will these burgers freeze well?

Yes, I usually make 6 or 8 burgers and form them and freeze them. They will last well in the freezer for up to 3 months.

I usually sandwich together two patties between baking parchment and freeze in pairs. This is because I typically cook for two, but you can freeze up in numbers that suit you.

How long will the cherry salsa last?

The cherry salsa is at its best after around an hour and will continue to be great for a couple of hours. After that, it starts to go downhill quite quickly.

Close up of cherry salsa sat on a shredded duck burgers.

Serving Suggestions

A burger begs for a potato side if you ask me and these duck burgers are no different.

I usually opt for air fryer potato wedges, that’s because they are simple, relatively quick, and really versatile.

But they work out just as well with my crispy fried new potatoes, or even these sweet potato fries to keep the slightly sweet vibe going.

But a simple green side salad would work wonderfully as would this great-looking no mayonnaise coleslaw.

Shredded duck burgers topped with cherry salsa on a burger bun.

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Oven.
  • Stovetop.
  • Roasting tin.
  • Frying pan, use one large enough to fry the burgers.
  • Cherry pitter.
  • Kicthen knife.
  • Chopping board.
  • Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
Close up shredded duck burgers topped with cherry salsa on a burger bun.
Yield: 2 Burgers

Shredded Duck Burgers Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Resting Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes

There are some combinations that just work in the world of food and duck with cherries is one of them and these burgers rock that combination perfectly.

Ingredients

  • 3 Duck Legs
  • 125g (~½ Cup) Cherries
  • 2 Blades of Mace
  • 1 Star Anise
  • ½ Tsp Salt
  • ½ Tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 Egg
  • 25g (~¼ Cup) Dried Bread Crumbs
  • 2 Burger Buns
  • Oil for frying

For The Cherry Salsa:

  • 50g (⅓ Cup) Red Onion
  • 125g (~½ Cup) Cherries
  • 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • ½ Tsp Lemon Juice
  • Pinch of Salt
  • Handful of Parsley

Instructions

  1. Season the duck legs with salt and pepper all over.
  2. Place the duck in the pan, skin side up and throw in the cherries, mace and star anise.
  3. Place the pan in the oven to slowly roast for two hours at 150°C or 300°F.
  4. After 2 hours remove the duck from the pan and the now confit cherries leaving the fat in the pan (this is great to save for use later).
  5. When the duck legs have cooled enough to comfortably handle remove the skin and finely shred them with two forks and place them in a bowl.
  6. Add the confit cherries, the egg and breadcrumbs to the shredded duck and form into two patties. Do not press too hard here, you do not want a hockey puck, gently form them into rounds.
  7. Allow to cool in the refrigerator for an hour or so, this will help the duck fat solidify.
  8. Cut the red onion into a 2-3mm (⅛") dice and place them in a bowl.
  9. Pit the cherries and cut them in half and add them to the red onions.
  10. Mix in the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice pinch of salt and parsley and place in the fridge to get the flavours going.
  11. Heat a scant coating of oil in the base of a pan and when it is hot fry the burgers.
  12. The meat is cooked so all we need to do here is get a nice colour and heat through the duck meat, so a couple of minutes each side is fine.
  13. Toast the buns whilst the burgers are frying and build your burger.

    Notes

    Inspired by a recipe from my friend Betty at Slow the Cook Down

    Nutrition Information:

    Yield:

    2

    Serving Size:

    1

    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 630Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 250mgSodium: 1108mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 6gSugar: 23gProtein: 49g

    Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

    Did you make this recipe?

    If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

    Lisa | Garlic & Zest

    Friday 30th of June 2017

    Duck and cherries are a classic pairing, but I've never seen them in this rendition before! Genius. This burger is epic. Not So jealous that you have cherry trees in your yard!

    Brian Jones

    Monday 3rd of July 2017

    It is a little out there, but really good for it :)

    Betty Davies | Slow The Cook Down

    Friday 30th of June 2017

    Hi Brian, thank you for the mention in this recipe - super pleased that you found some inspo from my recipe!! I will definitely give this version a go, I love the combo of duck and cherry!

    Brian Jones

    Monday 3rd of July 2017

    You are welcome Betty, happy to share where ideas com from when I remember them, yours was very memorable :D

    Kavey Favelle

    Friday 30th of June 2017

    Oh my gosh, yes please.Loving the way you've taken the classic duck and cherry combination and made it into a fabulous burger and salsa!

    Brian Jones

    Monday 3rd of July 2017

    Thanks Kavey :)

    Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry

    Friday 30th of June 2017

    i've never thought of using duck in a burger, but your shredded duck burger looks tasty and the cherry salsa amazing

    Brian Jones

    Monday 3rd of July 2017

    Thank you :)

    Renee

    Friday 30th of June 2017

    Duck and cherries are amazing together, I totally forgot about that combo. I love the sound of this recipe!

    Brian Jones

    Monday 3rd of July 2017

    Thanks Renee, one of my favourite flavour combinations.

    Skip to Recipe