Teal Skewers with Teriyaki Glaze

Teal are small ducks, and the breast meat on a green-wing or blue-wing isn't much bigger than a couple of bites. That makes them perfect for skewers — cube the meat, thread it on a stick with peppers and onions, and grill it fast over high heat with a teriyaki glaze. The small pieces cook in minutes and stay juicy, and the sweet-salty glaze caramelizes into a sticky coating that makes these disappear off the plate.

Ingredients

• 12-16 teal breast halves (about 1.5 lbs), cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
• 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch squares and separated into layers
• Wooden or metal skewers (soak wooden ones for 30 minutes)

For the teriyaki glaze: - 1/3 cup soy sauce - 2 tbsp honey - 1 tbsp brown sugar - 1 tbsp rice vinegar - 1 tsp sesame oil - 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water - 1 clove garlic, minced - 1/2 tsp ground ginger - Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

• Make the glaze: combine the soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 1 minute until thickened. Set aside.
• Thread the teal cubes, peppers, and onions onto skewers, alternating between meat and vegetables.
• Preheat the grill to high heat (450 to 500 degrees).
• Brush the skewers with a light coating of the teriyaki glaze.
• Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, brushing with more glaze each time you turn. Total cook time is about 6 to 8 minutes. The teal should be medium to medium-rare inside.
• Remove from the grill, brush with a final coat of glaze, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Tips

Don't overcook teal. The pieces are small and cook fast. Medium-rare to medium is the target — pull them when the outside is glazed and caramelized but the center is still pink.

Cut everything the same size. Uniform pieces cook at the same rate, so the vegetables are tender and the meat is done at the same time.

These work great as appetizers. Thread 2 to 3 pieces of meat per skewer for single-serving appetizers at a tailgate or cookout.