Northern Peruvian duck slowly braised with ají and chicha de jora until the meat becomes tender enough to pull into thick, juicy strands. Onion, garlic, and ají panca concentrate with the duck juices into a rich sauce, while fresh salsa criolla cuts through the richness at the table. A festive Lambayeque picantería dish made for slow cooking.
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Pat the duck pieces thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season them with one quarter of the salt, half of the cumin, and half of the pepper. Let them sit for just 5 minutes while the pot heats; a dry surface allows the skin to brown instead of steam.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the duck in batches, starting skin-side down, for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until the surface is deeply browned and some duck fat has rendered into the pot. Remove the pieces and leave the rendered fat and juices behind.
Remove excess rendered fat from the pot if necessary, leaving only a thin coating. Add a little over half of the red onion and cook for 6 minutes, until very soft. Stir in the ground garlic, ají panca paste, ají amarillo, remaining cumin, pepper, oregano, and nearly half of the remaining salt. Cook for 5 minutes, scraping the bottom, until the sofrito is dark, glossy, and no longer smells of raw chili.
Pour in the chicha de jora and scrape the bottom thoroughly for 1 minute. Add the water, return the duck pieces, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for 60 to 70 minutes, turning the pieces once, until the thickest part has passed 74°C and, more importantly, the meat is very tender and beginning to separate easily from the bone when pressed. If it still resists, continue cooking for a few more minutes.
Remove the duck and let it cool only enough to handle. Remove the large bones and pull the meat into thick strands and irregular pieces, keeping some of the browned skin. Meanwhile, simmer the sauce uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, until it becomes thick and glossy enough to coat the back of a spoon. Return the pulled duck and stir for 2 minutes, just until juicy and thoroughly coated; do not reduce it until dry.
Slice the remaining red onion into thin feathers and toss it with the lime juice, ají limo, chopped cilantro, and remaining salt for 30 seconds. Rest for 5 minutes; it should stay fresh, tangy, and crisp. Serve the duck piping hot with the salsa alongside so the lime cuts through the richness without cooling or watering down the braising sauce. And that's it—tender duck, dark ají, and chicha de jora doing serious northern-Peruvian work.
