Making Duck Prosciutto for Charcutepalooza

I have never attempted charcuterie before, so I was excited to attempt duck prosciutto for the first month of Charcutepalooza. I acquired a good bit of Ontario duck breast (half a one, really) from an outlet of Rowe Farms near me in Toronto; they specialize in organically raised local produce, including antibiotic-free poultry, and my particular duck came from Everspring Farms near Ilderton, Ontario.

The process is so surprisingly simple (salt for one day, hang for seven) that I found it hard to believe that the meat would undergo much change. However, the salt seems to have completely permeated the entire breast and it's dense, tender and very tasty. An aside: the dry, cool basement of my hundred-year-old house seems to be a good meat-curing zone, happily.

A few observations: I missed the suggestion about scoring the meat until it had already been hung up to dry, and, although it lost precisely the requisite 30% of its weight (from 400 to 280 g), the narrower outer portions seem a little dry, while the thick middle seems a bit moist. It's not bad, but I wonder whether anyone ever pounds a breast before drying it, to make it a more even thickness.

Also, I was pleased to use some of the juniper berries I picked at the cottage last summer. I ground them in a mortar and pestle with the white pepper (which I had to pick out of my jar of cinq poivres; I didn't have a chance to buy any). The berries add a delicious tangy, piney essence to the scent of the meat, though not much flavour, it must be said. (Maybe I might use more berries next time?)

The prosciutto was only ready yesterday, so we've done little with it except nibble. If I come up with a great recipe, I'll post it. I'm pleased to have achieved the first meat project. Onwards to February's challenge!