Mature Duck - "For Stewing"

[tim]

Hi,

One of my local markets, the one with pig snouts and no arugula, carries Mature Duck, "for stewing" at $1.99 per pound. (Interesting because a mature chicken costs more than a fryer.) The USDA says a mature duck is over 6 months old with hardened bill and toughened flesh.

I decided to make some confit, using both the leg/thighs and breast. It took almost 4 hours to finish but the flavor is incomparable and the texture is excellent. The skin from the confit was also wonderful after some roasting.

The skin from the back did not get at all tender when roasted. I am making stock with the carcass.

Sadly my grocer is out of the mature duck and I will have to wait for a new supply.

Tim

[PopsicleToze]

Please tell us you took pictures...

It sounds wonderful. Sadly, I've abuot given up on confit, and I haven't seen mature duck around here. However, the last time I was at Hong Kong Market I found a package of duck tongues.

Rhonda

[ilikefood]

Glad to hear a mature duck makes good confit! I just found out tonight I will get four drakes from my uncle who doesn't want to feed them. I was thinking of doing confit for the legs/thigh and if the breasts look thick enough might do prosciutto.

[Peter the eater]

Makes sense to me.

The ducks I buy fresh from my nearby farm have never experienced winter, but the duck eggs come from more senior birds who've endured at least one winter. Same goes for the chickens. I'd not considered what happens to the stewing hens of the duck world -- confit must be the way to go. Or sous vide.