Crispy Duck Skin

[dumpling]

Last night, I made a nice duck a l'orange. Only problem was the skin was not crisp. I had taken the cover off in the last hour and turned up the heat, had brined it for about 45 minutes beforehand, buttered the skin.

What can I do to get it crispy(Apart from the bicycle pump)?

[slkinsey]

What do you mean, you "took the cover off?" You cooked it in a closed "roaster?"

If this is the case, just eliminate the cover part and you'll get plenty crispness. Another way of saying "covered roaster" is "steam chamber." A few slits in the skin to help the fat escape help too.

[sabg]

when i do duck in the oven i pierce it numerous times during the cooking process. amazing how much fat they can hold and still look so svelte.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Totally agree with SLKinsey -- it is a horrible mess to clean the oven afterwards, but by never covering the duck at all, you can guarantee a very crispy bird.

[Jonathan Day]

There are a number of good recipes out there for "steamed and roasted" ducks/geese, where you start by steaming the bird, then remove it from the steamer and let it finish in dry heat. The advantage of this technique is that the steaming loosens and softens the fat, and the roasting leaves you with a skin even crisper than you would get simply by doing the whole thing in dry heat.

The River Café cookbooks have one of these recipes, and I think one of Julia Child's later books (The Way to Cook?) does as well.

From time to time I have started a roast duck by poaching it, very gently, in stock for about 15 minutes. The poached duck then goes into the oven to roast. Similar effect: you lose more fat during the roasting, and the skin comes out very crisp, with tender meat.

A third way would be to slow-cook the duck, either in dry or moist heat, at very low temperature, then crisp the skin with a blowtorch.

[schneich]

crisp skin with blowtorch sucks & doesnt work rite..

to do it RIGHT you must poach the duck for 10 mins. in

simmering water (not boiling)

THEN (very important)

you must dry it with a hairdryer until completely dry

afterwards the well oiled bird hits the oven at about 180 celsius

for 30 mins. per kilo. inbetween basting and piercing the skin

is very important!

this is the traditional chinese version (tweaked a bit :-)

if you want you can go 4 a dunkelbier/canesugar baste in the last 15 mins

with the grill ON !!! ;-)

cheers

t.

Edited October 9, 2003 by schneich (log)

[mudbug]

schneich,

Could you please post the original Chinese version step by step including all details?

Also, if you know how to make crispy pork skin from pork belly, the original Chinse way (blistered, crunchy skin and all) please, please post...!

TIA

[dumpling]

Thanks everyone for the ideas. I will probably try the poaching next time.

[schneich]

hi,

this is a fairly good recipe of the original pejing duck

forget all the rest and just look at the method itself...

oiling before putting to the oven is my little addition... gives a nicer texture...

------------) http://chinesefood.about.com/library/blrecipe208.htm

here same thing "boil the fat out"...

good lil recipe

------------) http://web.ukonline.co.uk/brucehong/crisppork.html

cheers

and post sum pics please.. (and invite us 4 dinner) yum!

t.

[Jon Tseng]

When sauteeing duck breasts a really fine cross hatch (eg 2-mm) helps a lot - allows the fat to leak out and surround the skin so it almost deep-fries

Similar also helps with whole roast duck (though not as fine - unless you have a lot of time on your hands!). Similar principle to scoring skin when doing pork crackling

Also think about temp - long, low heat roast gives more time for fat to render than short blast which will inevitably leave fatty deposits under skin. cooks illustrated even goes further and part-steams to render fat before blasting in hot oven

J

[mudbug]

Jon Tseng,

Which issue of CI would that be?

[Jon Tseng]

Its in their book, The Best Recipe

Actually it may be in the magazine as well, but haven't a clue where

If you want I can look up the details of the recipe and pm?

J

[mikeycook]

I seem to remember a while back, New York magazine did a special on French retro dishes making a comeback and there was a recipe by Terrance Brennan for Roast Duck a l'Orange. The article, as I recall, mentioned letting the duck rest for 1-3 days after an initial boiling to "dry out" and, if memory serves, the crispiness of the skin was one of the benefits.

Here is what I could find of the article, but it doesn't give a reason for letting the duck "rest".

Does anyone still have the article (Nov. 11, 2002)? Has anyone tried this recipe?

[sp1187]

Duck season is here.

Usually I just skin and fillet the breasts, grilling them to medium rare like steaks.

The legs & thighs I usually save up & do a braise with.

This year I want to try something different,so......

with the wood duck I got Saturday, I took the whole breast,skin on & boneless.

How do I get a nice crispy skin, but still have medium rare on the meat.

Thanks.

[saturnbar]

Not sure about wild duck, actually never had wild duck with the skin on. But Gregg Sonnier has a recipe for Long Island duck where you remove the skin at the end and put under the broiler. Came out great. ch

Sorry, I just can't get the hang of adding hyperlinks. ch

[Timh]

Wild ducks don't have much fat, so one option is to moderately dry the skin in your refridgerator, just set the duck in there for a few hours before cooking. If its domesticated, with a layer of fat and skin, redering the fat side by long, slow, skin side down in a pan, pouring off the fat constantly. low to medium heat. I've used a "brulee" method by brushing with honey or some such sweet flavor and either roasting or flashing under a broiler on occasion too.

[Mr Wozencroft]

You could try the old trick of dousing them in boiling water a few times. Then refresh them in ice water then dry with paper towells and dry in your fridge overnight. If you have a hairdryer with a cold blow setting, you could work on it with that for while. Then bake as normal, nice and hot, nice and quick. Hope this helps.