Cooking with Duck Fat: The Topic

[Ron Johnson]

Saute potatoes and golden chanterelles separately in duck fat. Combine in shallow dish, season with salt and pepper, top with shredded raclette. Place under salamander or broiler until raclette is melted and toasty. Pour Alsatian riesling. Enjoy!

[Jon Tseng]

On a slightly random note I was messing around one day and had a teaspoon coated in caster sugar (probably was still a bit damp when I used to to spoon out some sugar). It had slipped into some duck fat I was using for confit (so slightly salty from the salted duck). Came out, coated in fat. Tasted it - warm duck fat, sugar, hint of salt. IT WAS LUSH (sic).

Need to find some way I can use this

J

[funcook]

Is it possible to buy Duck Fat.

Fun

[torakris]

Is it possible to buy Duck Fat.

Fun

I bougth goose fat in a jar just a little while ago.

[Matt Seeber]

Is it possible to buy Duck Fat.

better idea - buy a duck.

trim the carcass of all the fat, grind and render. from one duck you'll have enough fat for a months supply of roasted potatoes

[col klink]

Here in Seattle I have a grocery store (possibly the best ever) that sells frozen un-rendered duck fat for a little more than a dollar a pound. I don't even have to dice it up, just throw it in the skillet with the bacon press on med-low and in a hour or so I'm in heaven.

[SFJoe]

D'Artagnan has duck fat for sale.

Personally, I find the stuff that collects in a roasting pan to have too many burned bits in it to keep around for long. If you steam/roast a duck or goose, you get great clear fat that keeps very well.

[elyse]

Rip van Seeber's back!

[mmchef]

Rendered duck fat is not only subjected to this potato thing that so many people associate. It is a great flavor enhancer to many vegetable saute dishes as well as combinig it with butter for saute fish. It is also good when you make an infusion from the fat that it can be incorporated into a savory dressing or vinegrette, where chicken stock is used. If you have foie fat, you can make a port reduction add it to your foie fat in a bowl and whip it over ice to make a mayo like effect as another idea.

[funcook]

Is it possible to buy Duck Fat.

better idea - buy a duck.

trim the carcass of all the fat, grind and render. from one duck you'll have enough fat for a months supply of roasted potatoes

Last night I had friends over. One of the menu items I had chosen was Duck. I had the whole duck and collected enough fat for a months supply as have mentioned earlier. I used the duck fat in two ways. I had roasted thyme tomatoes done pan seared from Beef Steak tomatoes and I burnt generous portion of garlic and sauteed some spinach. Turned out very good.

Fun

[essvee]

It is a brilliant medium for pan-searing white fish: monkfish, sea scallops, and the like. Unbelievable golden color and smoky, meaty undertones.

Recently, I made Franey's duck stew, and used some of the fat I rendered to finish mashed potatoes I had already added butter and cream to. They carried the flavor of the duck fat in an incredibly savory manner, without being too heavy/greasy.

A friend made pommes Anna with them once at his restaurant: I didn't like it so well, but that may be because pommes Anna are the perfect marriage of potatoes and butter. Imagine, a potato dish made with so much butter you must actually pour some off! Swoon...

[kpurvis]

Warm it, and you can use it in a vinaigrette, too.  Yum.

Oh my. Thank you. Just the thought of that will keep me going all day -- since I have at least two cups of fat in the refrigerator lfrom last night's duck braised in the slow cooker.

And Suzanne, I'll throw another back to you: Duck cracklings with cocktails. Mmmmmmm.

Edited April 1, 2003 by kpurvis (log)

[Suzanne F]

You are most welcome. I blush to admit that the cracklings never last long enough to make it outside the kitchen, if you know what I mean.

Sincerely, Tubby Suzanne

[kpurvis]

Didn't Julia say something along the lines of, "Only the cook need know what goes on in the kitchen"?

[Xanthippe]

You are most welcome.  I blush to admit that the cracklings never last long enough to make it outside the kitchen, if you know what I mean.

Sincerely, Tubby Suzanne 

We're simpatico on those cracklings, Suzanne!

If I manage to stop myself from consuming it all, however, it makes for a killer cracklin' bread . . .

[Nick]

Duck fat. I love duck fat. My favorite is the fat that sticks to the skin after roasting. I saved all the rendered fat from the last duck I roasted thinking I'd just use it for a gravy base for other poultry (with less fat) later on - or just make a gravy to put over pilaf.

But now with this thread, I see the possibilties are many.

[PaulaDR]

One of the favorite sayings of my class in cooking school was "duck fat... its better than butter" !!!!

in NY's Blue Ribbon... i live for the crusty sourdough bread smothered in duck fat and then adding to that the marrow of roasted ox tail bones - there are no words to describe this dish!

[mrsadm]

I have a lot left over from the Christmas duck dinner. What are the possible uses for it?

Can it be frozen?

[Wolfert]

My experience with duck fat is the following: If it is very clear you can strain it and save it for cooking or making confit; if it is brown, I dump it...

[hannnah]

It can be frozen, and it's definitely worth saving if it's not too gunky. We roasted two ducks back in October and saved the fat, and our roast potatoes with Christmas dinner were much better for it!

There are other things to do with it besides roasties - plenty of discussion of confit as well.

edit: typo

Edited December 27, 2003 by hannnah (log)

[Suzanne F]

Do you mean already rendered? As long as it is well-strained, with no particles in it, you can keep it in a tightly-closed jar in the fridge for a long time (that's what I do). Then you have it handy to use -- it is soft enough to easily scoop out what you need.

If you mean globs of raw fat, yes, freeze it. Very well-wrapped, since it can pick of off-odors and -tastes. When you have a critical mass, render it, strain it, and cook with it. YUM!!!!!

[hwilson41]

Almost anything that you like browned in a rich tasting fat (like bacon drippings) will also be good browned in duck fat. When I make a "duck" version of jambalaya (with duck breast, andouille and shrimp), I brown the andouille in duck fat instead of bacon drippings. It is yummy. I'm hoping Mayhaw Man will sign in on this thread, because the Cajuns do tons of good things with duck fat.

THW

Edited to upgrade spelling to 10-year-old level.

Edited December 27, 2003 by hwilson41 (log)

[mrsadm]

Thanks every one.

How exactly does one render fat? I have tried looking this up and cannot find instructions. I'm basically not sure what it means.

[hwilson41]

How exactly does one render fat?  I have tried looking this up and cannot find instructions.  I'm basically not sure what it means.

It couldn't be easier. Rendering is basically the process of melting the fat. Put a little olive oil (or some other kind) in a skillet, add the fat and skin, if any, and fry over low heat until the fat is liquified. Voila, you have rendered fat. Pour it into some container, and refrigerate or freeze, depending on how long it will be before you use it.

The little bits of fat and skin that don't melt will be crusty and crunchy, and under no circucmstances should you ever, ever eat those. Instead, you should PM me and I'll give you my address so you can mail them to me . Just kidding, of course. They're delicious by themselves, or served as "crunchies" on a salad like you'd do with bacon bits, or whatever. If you were rendering lard at hog killing time (like my Mom used to talk about), they'd be called "cracklins". Not sure whether that terminology applies to duck "cracklins" or not, but close enough.

THW

[fifi]

I posted my method for rendering lard here. I don't see why it wouldn't work with duck fat.