Duck: The Topic

[AlaMoi]

some clarification on terminology may help.

 

as you likely know, salt water does not freeze at 32'F - "meat" has salts, etc. - "meat" does not "freeze" at 32'F

 

poultry may be kept by FDA rules at (something below 32'F, I'd have to look it up) and still be considered "not frozen" - ie "fresh"

 

now..... the fresh water inside the cavity and / or organ pack can, and does, freeze sooner, temp wise.

 

'frozen solid' is not fresh; but some chunks of ice in a "fresh" bird can-and-does happen.

[Anna N]

Obviously I can only speak for what happens here in my area of the world. A frozen duck will cost me between 12 and $14. A fresh duck of the same weight will cost closer to 21 or $22. That being said James Peterson in his book Duck makes the claim that duck is not harmed by freezing or even by refreezing if done safely. He suggests, I believe, that you can buy a frozen duck, butcher your it to your liking and then re-freeze portions that you will not be using immediately. I will attempt to find my copy of that book and quote directly from it when I find the time and opportunity (oh and the book!).

[liuzhou]

My whole ducks are definitely fresh. They are still quacking.

 

That said, I do occasionally buy frozen legs. I don't think there is much, if any loss in quality. 

[dcarch]

"Cold Duck" should never be frozen.

 

Other feathered ducks make no difference.

 

dcarch

[tim]

"Fresh or Frozen
The term fresh on a poultry label refers to any raw poultry product that has never been held below 26 °F (-3.3 C). Raw poultry held at 0 °F (-17.8 °C) or below must be labeled frozen or previously frozen. No specific labeling is required on raw poultry stored at temperatures between 0 and 25 °F (-17.8 °C and -3.9 °C).:"

[Anna N]

"Fresh or FrozenThe term fresh on a poultry label refers to any raw poultry product that has never been held below 26 °F (-3.3 C). Raw poultry held at 0 °F (-17.8 °C) or below must be labeled frozen or previously frozen. No specific labeling is required on raw poultry stored at temperatures between 0 and 25 °F (-17.8 °C and -3.9 °C).:"

In which country? I think it's important to establish as food labeling laws vary from country to country.

[liuzhou]

 

In which country? I think it's important to establish as food labeling laws vary from country to country.

 

And most countries have no relevant laws.

[huiray]

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/food-labeling/meat-and-poultry-labeling-terms/meat-and-poultry-labeling-terms

 

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/food-labeling/meat-and-poultry-labeling-terms/meat-and-poultry-labeling-terms/!ut/p/a1/jZFRb4IwEMc_DY-lx3AG90ZIFmUTZsxm5WUpehSS0pK2jrhPP9wyExed9p569_vn7v5HC8poofhHI7hrtOLy8C_G77CAcTBJIM0nwSPMsrdF_pQkEC3vB2D9D5CFN-ovvBiu6dMbGtyZeTIXtOi4q0mjKk2ZQEe4sj0aS1ml9ZZYXqHbk4pvHLE1ovstSF6ibJSgrEV-UG1Jp3fSmf2xRBya1l4HVrQ4HReCIWZZuBxN0yyEfPQXOOPnD3DZsMERIXX5fbx1rMowGlY3WKFB4-_MkK6d6-yDBx70fe8LrYVEf6NbD85Jam0dZack7dpX9vkcT6F5aVeRjb8Ay-NlYw!!/#5

 

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/487e1e26-1421-4ac1-a86c-c8e65f6ce885/Poultry_Label_Says_Fresh.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

[bonkboo]

My first one.  I've never worked with duck before.  Should I roast?  Butcher it and confit the legs?  Cook the breasts?  What about the rest?  Help!

 

Thanks

[KennethT]

Getting good all-over results with roasting a whole duck is very challenging.  If you cook it to keep the breasts rare, there will be a lot of unrendered fat by the legs, and they legs won't be as tender as you might like.  If you cook so that the legs are done nicely, then the breasts are typically overcooked.

 

I've had best success by butchering it... I cook the breasts either sous vide (if that's an option for you) or traditionally by slowly cooking skin side down in a pan (score the skin first) until most of the fat is rendered, then roast for a few more minutes until done.   The do the legs by confit... That's how I think gets the best results...

[teajay]

Also bought a duck this weekend... This time opted for curing the breasts for a duck prosciutto (Charcuterie by Ruhlman has a good recipe, so does Babbo by Batali) and doing confit with the legs (favorite is from Gramercy Tavern book). Trying sous vide confit for the first time, since it's easier for a weeknight. The carcass is being used for duck stock, but Gramercy Tavern book also has a great "Brown duck sauce" I've done before. If you don't want to cure the breasts, season with nutmeg, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf overnight then follow Kenneth's instructions above for a traditional cook. 

[Chris Hennes]

I agree with all of the above, parting it out will yield far better results than cooking it whole. It may lose some of the cool-factor of a whole duck, but the end result will taste better.

[Franci]

It it's your first duck, I'd suggest a very easy and very good recipe: This

It's not like a western style duck with a pink breast but I really like it.

[bonkboo]

teajay, how do you do the sous vide confit?  And KennethT, what time and temp for the breasts?  Thanks

[teajay]

18 minutes ago, bonkboo said:

teajay, how do you do the sous vide confit?  And KennethT, what time and temp for the breasts?  Thanks

 

Assuming you wanted the entire process, versus just the final sous vide step.... Season the legs with equal parts cinnamon and nutmeg overnight. Render the fat that was trimmed from the carcass that night as well. In the morning, cure the legs in a mixture of salt (1/2c), sugar (1/8c), couple smashed garlic cloves, few thyme & rosemary sprigs, few strips of lemon & orange zest. When I get home from work rinse and dry the legs, seal each in a separate bag with 1tbsp of the rendered fat and throw it in a 160 degree bath until the next morning. Weeknight confit! 

 

Franci - That recipe looks tasty! 

Edited January 12, 2016 by teajay
corrected sugar quantity (log)

[gfweb]

Agree with everything.

 

And render and save all the fat for other uses.

 

Like potatoes.

[kbjesq]

Rotisserie cook @350F, indirect heat if possible, for about an hour (depending on the size of the duck), remove from heat when internal temperature of the breast is 130F and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.  Be sure to use a drip pan as the duck will render a lot of fat! By cooking it on a rotisserie you are basically basting it in its own fat during the entire cooking process as well as developing an extremely crispy skin.

[ChocoMom]

I've never cooked a duck before, so I am curious about this. Would it be unheard of, (or just really bad idea(, to try deep frying it?  I envision submerging in a turkey-deep fryer, and wondering if it might come out lovely- like a turkey.  ?

[huiray]

Maybe not for your first duck, but think about this for another time:  燒鴨

 

 

[Shel_B]

3 hours ago, bonkboo said:

My first one.  I've never worked with duck before.  Should I roast?  Butcher it and confit the legs?  Cook the breasts?  What about the rest?  Help!

 

Thanks

 

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/12/24/255869249/hair-dryer-cooking-from-smores-to-crispy-duck

 

I made a version of Marcella Hazan's recipe some years back, and the results were exceptional.  Send me a PM if you'd like the recipe, or you can look on line for Marcella's. 

 

The recipe I used was modified from Hazan's 1978 More Classic Italian Cooking is simplicity itself in terms of ingredients, using only fresh herbs, salt and pepper to accent the duck's natural flavors. But it's way out there in terms of technique, achieving a remarkable, grease-free and glassy-crisp skin by a thoroughly non-traditional procedure: First the duck is simmered in boiling water for a few minutes, then prepped for roasting by blasting it all over with a standard home hair dryer.

 

Marcella's name for the dish is the simple, descriptive Italian "Anatra Arrosto" ("roast duck"), but for the past 30 years I've  lovingly nicknamed it "hair-dryer duck."

 

 

Edited January 13, 2016 by Shel_B (log)

[KennethT]

One of the many fond memories I'll always have of my father:  many years ago, we started a whole duck cooking competition, that we later termed "duck-off"...  he would make a whole duck one week, then I would do one a week or two later, then he would, etc., back and forth, refining our methods to try to make the 'perfect roast duck'....  The method I found that worked the best was similar to the Marcella Hazan method - I would prick the skin all over, then simmer for a few minutes.  Then drain, and let sit, on a rack, in the refrigerator for 2-3 days to completely dry.  Then roast...  My problem was that I still wound up with a pocket of fat by the leg.... other than that, it was great, but a lot of effort and time.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

I don't cook duck often, because it's hard to find for me and expensive when I do. There are some great suggestions here.

 

I'm certainly no expert, but I still have a hand written note in my Betty Crocker first cookbook that I made after my first attempt at roast duck in the 1970's. It says to be sure to prick the skin all over(!) with a fork like KennethT suggests above. Betty doesn't mention it, but Joy of Cooking does, and it results in a better duck to my taste.

 

I love me some duck, but the first one I tried retained way to much fat under the skin, and also kept the skin from crisping up properly.

 

I also love Shel_B's hairdryer idea from Marcella. I think I have read where Chinese specialists use fans to blow cool air on the ducks, and it seems the hairdryer would speed up the process. I would want to cook the duck promptly after raising the temp like that though.

[iguana]

I roasted my first duck last week, using this recipe for a slow-roasted duck from Fine Cooking:

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/rosemary-orange-slow-roasted-duck.aspx

 

The basic method is to salt and pepper, stuff some aromatics in the cavity (onion, rosemary, orange), and roast at a low temperature (350°F regular or 325°F convection) for three hours. The meat was very tender and the skin was nicely crisp. There is a pan sauce, but it wasn't really necessary.

 

I would make it every week if duck weren't so expensive!

[LindaK]

The last time I bought a whole duck, it was to make 3 recipes from David Lebovitz’s My Paris Kitchen: Counterfeit Confit (see here), a rustic duck terrine (see here) and the surprisingly delicious duck fat cookies:

I would recommend the counterfeit confit if you want a quick, easy and delicious version of the classic dish. Duck terrine is a god idea, but not this recipe.

[boudin noir]

16 hours ago, bonkboo said:

My first one.  I've never worked with duck before.  Should I roast?  Butcher it and confit the legs?  Cook the breasts?  What about the rest?  Help!

 

Thanks

 

I like this recipe. The legs turn out similar to confit. The breast is well cooked but not very dry. Very easy to do. A good start for a first duck. http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/slow-cooked-duck-with-green-olives-and-herbes-de-provence