Duck: The Topic

[liuzhou]

I regularly cook duck. It is the cheapest protein here.

 

I've roasted them un-jointed and never had a problem with over- or under-cooked parts, but usually I buy joints.

 

The breasts I slowly pan fry skin side down to render the fat and crisp the skin, then flip them to finish. I used to put them in the oven to finish, but they came out more well-cooked than I prefer.

 

Legs I use in many ways. Duckburgers is a favourite!

 

But I guess the particular breed of duck may have a bearing on cooking times and suggestions.

[ElainaA]

The first time I cooked a duck I used Julia Child's recipe from Julia Child & Company.  You roast the whole duck for 30 minutes,  then skin and carve it and cook the breast meat, the legs and thighs and the cracklings all separately. It was delicious but a LOT of work. I have only done it again once ( and it took about 3 years before I had the energy to do it again.) Duck is our tradition for Thanksgiving dinner (none of my immediate family is fond of turkey and there are only 3 of us). I usually buy breast fillets. 

[bonkboo]

Okay, duck was better than it looked.  I was working from a food and wine easy duck recipe.  Called for two and a half hours ar 425.  Flipping every 45 minutes.   Instead of seasoning with just salt and pepper, I added orange zest.  I also filled the cavity with orange pieces.  One of the comments suggested shorter periods of 30 minutes for turning and 400.  I did the first 25 minutes at 425.  Turned it to 375 for remainder.  3 more 20 minute turns and stuck thermometer into breast and thigh.  185!!!!!!!!!!!  Auuugggggghhhhh,. Took it out, turned up broiler.  Had a glaze of orange juice, zest and agave reduced.  5 minutes in broiler burned the glaze.  Let rest for 30 minutes or more.  (Parenting duties.). Then carved expecting the worst.  Turned out to be really good!  Moist.  Breast had a bit of pink.  Skin too burnt.  But ultimately a success.  Thanks for input.

 

i wanted to sous vide but wasn't feeling great about my butchery skills.  Next time.

[Anna N]

2 1/2 hours at 425!  Egads.  I am amazed that you were able to have something to enjoy.  

 

 Edited to add I realize you didn't actually followed that. 

Edited January 18, 2016 by Anna N (log)

[Okanagancook]

When summer rolls around I like to BBQ the duck on the rotisserie with a drip pan underneath.  Turns out great and no mess.  I just use the infared element at the back of the rotisserie.  Usually takes a couple of hours.

[TdeV]

I have separated the breast from the rest of the duck and vacuum-sealed it for sous vide tomorrow. The rest of the bird is in the oven in a Romertopf with a splash of pink wine.

 

But I left the skin behind. How do I cook this to make it crisp?

This is a stainless steel cookie sheet with the skin on it.

 

Then a second sheet stacked on top to keep the skin flat. Will this work?

 

How long? And at what temperature?

 

I didn't scrape the skin clean of fat. Should I have?

Edited December 25, 2016 by TdeV
So I could comment between pictures. (log)

[scubadoo97]

To cook and crisp skin, I like to place them between two thick cookie sheets between parchment paper.  No mess usually.  I try to scrape out as much fat from the skin as I can before crisping 

[TdeV]

This is what the skin looked liked crisp. I have to say that I don't think much of the flavour. (I didn't put any spices on it). I cooked it for 40-60 minutes starting at 400F then down to 325F (I wasn't watching). Did I cook it too long?

Edited December 27, 2016 by TdeV (log)

[gfweb]

looks like a lot of fat is left and it isn't real brown. What was the time and temp?

 

Maybe cook longer?

[TdeV]

@gfweb, this was reminiscent of the flavour of Pork Skins Chips and I don't much like their taste. Wonder if there's any way to fix that?

 

BTW, I really like nice crisp duck skin when it's on the duck. Not so much on the next day's leftovers. (Makes me eat up all the visible duck skin the night of the duck feast!)

 

Doesn't help what to do with the duck skin when it's been removed from the bird though.

Edited December 27, 2016 by TdeV (log)

[gfweb]

I'm not a fan of pork rind either.  Maybe deep fry the skin and immediately salt it as it drains?

[KennethT]

I find the duck skin best if you've cooked it low and slow for a long time to soften the collagen.  Also make sure that it's salted...  So you can either simmer in salted water (but then it likes to curl up and shrink)... another way is to season, then seal and cook SV at like 135 for 24 hours.  This will cook the collagen but it won't shrink like a shrinky-dink.  Chill, then scrap the fat with the back of a knife.  At this point, I put in a 375 oven between 2 silpats and 2 cookie sheets to keep flat... I usually do it until brown - I think about 20 minutes but I'm not sure about the timing... wasn't too long...  When finished, the skin is a little puffy and crisp - and melts in your mouth.  But it is important to season first, because it doesn't taste so good without the salt.

[kayb]

5 hours ago, gfweb said:

I'm not a fan of pork rind either.  Maybe deep fry the skin and immediately salt it as it drains?

Pork rinds are one of my favorite snacks, when I get them at one of the local barbecue establishments that prepares them onsite. One of my favorites deep-fries them so they're crisp and puffy, then sprinkles a dry barbecue seasoning rub on them. Absolutely delicious.

 

Brim's is a southern regional brand of potato and other snack chips, including pork rinds. One of my children, when she was small, would demand "orange chips," which we finally determined were Brim's pork rinds, which came in a bag with an orange design on it. (This is not unlike my friend's four-year-old son, who demands "blue pizza," or some local store's take-and-bake deli pizza that comes in a blue box.)

[TdeV]

@Kenneth, this sounds great. I'll plan on having another duck soon so I can try this!

[JoNorvelleWalker]

5 hours ago, kayb said:

Pork rinds are one of my favorite snacks, when I get them at one of the local barbecue establishments that prepares them onsite. One of my favorites deep-fries them so they're crisp and puffy, then sprinkles a dry barbecue seasoning rub on them. Absolutely delicious.

 

Brim's is a southern regional brand of potato and other snack chips, including pork rinds. One of my children, when she was small, would demand "orange chips," which we finally determined were Brim's pork rinds, which came in a bag with an orange design on it. (This is not unlike my friend's four-year-old son, who demands "blue pizza," or some local store's take-and-bake deli pizza that comes in a blue box.)

 

Or my granddaughter who when she was small demanded "yellow", by which she meant Frascati DOC.

 

[scubadoo97]

13 hours ago, TdeV said:

@Kenneth, this sounds great. I'll plan on having another duck soon so I can try this!

Me too.  I've done the oven mehod but not the pre collagen breakdown.  Looking for that better product 

[quiet1]

So the household has decided on duck for Xmas dinner, specifically roast duck l’orange. I have duck. I have oranges and other basic ingredients. I thought I’d better post here to see if anyone has any special tips or a particular favorite duck l’orange recipe. (Currently the plan is just to go with Julia, although I seem to have copies of two different recipes - one that calls for Madeira and one without.)

 

Definitely will just want to roast the whole duck, people want the presentation, and also no one is that keen on very pink duck anyway, so less risk of overcooking by that standard.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I did a duck a couple weeks ago and for the orange sauce went with Raymond Sokolov's sauce bigarade from The Saucier's Apprentice (p44).  It is based on a brown sauce which he claims is the classic method.  I enjoyed some of the leftover sauce bigarade two nights ago with half a chicken.

 

[KennethT]

I used to do duck in a cherry sauce and the sauce was based on a brown sauce. I was trying to recreate the sauce for duck they used to do at La Cote Basque (now closed). It came out very close. I think that would work well for an orange sauce as well.

[Okanagancook]

I made Bourdain’s Les Halles recipe awhile back.  Straightforward as I recall.

[David Ross]

Like a lot of recipes I've developed from scratch, my roast duck is pretty unconvential in terms of method.  I slow-roast it at 275 for about 5 hours, then at the very end turn the heat up to crisp the skin.  Turns out golden and crispy and moist.  A lot of people might be turned off by the breast meat being well-done, but the slow-roasting happens to keep the breast moist and juicy, at least that's my experience.  I usually stuff the cavity with lemons and garlic for added flavor.  I make this in late summer every year during our huckleberry season and serve the duck with a huckleberry compote.  Right now I have some huckleberry-cranberry compote I made for Thanksgiving turkey so now I'm thinking another roast duck with this compote. 

[quiet1]

2 hours ago, David Ross said:

Like a lot of recipes I've developed from scratch, my roast duck is pretty unconvential in terms of method.  I slow-roast it at 275 for about 5 hours, then at the very end turn the heat up to crisp the skin.  Turns out golden and crispy and moist.  A lot of people might be turned off by the breast meat being well-done, but the slow-roasting happens to keep the breast moist and juicy, at least that's my experience.  I usually stuff the cavity with lemons and garlic for added flavor.  I make this in late summer every year during our huckleberry season and serve the duck with a huckleberry compote.  Right now I have some huckleberry-cranberry compote I made for Thanksgiving turkey so now I'm thinking another roast duck with this compote. 

 

Slow roasting sounds right up our alley except for the horrible time I’ll have to be awake to put it in the oven so it’s ready for lunch. 

 

So for the duck l’orange version I’d put orange in the cavities (I’ve got two ducks - 5 people and one large dog who expects a taste of tasty cooking) and then make some kind of orange sauce, I’m thinking?

[David Ross]

Yes that sounds good.  You reminded me of a duck ala' orange recipe I've got stowed away somewhere in a recipe box.  It's out of a food magazine I just can't remember which one.  It's more of a tart orange sauce that relies on the sweet element from the oranges rather than a lot of added sugar, then uses Asian five-spice powder.  In any case I'm sure your duck will be delicious.

[andiesenji]

I wrote about my "Christmas" duck last year that turned out to be my  December 29 duck because it took a long time to thaw.  Can't find the thread.

My friend the "egg man" who raises fancy chickens, game birds as well as guinea fowl, ducks, geese and etc., brought me a lovely big duck that had been flash frozen.

 

That sucker was determined to stay frozen but once I did get it thawed, it was a beauty.  And the long, low roasting method produces a lot more lovely duck fat.

I started it breast down and using my handy poultry hook, turned it over half-way through the roasting time.  I had stuffed a large orange, studded with 4 or 5 cloves and a large onion, also with a few cloves, in the cavity.

This was just after turning it when I applied the orange/apricot sauce I had made from homemade apricot preserves.

Then, after another 2 1/2 hours at 275°  - - And finally 25 minutes  at 375°F.  To finish that glaze.  

 

 

 

and the duck fat

 

and I used this to turn it.  Very handy instrument.

 

Edited December 25, 2017 by andiesenji (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

8 hours ago, David Ross said:

Like a lot of recipes I've developed from scratch, my roast duck is pretty unconvential in terms of method.  I slow-roast it at 275 for about 5 hours, then at the very end turn the heat up to crisp the skin.  Turns out golden and crispy and moist.  A lot of people might be turned off by the breast meat being well-done, but the slow-roasting happens to keep the breast moist and juicy, at least that's my experience.  I usually stuff the cavity with lemons and garlic for added flavor.  I make this in late summer every year during our huckleberry season and serve the duck with a huckleberry compote.  Right now I have some huckleberry-cranberry compote I made for Thanksgiving turkey so now I'm thinking another roast duck with this compote. 

 

A thought comes to mind...what if you cooked the duck sous vide for those five hours, then crisped the skin?