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Does anyone out there have experience cooking duck, either whole or in pieces?
My grocery store recently started carrying boneless skin-on duck breast. It is in vacuum sealed packs and produced by Maple Leaf Farms.
I've never had duck before and I think I'm going to give it a try. From what I've read, the fat should be rendered by scoring the skin and cooking the duck skin side down in a medium low skillet for 6-8 minutes before finishing the breasts in the oven. I know afterwards I should save the fat for later use. I have yet to cook with duck fat but there are a lot of glowing reviews. I look forward to using it later to roast potatoes.
I think the first time I cook it I will go fairly simple, probably just salt and pepper. I'd like to get a feel for what the duck tastes like. I'd imagine because of the rendered fat I don't need to add butter or oil, it seems the meat will be self basting. Will it be too bland with simple salt and pepper, or does duck have enough flavor that it would still be enjoyable this way? I know when I cook a good cut of beef I tend to keep it simple so that the steak's natural flavor can shine.
wow I have only cooked duck whole and I put an apple in the cavity to soak up the grease . I baked it because I was told that was the best way to cook it . I don't cook duck anymore cause my husband does not like duck or any game really . My uncle was a hunter and every season he would bring my mom a duck and she would cook it and my dad loved duck . I honestly have never heard of using the fat to cook anything in so don't know about that .... But I do remember using the apple .
Yes breast side down (scored!) to render the fat and brown the skin - about 7 mins. You can then flip in the skillet and cook for another 5 mins.
The meat itself is lean - so don't go much beyond medium rare or it will be dry and pointless. There's plenty of fat just under the skin which is delicious.
It goes well with sweet accompaniments like redcurrant or cranberry or lingonberry. But its rich.
The breasts are the BEST part (the only part worth eating IMO). I buy them in bags of 4, every few weeks.
Yes, score the skin but do not pierce the meat. Do a cross hatch...it's prettier. Just s&p on each side. Start with a cold pan; skin side down, low and slow is the rule to get all the fat between the skin and meat out...10 minutes. Remove most of the fat with a spoon (and yes save....not just potatoes...it's great in just about anything...true french fries in France are done in duck fat). After you put it meat side down, go another 4 or 5 minutes. Then a preheated 400 oven for about 5 minutes. Then LET IT REST on the counter for 5 minutes, skin side up. Do not slice until after it's rested.
Rather than playing with the seasoning, we stick with s&p and make interesting sauces. Often a fruit jam (cherry is best) heated with some chipotle in adobo sauce. Or apricot jam melted down with a few slices of habenero or jalapeno.
On splatter....it's an issue for me. I live in FL now (prior AZ) so I cook the duck outdoors over the side burner of our gas grill. Any splatter hits the nearby landscaping. I tried cooking it indoors with a lid, but it cooked too fast and skin wasn't as crisp.
Duck is wonderful just plain roasted, but stuffing a whole bird with apples, rice, chestnuts and cranberries, with a cinnamon stick tucked in, is to die for.
I love them duck breasts.
Did them for Xmas a few times.
We do a green tea and plum sauce, pickled ginger juice marinade (1 hr best).
(Tea actually tenderise the meat a bit.)
Preheat oven 400 degrees.
I use cast iron pan for this, pan sear n then roast in oven method.
Pan sear the breasts 5 mins to seal in juice.
Pop in oven for 8-10 mins for medrare.
(Serve duck breasts pink in center)
Bast with plum sauce to caramelize.. last few mins.
The breasts are the BEST part (the only part worth eating IMO). I buy them in bags of 4, every few weeks.
Yes, score the skin but do not pierce the meat. Do a cross hatch...it's prettier. Just s&p on each side. Start with a cold pan; skin side down, low and slow is the rule to get all the fat between the skin and meat out...10 minutes. Remove most of the fat with a spoon (and yes save....not just potatoes...it's great in just about anything...true french fries in France are done in duck fat). After you put it meat side down, go another 4 or 5 minutes. Then a preheated 400 oven for about 5 minutes. Then LET IT REST on the counter for 5 minutes, skin side up. Do not slice until after it's rested.
Rather than playing with the seasoning, we stick with s&p and make interesting sauces. Often a fruit jam (cherry is best) heated with some chipotle in adobo sauce. Or apricot jam melted down with a few slices of habenero or jalapeno.
On splatter....it's an issue for me. I live in FL now (prior AZ) so I cook the duck outdoors over the side burner of our gas grill. Any splatter hits the nearby landscaping. I tried cooking it indoors with a lid, but it cooked too fast and skin wasn't as crisp.
Whaaaa!! Not all the fat please, - that's the best part! A nice slice of medium rare with a curbstone of fat and a crispy skin top.
Just render enough to do your potatoes
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