Avlynn
Cook
I have 4 adults and 2 kids (well one of the boys eats like an adult) and one 5 lb duckling. Should i get more duck or just serve appetizers? I am also making wild rice pilaf, acorn squash and a green salad.
Not enough Duck
- Thread starter Avlynn
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Get another duck. There isn't a lot of meat on a duck.
auntdot
Head Chef
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2004
- Messages
- 2,418
I'm with Andy, we would buy another duck. Always hard to predict exactly how much to make but I would find it tough to strtch a duck to four not all that big eaters.
jerseyjay14
Senior Cook
I eat alot of duck, from my experience one 4-5 lb duck for 4 people is stretching it. let alone for 6.
usually 1 or 1.5 breasts serves one person. then maybe the leg and thigh portion combined is another 1 person serving. the meat on the legs is non exsistant. i only use the legs for stocks and soups.
2 ducks would give you about 3 breast servings and 4 Leg/thigh servings.
poached_pear
Assistant Cook
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2008
- Messages
- 16
I go on the safe side and have 1 duck/2 people. I can always find something wonderful to do with the leftovers.
Bilby
Executive Chef
Gee, we can share a duck breast between two with a salad if we have a dessert or entree to go with the main meal, otherwise one breast per person.
One duck is used in the three course Peking Duck meal for four people over here. That's the skin in pancakes, carcass in soup and the rest of the flesh (there's a bit of flesh in the first two courses but not a lot) in an stirfry or similar. That's my only experience with a whole duck.
One duck is used in the three course Peking Duck meal for four people over here. That's the skin in pancakes, carcass in soup and the rest of the flesh (there's a bit of flesh in the first two courses but not a lot) in an stirfry or similar. That's my only experience with a whole duck.
Bilby
Executive Chef
Tastes nothing like chicken. I love duck. I don't know which would be my favourite meat - duck or lamb! If I go to a restaurant and duck is on the menu, I have a hard job going past it. I've never cooked a full duck, only duck breasts and they were super simple. It has a depth of flavour that chicken and turkey just don't reach.
I hear it's sorta greasy though?
My kids probably wouldn't eat it anyway, unless I told them it was chicken. I'd hate to waste the $$ on it!
Bilby
Executive Chef
I guess it can be if you let it sit in the fat. If you score the skin right and let the fat render it shouldn't be greasy but it is rather rich. We wouldn't serve as much duck per person as we would chicken. I don't think I would be buying it for your kids just yet Suzi. The young ones are still at that age aren't they were it's all love it or loathe it? Maybe if you can get your hands on one, you and DH could treat yourselves one night and just give the kids chicken. Duck over here is rather expensive. On my side of Perth, it is hard to get. I have to drive to the posh suburbs to get it fresh or order it in advance - and then it is the whole bird. I would be eating duck for a while if I did that!! LOL
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Roasting a duck is not too different from roasting a chicken so it's not difficult at all.
Pan roasting it is also simple.
As long as you don't expect it to taste like a chicken, you will be fine. It's just about the tastiest thing you can find.
Pan roasting it is also simple.
As long as you don't expect it to taste like a chicken, you will be fine. It's just about the tastiest thing you can find.
OP
OP
Avlynn
Cook
Thank you
I decided to get another duck. Of course i went in and my butcher did not have anymore.
I ordered one for today. We switched things up and we are
having duck tonight.
I am going to poke it, rub it with oranges and stuff it with aromatics. My son loves the rendered fat (he calls it duck butter) in fried rice.
Thank you everyone for the great advice!
I decided to get another duck. Of course i went in and my butcher did not have anymore.
I ordered one for today. We switched things up and we arehaving duck tonight.
I am going to poke it, rub it with oranges and stuff it with aromatics. My son loves the rendered fat (he calls it duck butter) in fried rice.
Thank you everyone for the great advice!
BreezyCooking
Washing Up
Re: serving portions for a whole duck - I never "carve" duck. There's just too much waste, even if I do use the carcass for stock. Instead I use poultry shears & quarter it. If it's just my husband & me, we each have a quarter for one meal, then the other two for an encore a couple of days later. If I'm serving four, then those 4 quarters - with lots of sides, of course - work out just fine. More than 2 guests - even if those additional guests are children - means another duck. Leftover duck NEVER goes to waste around here - lol - so I'm never worried.
As far as cooking methods, there was recently a lengthy thread over on the "Poultry" forum (I think) on this, but my favorite for quite a long time now is to do my bird on my infamous Ron Popeil "Showtime" rotisserie (the grease-free, juicy, crisp-skinned end product is to DIE for!!), or the Julia Child "steam-roasting" method, wherein you first steam the bird in a covered roasting pan on the stovetop & then finish it for browning in the oven. Both methods are by far the very best I've found for doing whole ducks - & I've been roasting ducks for well over 30 years.
As far as cooking methods, there was recently a lengthy thread over on the "Poultry" forum (I think) on this, but my favorite for quite a long time now is to do my bird on my infamous Ron Popeil "Showtime" rotisserie (the grease-free, juicy, crisp-skinned end product is to DIE for!!), or the Julia Child "steam-roasting" method, wherein you first steam the bird in a covered roasting pan on the stovetop & then finish it for browning in the oven. Both methods are by far the very best I've found for doing whole ducks - & I've been roasting ducks for well over 30 years.
OP
OP
Avlynn
Cook
Oh steam and roast!! How do i do that?
Av
Av
Loprraine
Executive Chef
" My son loves the rendered fat "
I call it liquid gold.
I call it liquid gold.
BreezyCooking
Washing Up
Steam-roasting is easy. Keep in mind that the 1st time you do this you'll need to keep an eye on the bird since there are so many variables with both duck (& goose). Moreso than I've found with chickens & turkeys. Ducks (& geese) that are the same weight can be shorter/thicker or longer/leaner - both situations will affect cooking times. The upside to this is that because of their fat content, it's nearly impossible to seriously overcook a domestic duck or goose. I'm sure however way you choose to cook yours it will come out just fine.
STEAMED-ROASTED DUCK
(adapted from Julia Child’s The Way To Cook)
Ingredients for basic variation:
One 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 pound duck
One lemon
Small handful of fresh thyme or sage (optional
Water
Special Equipment
Deep roasting pan large enough to hold the duck. Tight-fitting lid for pan OR double-strength aluminum foil to sub for same.
Roasting rack for pan
Procedure
Remove neck & giblets, if any, from duck & reserve for stock &/or pet treats if you wish. Pull/remove all loose fat out from the cavities of the duck (save for later rendering if you wish). Prick bird lightly all over – you just want to penetrate the skin & underlying fat, not the meat. Juice lemon & rub bird inside & out with lemon juice; leave juiced lemon halves inside cavity.
Place the duck, breast-side down, on a rack in a roasting pan placed on the stovetop over two burners. Add an inch or two of water (you don’t want water touching bottom of bird) & bring to a boil. Cover pan tightly with lid or foil. Reduce heat & allow bird to steam for 30-40 minutes, checking on the water level occasionally & adding more if it’s starting to boil off.
Remove the steamed duck to a platter to cool while you preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour the liquid out of the roasting pan & discard or reserve for future use (you will have at least a cup of pure duck fat, which will rise to the surface (skim off & save the fat in the fridge or freezer for sautéing potatoes or other root vegetables; use the liquid in stocks &/or soups).
When duck has cooled a little & oven is ready, return duck to rack in roasting pan, breast side up this time, & add the fresh herbs, if using, to cavity. Place pan in oven, uncovered, & roast until duck is nicely browned & done (basically, juices run clear, interior temp without touching bone is around 175 – but some folks like their duck rarer). Depending on size of bird, approximately 30- 40 minutes more.
STEAMED-ROASTED DUCK
(adapted from Julia Child’s The Way To Cook)
Ingredients for basic variation:
One 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 pound duck
One lemon
Small handful of fresh thyme or sage (optional
Water
Special Equipment
Deep roasting pan large enough to hold the duck. Tight-fitting lid for pan OR double-strength aluminum foil to sub for same.
Roasting rack for pan
Procedure
Remove neck & giblets, if any, from duck & reserve for stock &/or pet treats if you wish. Pull/remove all loose fat out from the cavities of the duck (save for later rendering if you wish). Prick bird lightly all over – you just want to penetrate the skin & underlying fat, not the meat. Juice lemon & rub bird inside & out with lemon juice; leave juiced lemon halves inside cavity.
Place the duck, breast-side down, on a rack in a roasting pan placed on the stovetop over two burners. Add an inch or two of water (you don’t want water touching bottom of bird) & bring to a boil. Cover pan tightly with lid or foil. Reduce heat & allow bird to steam for 30-40 minutes, checking on the water level occasionally & adding more if it’s starting to boil off.
Remove the steamed duck to a platter to cool while you preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour the liquid out of the roasting pan & discard or reserve for future use (you will have at least a cup of pure duck fat, which will rise to the surface (skim off & save the fat in the fridge or freezer for sautéing potatoes or other root vegetables; use the liquid in stocks &/or soups).
When duck has cooled a little & oven is ready, return duck to rack in roasting pan, breast side up this time, & add the fresh herbs, if using, to cavity. Place pan in oven, uncovered, & roast until duck is nicely browned & done (basically, juices run clear, interior temp without touching bone is around 175 – but some folks like their duck rarer). Depending on size of bird, approximately 30- 40 minutes more.
BrazenAmateur
Senior Cook
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2007
- Messages
- 193
VeraBlue
Executive Chef
Get two more ducks.
