What to do with duck fat?

[vitauta]

oh bolas! it's almost criminal to post pictures like that online! i can practically taste the crisp, salty duck skin between my teeth! give me just five minutes with that bird, bolas. you've got me thinking thanksgiving>>>a plump golden brown duckling as a centerpiece for my table, surrounded by garlicky duckfat roasted potatoes....

 

[Claire]

Oh, my favorite duck story? We were camping in Lafayette, Louisiana. There is no way in heck I'd roast a duck in an RV. Smoke! SMOKE! So we put it out on the Weber. We were at lake-side. A dozen ducks surrounded us and watched us. My husband, another couple who were visiting, and I looked around and thought it was a weird moment. It was very strange. It just seemed more than a little odd to have a flock of ducks watching us cook a duck. (p.s., it was delicious).

 

[Claire]

And no, they didn't attack us and try to rescue the duck.

 

[vitauta]

Oh, my favorite duck story? We were camping in Lafayette, Louisiana. There is no way in heck I'd roast a duck in an RV. Smoke! SMOKE! So we put it out on the Weber. We were at lake-side. A dozen ducks surrounded us and watched us. My husband, another couple who were visiting, and I looked around and thought it was a weird moment. It was very strange. It just seemed more than a little odd to have a flock of ducks watching us cook a duck. (p.s., it was delicious).

wow, claire....i'm glad that unsettling impromptu funeral gathering of the ducks didn't put you off your "feed'. what a bizarre scene that must have been for you all! i'll not soon forget this duck story. thanks for sharing it!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Oh, my favorite duck story? We were camping in Lafayette, Louisiana. There is no way in heck I'd roast a duck in an RV. Smoke! SMOKE! So we put it out on the Weber. We were at lake-side. A dozen ducks surrounded us and watched us. My husband, another couple who were visiting, and I looked around and thought it was a weird moment. It was very strange. It just seemed more than a little odd to have a flock of ducks watching us cook a duck. (p.s., it was delicious).

Twelve more meals lined up...

 

[qmax]

What can't you do with duck fat?

 

[vitauta]

Oh, my favorite duck story? We were camping in Lafayette, Louisiana. There is no way in heck I'd roast a duck in an RV. Smoke! SMOKE! So we put it out on the Weber. We were at lake-side. A dozen ducks surrounded us and watched us. My husband, another couple who were visiting, and I looked around and thought it was a weird moment. It was very strange. It just seemed more than a little odd to have a flock of ducks watching us cook a duck. (p.s., it was delicious).

those ducks that came to watch - do you think they KNEW? were they looking at you accusingly? how long did they stay and observe? the whole scene is so very strange....

 

[vitauta]

What can't you do with duck fat?

i know. it's like organic duct tape....

 

[PrincessFiona60]

What can't you do with duck fat?

It doesn't make good brake pads.

 

[qmax]

It doesn't make good brake pads.

Maybe so, but I would consider drizzling it on cookies.

 

[tinlizzie]

It doesn't make good brake pads.

There's a matted place in the carpet beside my computer chair, where I fall off and roll around. And it's all your fault.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

There's a matted place in the carpet beside my computer chair, where I fall off and roll around. And it's all your fault.

Perfect, my work is done, back to bed.

 

[tinlizzie]

Now - on to business. OK, duck fat people (should that be hyphenated?) - you know who you are - I've never roasted a duck. Lucky Claire can get ducks aplenty "on the hoof." I think my only access are those little oblong bricks in the freezer section next to the kosher turkeys. If a person were rash enough to buy one of these, questions: are these frozen ducks a good buy? Are they to be stuffed like roasting chickens? Are they to be cut up? I've seen food channel chefs carve off the breast and pretty much ignore the rest of the bird. Will one duck serve more than one person? Is the legendary duck fat just what drains off the roasted bird?

Hints, recipes, etc. welcome. TIA. (I couldn't find a duck head among the Smilies)

 

[FrankZ]

This is a good page for getting started on roasting ducks. And yes, the frozen ones are fine.

The Best Way to Roast a Duck (Hello, Crispy Skin!) | The Hungry Mouse

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Just be forewarned. I made Piking Duck from scratch, once, just to say I did it. Was it good? Yes it was. Was it worth the effort to make it? Only because I had the need to make it. If you want Peking Duck, find a restaurant that makes it. It is a lot of work, and very time intensive. But... if you want to truly impress someone...

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[tinlizzie]

This is a good page for getting started on roasting ducks. And yes, the frozen ones are fine.

The Best Way to Roast a Duck (Hello, Crispy Skin!) | The Hungry Mouse

Ah. Roast Duck for Dummies. I love it! What a great tutorial that is. Thank you very much, FrankZ, and I appreciate the Peking warning, Goodweed. A-shopping I will go, a-shopping I will go, Heigh ho, the duckie-o......

 

[vitauta]

Ah. Roast Duck for Dummies. I love it! What a great tutorial that is. Thank you very much, FrankZ, and I appreciate the Peking warning, Goodweed. A-shopping I will go, a-shopping I will go, Heigh ho, the duckie-o......

hi tin! i'll tell you what i know about roasting a duck. surprise, its not all that much. my credentials as a foodie come more from appreciating good food than preparing it.the best frozen ducklings i've had come from long island. living in virginia, my ducks are now raised in south carolina. never had a bad experience with a frozen duck. not an appreciable difference in buying a fresh one from what i could tell. frank z.'s duck site is excellent!! that jessie is a girl after my own heart when it comes to ducks and duck fat. i have never done the scoring or flipping the bird from side to side, but probably all sound advice. the orange packets that come with the bird get tossed in my house, but jessie's sauce recipe looks good. i usually stuff my bird with an apple and onion, but it's pretty tight quarters in there with little room. i make stuffing on the side. your duckling should serve four to six people, but don't expect much in the way of leftovers. my last two ducks rendered little fat--about 1/3 i had come to expect. then, soon after, i learned that much of the (coveted) fat has been bred out of the duck in recent years! fools!!! to me, the duck fat is almost as important as the duck's crispy brown skin and its moist dark muscled meat. it's really hard to go too far wrong cooking a duck. i've never messed one up yet! good luck with your bird. my guess is it won't be your last....

 

[tinlizzie]

hi tin! i'll tell you what i know about roasting a duck. surprise, its not all that much. my credentials as a foodie come more from appreciating good food than preparing it.the best frozen ducklings i've had come from long island. living in virginia, my ducks are now raised in south carolina. never had a bad experience with a frozen duck. not an appreciable difference in buying a fresh one from what i could tell. frank z.'s duck site is excellent!! that jessie is a girl after my own heart when it comes to ducks and duck fat. i have never done the scoring or flipping the bird from side to side, but probably all sound advice. the orange packets that come with the bird get tossed in my house, but jessie's sauce recipe looks good. i usually stuff my bird with an apple and onion, but it's pretty tight quarters in there with little room. i make stuffing on the side. your duckling should serve four to six people, but don't expect much in the way of leftovers. my last two ducks rendered little fat--about 1/3 i had come to expect. then, soon after, i learned that much of the (coveted) fat has been bred out of the duck in recent years! fools!!! to me, the duck fat is almost as important as the duck's crispy brown skin and its moist dark muscled meat. it's really hard to go too far wrong cooking a duck. i've never messed one up yet! good luck with your bird. my guess is it won't be your last....

Merci and Whoa! So I'm to hope not for a thin, healthy duck, but a nice plump one. OK.

How fortunate that I had not already bought ribs for the coming holiday weekend. A new tradition may very well be born -- The Labor Day Duck. Can't wait!

Does this thread have any connection to the "I Rest My Case" Gillian/Nigella fit vs. fat thread or is it just a coincidence////?

 

[FrankZ]

The day after I roast the duck is for duck soup.

I don't make any glaze for the duck but I am sure they would be good that way too.

If you trim back any loose skin (and it helps) you can render the fat from that. When doing so stop before you think the water is all gone, I ruined a batch cause I wanted to let it go just a little longer.

 

[vitauta]

just a few more stray thoughts for your duckling adventure. be sure to roast some potatoes alongside your duck in the oven, even if you have other potato plans for your meal. you'll be glad you did. they'll sponge up all that ducky goodness. yukons, please. your packet of innards is a hit or miss affair. sauteing the liver(if you get it) and smearing it on bread is what i do with it too, something to snack while hungrily waiting for the ducky...adding some chicken giblets to the duck's works well if you liked a giblet stuffing. i love my sauerkraut bavarian style, with a generous ladle of duck fat, some caraway and brown sugar. duckling and sauerkraut go together like peaches and cream. (just a reminder) your rendered fat will keep, like bacon grease, indefinitely in your fridge. it will become a prized go to cooking companion for months to come....god tin, between you, bolas, and jessie, i've worked up a mighty strong craving for a duck myself. somehow, thanksgiving seems like way too long to wait any more....