Duck Fat

[Steve Kroll]

steve, how do you deal with the smell of the cooking ducks? do you have very good ventilation?

i've been forbidden to cook duck ever again in the house because the smell of the fat stayed for several days, even with all of the windows open and the ventilator fan going.

I'm not sure if there's any secret, but one thing I did is constantly pour off the fat as it was rendering. I had to do this probably four or five times. So there was never a lot of fat in the pan to burn or create any smells. I was also very careful not to heat the pan too hot. I basically kept the heat low to render off as much fat as I could, poured it off, and then cranked up the heat to sear the skin.

That, and my ventilation is pretty good. The duct (and duck smell) goes outside.

 

[buckytom]

thanks.

maybe i could do one on the rotisserie on the grill outside.

i guess on the same day i reduce a bottle of balsamic vinegar on the side burner.

hmm, balsamic syrup on grilled duck?

 

[Addie]

Son #2 is my Christmas baby. Every year for his present I cook a duck just for him. Low and slow, no odor. I use my basting bulb to remove the fat as it is cooking. I wish I had someone I could give the fat to. Down the drain it goes. Gall bladder problem here.

 

[Steve Kroll]

hmm, balsamic syrup on grilled duck?

I'd eat that.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

steve, how do you deal with the smell of the cooking ducks? do you have very good ventilation?

i've been forbidden to cook duck ever again in the house because the smell of the fat stayed for several days, even with all of the windows open and the ventilator fan going.

I have never notice any "stench" from roasting ducks. Nothing any different than chickens although ducks take more roasting to render the extra fat they have over chickens.

Maybe your duck fat was collecting in the roasting pan and burning.

ETA:

@Steve: I didn't see your post about draining it off because it was on a later page than I was replying to. I don't understand the objectionable taste/smell thing. I've always thought duck tasted/smelled good.

 

[Steve Kroll]

@Steve: I didn't see your post about draining it off because it was on a later page than I was replying to. I don't understand the objectionable taste/smell thing. I've always thought duck tasted/smelled good.

I don't think I said anything about duck being objectionable. I love duck. I just assume BT was referring to the smell of the oil.

Having said that, there are some ducks that are noticeably gamy. The wild duck I've had has a much stronger flavor than domesticated duck.

 

[buckytom]

yes, it was the smell of the fat that lingered, and while i didn't mind the smell the first day, you could still pick up a trace of it in the house 2 days later. that was too much for dw, hence the verboten duck.

btw, it was a farm raised long island duck.

must have been grass fed (lawn guyland duck?)

 

[Steve Kroll]

must have been grass fed (lawn guyland duck?)

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I have no place to get ducks at the supermarket. I don't often cook them but everybody needs a good duck every now and then.

The only objectionable smell I've ever noted is burning grease in the roasting pan.

 

[Cerise]

I have no place to get ducks at the supermarket. I don't often cook them but everybody needs a good duck every now and then.

The only objectionable smell I've ever noted is burning grease in the roasting pan.

Or a good goose ;-) There are a few Asian markets that sell cooked/roasted duck (whole or half a duck), & there's plenty of fat to go around.

My grandmother cooked many chickens in her day, & used the schmaltz

Schmaltz - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

for matzoh ball soup, frying potatoes etc. One of my favorites -her potato pancakes.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I've never cooked a goose although I may have had my goose cooked a few times. One of these days I should cook a goose...

I've never had any problem getting frozen ducks at Los Angeles supermarkets. I've roasted whole ducks and served with Gran Marnier based orange sauce, and cooked duck leg quarters in a Thai coconut milk curry. Both were excellent!

I wonder if the Asian markets sell duck fat, for rendering.

 

[TATTRAT]

I've never cooked a goose although I may have had my goose cooked a few times. One of these days I should cook a goose...

I've never had any problem getting frozen ducks at Los Angeles supermarkets. I've roasted whole ducks and served with Gran Marnier based orange sauce, and cooked duck leg quarters in a Thai coconut milk curry. Both were excellent!

I wonder if the Asian markets sell duck fat, for rendering.

As I said earlier on in the thread, you can get duck fat at places like Whole Foods, and even Trader Joes. Already rendered/refined.

 

[buckytom]

tatt, forgive me, i forgot to thank you for the previous info.

good stuff.

quack!

 

[TATTRAT]

tatt, forgive me, i forgot to thank you for the previous info.

good stuff.

quack!

I just figured you were ducking me, maybe I said something fowl, that turned you off.

These puns really aren't all they're quacked up to be, huh?

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

As I said earlier on in the thread, you can get duck fat at places like Whole Foods, and even Trader Joes. Already rendered/refined.

Thanks for the reminder. I forgot that too!

 

[CWS4322]

I've never cooked a goose although I may have had my goose cooked a few times. One of these days I should cook a goose...

I've never had any problem getting frozen ducks at Los Angeles supermarkets. I've roasted whole ducks and served with Gran Marnier based orange sauce, and cooked duck leg quarters in a Thai coconut milk curry. Both were excellent!

I wonder if the Asian markets sell duck fat, for rendering.

I've cooked many a goose, but only one domestic goose. I prefer wild geese, but they are hard to come by now that I don't live close to my cousins who hunt.

 

[Addie]

Come winter, we have plenty of Canadian geese. They are a nuisance. They make a very large mess with their droppings.

 

[tinlizzie]

Thanks mainly due to previous posts in DC (I think it was Vitauta and/or Claire), some time ago I roasted a duck. The duck was OK, but the fat was yum -- potatoes fried in duck fat, mmmm good. I bought a small jar of rendered duck fat at Williams Sonoma for what I thought was a lot of $$ for a little fat. I still have about a third of it in the fridge. I'm hoarding it and will hate to see the last of it. I realize it's bad for my arteries, but you only live once.

 

[FrankZ]

Come winter, we have plenty of Canadian geese. They are a nuisance. They make a very large mess with their droppings.

"Its Gooooooooooooose pooooooooooooooooooop..." - HHC Trio

 

[Addie]

"Its Gooooooooooooose pooooooooooooooooooop..." - HHC Trio

Call it what you may, it is still nasty stuff and stinks.