Duck whole or in pieces?!


Question:

Duck whole or in pieces?


I bought a whole duck today and i cant decide how to cook it. should i roast it whole or cut it into pieces and eat the breast and legs in different preparations? there are tons of recipes for duck and it will be the first time i have tried to cook it. what do you think?


Answers: Leave it whole and clean it up well.
Score the top [ fat side up] to give the fat a lot of places to run out of.
You can start it breast side down if you like then turn it over to cook the breast and brown it up.
Season whatever way you like.
If there seems to be too much fat at the bottom of the pan, you can remove it all, pour out the fat and then continue.
Duck is so great.It's easy to cut after cooking and a whole duck feeds about two people .It's hard to get four decent serving out of a duck.
Enjoy. i suggest smoke or steam the duck whole sounds better and easier do cut it up :) If you have access to a shop selling chinese products get some spices to rub all over it and inside it. Leave for several hours then roast. You end up with something very similar toi crispy duck that is served with pancakes. If I were you, of course whole fillled with apples and sultanas.
( sorry I am a German, I mean of course grill it or roast it in the oven, don't steam or smoke it).

But how you decide don't forget mugwort. It is good against the fat.

Greetings from Hamburg, Germany
Heinz

ps: It is a good idea, to serve duck with "Apfelrotkohl"
(red cabbage with apples) Peking Duck

INGREDIENTS:
One 5 to 6 pound duck
8 cups water
1 slice ginger
1 scallion, cut into halves
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon sherry
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
Scallions for garnish

PREPARATION:
Clean duck. Wipe dry and tie string around neck.
Hang duck in cool, windy place 4 hours.
Fill large wok with water. Bring to boil.
Add ginger, scallion, honey, vinegar, and sherry.
Bring to boil.

Pour in dissolved cornstarch.
Stir constantly.
Place duck in large strainer above larger bowl.
Scoop boiling mixture all over duck for about 10 minutes.
Hang duck again in cool, windy place for 6 hours until thoroughly dry.
Place duck breast side up on a greased rack in oven preheated to 350 degrees.
Set a pan filled with 2 inches of water in bottom of oven.
(This is for drippings).
Roast 30 minutes.
Turn duck and roast 30 minutes more.
Turn breast side up again.
Roast 10 minutes more.
Use sharp knife to cut off crispy skin.
Serve meat and skin immediately on a prewarmed dish.
The duck is eaten hot with hoisin sauce rolled in Mandarin Crepes.
Garnish with scallion flowerets.
Serves 4 to 6.



CROCK POT DUCK
8 hours
Slow cooker

Ingredients

2 ducks with 1/2 apple or orange placed in the birds cavity
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 stick butter or margarine
2 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper

Directions
Combine ingredients in crock pot
Cook at low temperature for 8 hours
Strain ducks
Thicken gravy and serve over wild or plain rice
hope these help. enjoy. Try it this way if you have a little time to brine the duck (which is the best way to make sure it stays juicy and delicious!)

Brine:
1/2 cup kosher salt
1 pint pineapple orange juice
15 whole black peppercorns
1 bunch fresh thyme
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 (5 1/2 to 6 pound) frozen Long Island Duck, thawed

2 handfuls shredded chard
2 shallots, minced
Dash sherry or balsamic vinegar


Combine all brine ingredients in a plastic container with a lid. Place the lid on the container and shake to dissolve the salt.
Remove the pop-up thermometer, liver, gizzards, and heart. Cut off the wings.

Using kitchen shears, locate the spine at the base of the neck. Cut up the line of the backbone towards the neck cavity. Turn the duck and cut straight towards the rear cavity. Remove the backbone.

Turn the duck over and cut straight down the middle of the breast bone, leaving 2 equal duck halves. To separate the legs from the breast, flip your halves over so the flesh side is facing up at you. Using a knife, make a crescent shape cut between the leg and the breast. Lay your knife flat against the skin and make 3 marks in one direction and then in the other, making an X. Make sure that you are cutting through the skin and not the meat.

Line the inside of a plastic lexan or a pot with a zip-top bag. Place the duck quarters inside the bag, and pour the brine over the duck. Seal the bag, ensuring that all air is removed from the bag. Brine the duck for 2 to 2 1/2 hours in the refrigerator.

Bring 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches of water to a boil in a large pot. Place a colander into the pot and line the sides of the colander with the duck. Do not stack the duck quarters on each other. Cover and turn the heat to medium low. Steam the duck for 45 minutes. Set oven to 475 degrees F. Place a large cast iron skillet into the oven.

Remove duck pieces from steamer and place legs, skin side down, into the hot skillet. Place the skillet into the hot oven immediately and cook the leg quarters for 10 minutes. Add the breasts, skin side down, and cook for 7 more minutes or until the duck takes on a deep mahogany color and the skin is very crisp.

Remove the duck from the skillet and rest under foil. Add the chard and the shallots to the skillet. Toss the chard in the fat until it barely wilts. Season with the sherry or balsamic vinegar.

Serve the duck with the chard. cook it in pieces



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