# Duck Eggs



## joesfolk (Feb 15, 2011)

We have been given several dozen duck eggs.  I have fried some and they taste very similar to chicken eggs but with maybe not as much flavor.  These are like the biggest super jumbo chicken eggs you have ever seen.  I'm wondering if I use them in baking if I should try to cut down on the number of eggs just because of their size.  Anyone have any experience with these?


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## Andy M. (Feb 15, 2011)

Recipes typically refer to large chicken eggs.  Large eggs average 24-27 ounces per dozen (roughly 2+ ounces each).  If your duck eggs are larger, you should use fewer of them in a recipe.  Weigh a dozen duck eggs and determine how much larger they are.  

If, for example, they are 25% larger, a recipe calling for four eggs would work with three duck eggs.


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## Mimizkitchen (Feb 15, 2011)

I have never used them in baking, or anything else for that matter, but when baking I always use a scale... Even chicken eggs have different weights... If you have a scale perhaps you could weigh the amount of eggs called for in a recipe, then weigh the duck eggs to get the correct amount... Just a thought...


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## joesfolk (Feb 15, 2011)

Unfortunately I have no kitchen scale and no room to store one anyway.  My kitchen looks like Sanford and Sons with just the stuff I need now.  I'm thinking I may have to whip up the eggs scrambled egg style and just remove a little of the egg when I need only one egg.


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## FrankZ (Feb 15, 2011)

I wonder how they would be fired (over easy) using duck fat...

Care to share some eggs?


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## joesfolk (Feb 15, 2011)

When would you like to pick them up?


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## chopper (Feb 16, 2011)

I had a friend who colored them and made Easter Egg hunt eggs, but we never actually ate them.  We sure did have fun watching the faces of the kids when they found the giant eggs!


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## joesfolk (Feb 16, 2011)

Oh, that sounds like fun but unfortunately Easter is a bit far off for that.  Still, I could do a few to take to church.  The kids would love the out of season treat.


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## Bolas De Fraile (Feb 16, 2011)

My Mumkept ducks and geese when we were kids, from memory the yolk was "richer" than chickens eggs also she could not find an egg cup to fit.
When she baked with them she used Andy M method.
Ps rationing or shortages after WW2 did not realy stop till 1955.


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## joesfolk (Feb 16, 2011)

Okay folks, I just made a cake from a mix, using the duck eggs.  I baked it off in a pan that makes 8 small loaves.  I used two duck eggs instead of three chicken eggs.  Well, the loaves came out looking a little like hot air balloons.  I mean they crowned like there is no tomorrow.  I guess I will just cut off the crown to flatten them out and then frost them.  The cakes are a little birthday surprise for someone at work so I would like them to look nice although now that I think about it we might get a good laugh about those silly cakes.  Hummm...maybe I'll just leave them as they are.


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## Bigjim68 (Feb 16, 2011)

You could go traditional.  No worries about the eggs spoiling before use them up.

*Century egg*, also known as *preserved egg*, *hundred-year egg*, *thousand-year egg*, *thousand-year-old egg*, and *millennium egg* (or _Pidan_ in Mandarin), is a Chinese cuisine ingredient made by preserving duck, chicken or quail eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, lime, and rice hulls for several weeks to several months, depending on the method of processing. Through the process, the yolk becomes a dark green and creamy with an odor of sulphur and ammonia, while the white becomes a dark brown, transparent jelly with little flavor.[_citation needed_] The transforming agent in the century egg is its alkaline material, which gradually raises the pH of the egg to around 9, 12, or more during the curing process.[1]  This chemical process breaks down some of the complex, flavorless  proteins and fats, which produces a variety of smaller flavorful  compounds.


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## pacanis (Feb 16, 2011)

I guess they are right then when they say that duck eggs will make a cake batter fluffier.


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## FrankZ (Feb 16, 2011)

joesfolk said:


> When would you like to pick them up?




If only.. if only...


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## joesfolk (Feb 16, 2011)

Bigjim, I have heard of those eggs, totally gross in my opinion but if you would like some I could stick them in snail mail.  They should be good and ripe by the time they get to you.

Pecanis, I have never heard that about duck eggs before but after today I am inclined to believe it.


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## Bigjim68 (Feb 16, 2011)

joesfolk said:


> Bigjim, I have heard of those eggs, totally gross in my opinion but if you would like some I could stick them in snail mail.  They should be good and ripe by the time they get to you.
> 
> Pecanis, I have never heard that about duck eggs before but after today I am inclined to believe it.


I've seen them once in a Chinese market.  They looked exactly like I imagined they would.  Passed on purchasing a few to slice up over salad.


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## CraigC (Feb 16, 2011)

joesfolk said:


> Okay folks, I just made a cake from a mix, using the duck eggs. I baked it off in a pan that makes 8 small loaves. I used two duck eggs instead of three chicken eggs. Well, the loaves came out looking a little like hot air balloons. I mean they crowned like there is no tomorrow. I guess I will just cut off the crown to flatten them out and then frost them. The cakes are a little birthday surprise for someone at work so I would like them to look nice although now that I think about it we might get a good laugh about those silly cakes. Hummm...maybe I'll just leave them as they are.


 
If they did that with a cake mix, wonder how they would do in a souffle? 

Craig


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## CWS4322 (Feb 16, 2011)

CraigC said:


> If they did that with a cake mix, wonder how they would do in a souffle?
> 
> Craig


 
Oh--that could be interesting. I wish I knew where I could get duck eggs in the Ottawa Valley area...and white truffle oil...and the herb grinder Dr. Oz had on his show today...


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## Kayelle (Feb 16, 2011)

I was given some duck eggs a long time ago, and  I remember the yolks being a *very bright* color.  I scrambled them for breakfast and they grossed the kids out......me too, kinda. 
They seemed really rich tasting.


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## joesfolk (Feb 16, 2011)

Update:   While the cakes looked funny they were absolutely fantastic tasting.  Now for the funny part...the Birthday Girl turned out to be allergic to wheat!   All that for nothing... well, I did enjoy her loaf


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## Bolas De Fraile (Feb 17, 2011)

In the UK Costco sells ducks eggs, I remember as a child lying on the lawn watching my Mum help the duck chicks out of the eggs using warm water, the emerged like a lump of snot(booger) five mins later they looked like beautifull fluffy buttercups, sometime later they looked great with roast tats peas and a cherry jus


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## FrankZ (Feb 17, 2011)

I just got back from an Asian market.  They had duck eggs in the window.  I asked about them "Are those duck eggs?" and she said "no no no, little baby duck inside".

I am not sure what to make of that.


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## FrankZ (Feb 17, 2011)

I wonder if she meant something like this... Balut


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## Kayelle (Feb 17, 2011)

FrankZ said:


> I wonder if she meant something like this... Balut



*omg, why, oh why did I open that link. *thud**


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## joesfolk (Feb 17, 2011)

I'm sure that is exactly what they are.  My sil is Vietnamese and I can plainly se her eating something like that.  I guess some foods just don't cross cultures very well.


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## FrankZ (Feb 17, 2011)

If they are Balut I do have all sorts of questions about them.  

And I do wonder what they are like.


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## taxlady (Feb 18, 2011)

Kayelle said:


> *omg, why, oh why did I open that link. *thud**



That was pretty much my first reaction too, but I realize it's a food prejudice on my part. Started me wondering, "Why does it seem so disgusting?"

It's partly because I remember an egg that had a chick with feathers, beak, etc. I guess it would be okay at the appropriately younger stage. I won't be rushing out to find it, but I would probably try a bite if a friend ordered it.

We have a   reaction to those eggs, but think about cheese: take some milk, add the scrapings from the inside of the stomach of a cow (goat, sheep, ...), mix it with the milk and let it curdle. Do some other stuff and let the curdled (rotted) milk sit around for several months. No wonder a lot of Asians won't try it.


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## FrankZ (Feb 18, 2011)

taxlady said:


> That was pretty much my first reaction too, but I realize it's a food prejudice on my part. Started me wondering, "Why does it seem so disgusting?"
> 
> It's partly because I remember an egg that had a chick with feathers, beak, etc. I guess it would be okay at the appropriately younger stage. I won't be rushing out to find it, but I would probably try a bite if a friend ordered it.
> 
> We have a   reaction to those eggs, but think about cheese: take some milk, add the scrapings from the inside of the stomach of a cow (goat, sheep, ...), mix it with the milk and let it curdle. Do some other stuff and let the curdled (rotted) milk sit around for several months. No wonder a lot of Asians won't try it.



I remember watching a show on Discovery many years ago about different foods around the world (the shocking and weird).  While the show was more sensationalism than documentary (surprising coming from Discovery, especially at the  time) one line has always stood out for me.  They said "People view animals in the way they can afford to, some places an animal is a pet animal because they can afford it, other places the same animal is food." (A paraphrase).

I suppose in the end the cost of food determines what people are willing to eat, and what they throw away.  I would imagine Balut started with someone finding the eggs already fertilized and were still hungry.


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## taxlady (Feb 18, 2011)

FrankZ said:


> I remember watching a show on Discovery many years ago about different foods around the world (the shocking and weird).  While the show was more sensationalism than documentary (surprising coming from Discovery, especially at the  time) one line has always stood out for me.  They said "People view animals in the way they can afford to, some places an animal is a pet animal because they can afford it, other places the same animal is food." (A paraphrase).
> 
> I suppose in the end the cost of food determines what people are willing to eat, and what they throw away.  I would imagine Balut started with someone finding the eggs already fertilized and were still hungry.



Well put.

I figure cheese was an accident with an improperly cleaned stomach, that was used to store some milk. Someone got brave and tasted it. Then when fresh cheese was considered food, someone tried the bit of fresh cheese that got misplaced for several months. And, someone got brave about cheese with mould: Camembert, blue cheese, etc.


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## CWS4322 (Feb 18, 2011)

taxlady said:


> Well put.
> 
> I figure cheese was an accident with an improperly cleaned stomach, that was used to store some milk. Someone got brave and tasted it. Then when fresh cheese was considered food, someone tried the bit of fresh cheese that got misplaced for several months. And, someone got brave about cheese with mould: Camembert, blue cheese, etc.


 
In the 12 boxes of cookbooks I got at an auction for $12, there was one called: A Salute to Cheese by Betty Wason, (c) 1966. Libray of Congress Catalogue Card Number: 66-15356

She has a whole chapter about the "Birth of the Blues" and one of the stories re: the birth of the blues is just that, a young shephard left his cheese sandwich and found it months later and ate it. This story is not confirmed. If you stumble across this book (or maybe it is available on amazon as a used book), it is a fascinating read about cheese (and there are a number of recipes in it as well).


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## Andy M. (Feb 18, 2011)

CWS4322 said:


> ...a young shephard left his cheese sandwich and found it months later and ate it. This story is not confirmed...




...and it cannot be confirmed.  

The discovery of blue cheese has to be unknown.  The story offered by Betty Watson is as good a guess as any but nobody can know for sure.  Blue cheeses were most likely discovered by chance by some adventuresome or very hungry person or persons who came across moldy cheese and tried it.  Most likely on several places over time.

There are always stories of how certain classic foods came about.  It's impossible to verify most because there is no reliable on the scene verification.  We are left with educated guesses.


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## Bigjim68 (Feb 18, 2011)

I suspect that a lot of the first tastings of food were born of necessity.  I have a Cambodian friend that went from princess to prisoner in 1 hour.  Lost 2 young children to starvation.  She tells stories of one person becoming the taster for the group of unfamiliar foods.  Some worked out, some didn't make it.


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## CWS4322 (Jun 9, 2012)

Okay--I have 7 duck eggs in the fridge. Debating what best to do with them--bake a cake--would there be enough whites for an Angel food cake? I usually use 12 egg whites...what to do, what to do? Use the yolks for homemade ice cream? What to do, what to do...I looked at this recipe:

http://www.notquitenigella.com/2010/02/08/duck-egg-sponge-cake-beating-my-nemesis/

What is custard powder?


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## justplainbill (Jun 9, 2012)

I enjoy, and prefer, ice cream made with duck egg yolks; about 8 yolks to 6 - 7 cups, combined, half whole milk & half heavy cream, a cup of sugar and a teaspoon of salt.  I added 1+ cup of stewed & partially pureed strawberries to the last batch I made.
Using 7 duck egg whites should be adequate for at least 2/3rds of your 12 egg white angel food recipe.


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## taxlady (Jun 9, 2012)

CWS4322 said:


> Okay--I have 7 duck eggs in the fridge. Debating what best to do with them--bake a cake--would there be enough whites for an Angel food cake? I usually use 12 egg whites...what to do, what to do? Use the yolks for homemade ice cream? What to do, what to do...I looked at this recipe:
> 
> Duck Egg Sponge Cake recipe @ Not Quite Nigella
> 
> What is custard powder?


Here in Canada you can get something called Bird's Custard Powder. I don't use it because it has weird chemicals in it. Bird's Custard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## CWS4322 (Jun 9, 2012)

justplainbill said:


> I enjoy, and prefer, ice cream made with duck egg yolks; about 8 yolks to 6 - 7 cups, combined, half whole milk & half heavy cream, a cup of sugar and a teaspoon of salt.  I added 1+ cup of stewed & partially pureed strawberries to the last batch I made.
> Using 7 duck egg whites should be adequate for at least 2/3rds of your 12 egg white angel food recipe.


Once I decide what to do with the whites, I'm thinking I'll repeat the rhubarb ice cream using duck egg yolks instead of chicken. The source probably will be done soon--ducks don't lay all year like chickens do. A curling buddy lives down the road and happens to raise ducks...and geese...and goats...and sheep...tempting to get some ducks of my own...


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## justplainbill (Jun 9, 2012)

CWS4322 said:


> Once I decide what to do with the whites, I'm thinking I'll repeat the rhubarb ice cream using duck egg yolks instead of chicken. The source probably will be done soon--ducks don't lay all year like chickens do. A curling buddy lives down the road and happens to raise ducks...and geese...and goats...and sheep...tempting to get some ducks of my own...


A- I thought you were back in the city?
B- I seem to recall that we only get duck eggs in the cooler weather (October through May), but since our source doubled the asking price for their duck eggs ( from 50 cents ea. to $1 ea.) , we have not been buying any.


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## CWS4322 (Jun 9, 2012)

I am back in the "City" but the "City" is the size of Prince Edward Island, so has urban and rural components. We live in the rural part (in other words, the City moved to us, we didn't move to the City when amalgamation happened). All we got from this brilliant decision was higher property taxes and fewer services (ditches get mowed less often, roads are plowed later in the day, garbage collection is later and now going to be bi-weekly). I paid $1.50 for my 7 eggs. He did say that the ducks were pretty much done laying.


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## Claire (Jun 9, 2012)

FrankZ said:


> I remember watching a show on Discovery many years ago about different foods around the world (the shocking and weird).  While the show was more sensationalism than documentary (surprising coming from Discovery, especially at the  time) one line has always stood out for me.  They said "People view animals in the way they can afford to, some places an animal is a pet animal because they can afford it, other places the same animal is food." (A paraphrase).



My husband tells me when he was stationed in Korea, a friend thought he was odd to be appalled that they ate dog.  On the other hand, this friend was appalled that he'd not think twice about eating rabbit.  They both thought, how can you eat an animal that is a pet??


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## CWS4322 (Jun 10, 2012)

Claire said:


> My husband tells me when he was stationed in Korea, a friend thought he was odd to be appalled that they ate dog.  On the other hand, this friend was appalled that he'd not think twice about eating rabbit.  They both thought, how can you eat an animal that is a pet??


My friend with the ducks did suggest that maybe I baby my chickens and that is why Rocky attacks me...he might have a point re: babying/pampering the girls...nay--no way, oops, I think the pasta I was making for their breakfast is boiling over...


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## justplainbill (Jun 10, 2012)

CWS4322 said:


> My friend with the ducks did suggest that maybe I baby my chickens and that is why Rocky attacks me...he might have a point re: babying/pampering the girls...nay--no way, oops, I think the pasta I was making for their breakfast is boiling over...


My great aunt's chickens really seemed to enjoy a treat of pasta.


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## CWS4322 (Jun 10, 2012)

justplainbill said:


> My great aunt's chickens really seemed to enjoy a treat of pasta.


They really like wagonwheel pasta! I wanted people-friendly chickens. I used the same method I'd use to get a dog to like me--treats!


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