# Who is cooking a duckling this holiday season?



## vitauta (Dec 6, 2011)

just wondering...how many of us are planning to include a roast duckling in our holiday plans? 

i was just reading back through the "what to do with duck fat" thread from last summer, and it has me duck-hungry all over again.  besides which, i really need to replenish my supply of rendered duck fat.

for anyone who will be cooking a duckling and could use some helpful duck prepping and roasting tips, be sure to check out andy m's recommended website which appears in that duck fat thread....

i'll be needing to pick up a can of bush's bavarian sauerkraut and a fresh bag of yukons to go with my bird....

who's in?


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## Claire (Dec 6, 2011)

I would love to, but live in a house with 1800s technology.  In other words, no exhaust fan in my kitchen.  It would be so smoky!  I'm mad at myself for not doing one on the grill this year!


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## FrankZ (Dec 6, 2011)

I did duck for Thanksgiving and I use this site for guidance.


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## vitauta (Dec 6, 2011)

FrankZ said:


> I did duck for Thanksgiving and I use this site for guidance.




my apologies, frank--your site is the one i was referring to in my intro. i typed andy's name by mistake. (sorry, andy, for the mix-up.)


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## buckytom (Dec 6, 2011)

i'm curious: would duckling be well out of season in the fall/winter? in other words, and not to disparage, would it be frozen duckling?


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## vitauta (Dec 6, 2011)

buckytom said:


> i'm curious: would duckling be well out of season in the fall/winter? in other words, and not to disparage, would it be frozen duckling?




to my knowledge, bt, thanksgiving and christmastime is the traditionally "in season" time for duckling.  roast duckling for the christmas table is certainnly a traditional bird to serve.  

every place i've ever lived, ducklings tend to become available in the supermarkets around november, in time for the major holidays.  most of my ducks have been frozen, but the few that were fresh ducklings were also purchased in november and december.  for me, finding even a frozen duckling other times of the year, becomes a rather iffy proposition....


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## buckytom (Dec 6, 2011)

thanks, vit.

hmm, i questioned it purely out of seeing  animals primarily breed in the spring. and  from experience with breeding parrots, i wonder if breeding cycles were induced in a way to provide for a market.

enjoy it nonetheless. i hope i'm not coming across as contrary. not al all. again, curious.


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## vitauta (Dec 6, 2011)

i would think so, bt--gotta get those turkeys ready for thanksgiving, natural breeding cycles be d****d.  what do you do with your parrots, bt?


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## Bolas De Fraile (Dec 6, 2011)

Vit we are booked into the Bombay Dynasty on the 25th for their boss Indian Buffet, they have a branch in Hollywood Calif.
I love to cook and eat duck, my fav way at present is BBQ


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## pacanis (Dec 6, 2011)

FrankZ said:


> I did duck for Thanksgiving and I use this site for guidance.


 
That's one of the sites I referenced when I roasted my duck Thanksgiving. And that was the glaze I used, including on my grilled chicken wings last night.


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## tinlizzie (Dec 6, 2011)

Due to a recent lip-smacking photo of a pork pot roast in another thread, I think Christmas this year will be pork.  I've never seen fresh duckling, only frozen, down here, a few of which seem to be available all year -- am thinking maybe Easter Quacker.

I have an unopened jar of duck fat in the pantry, saved for something special - don't know what.


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## FrankZ (Dec 6, 2011)

It is a great page for duck.

And if I get confused with Andy, well.. that's ok.. except for him maybe.  

Claire,

Our kitchen has horrendous ventilation, just a wall mounted exhaust fan that I think make more noise than it moves air.

The duck doesn't smoke us out, we don't get any smoking from it at all as far as I can tell.  You might be surprised and be ok.


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## pacanis (Dec 6, 2011)

I have no exh fan and did not notice any smoke either. Maybe if some of the fat had spilled with all that flipping, but none from the sheet pan the fat was collecting in.


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## Steve Kroll (Dec 6, 2011)

buckytom said:


> i'm curious: would duckling be well out of season in the fall/winter? in other words, and not to disparage, would it be frozen duckling?


As it happens, I called our local butcher yesterday to order a Christmas rib roast and, as a side note, he happened to mention that "oh, by the way, we also have a number of fresh ducks and geese coming in." So by that, I would assume that it's in season.


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## vitauta (Dec 6, 2011)

Bolas De Fraile said:


> Vit we are booked into the Bombay Dynasty on the 25th for their boss Indian Buffet, they have a branch in Hollywood Calif.
> I love to cook and eat duck, my fav way at present is BBQ View attachment 12542



oh bolas, your golden grilled duckling is always a sight to behold!  i've never had bbq duck.  i bet it is wonderful that way though--crispy, smoky, moist dark meat wonderful.  is there a way for you to catch any of the duck fat when it is cooked on the grill?  

your xmas at the bombay dynasty sounds like a great plan.  i hope you enjoy the indian cuisine and have yourselves a wonderful holiday time, bolas!!

nothing puts me in the mood for duck so much as your gorgeous birds on the grill, bolas!! (last year, there were two of them, i recall )


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## buckytom (Dec 6, 2011)

Steve Kroll said:


> As it happens, I called our local butcher yesterday to order a Christmas rib roast and, as a side note, he happened to mention that "okh, by the way, we also have a number of fresh ducks and geese coming in." So by that, I would assume that it's in season.



thanks steve. i can see getting fresh, full grown beasts at this time of year, but i wondered how they get ducklings in winter.

vit, i used to breed small parrots (keets, conures, etc.), but all i did was provide a nest box and a special diet. the birds did the rest, lol. but it definitely was influenced by light cycles, temp, and other natural factors.


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## CharlieD (Dec 6, 2011)

Steve Kroll said:


> As it happens, I called our local butcher yesterday to order a Christmas rib roast and, as a side note, he happened to mention that "oh, by the way, we also have a number of fresh ducks and geese coming in." So by that, I would assume that it's in season.


 
What butcher do you go to?


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## Steve Kroll (Dec 6, 2011)

CharlieD said:


> What butcher do you go to?


For fancy holiday roasts, I usually go to Clanceys in Linden Hills. They're expensive, but they can get almost anything you want: lamb, duck, goose, bison, rabbit. The butcher case looks like art. I also go to Hackenmueller's in Robbinsdale sometimes. Good selection of beef, pork, chicken, and sausages made in their own smokehouse. Prices are pretty good, too.


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## Timothy (Dec 7, 2011)

vitauta said:


> just wondering...how many of us are planning to include a roast duckling in our holiday plans?


I'll be cooking one on the rotisserie soon. It makes the whole house smell sooooo good!


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## vitauta (Dec 7, 2011)

Timothy said:


> I'll be cooking one on the rotisserie soon. It makes the whole house smell sooooo good!




every friday, whole foods (in our area) features a rotisserie duckling with black cherry sauce.  just marvelous!!


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## amberbartlett (Dec 7, 2011)

I always look forward to this time of year- just for the duckling! I always steam the duck before anything else. I've found that it helps me get the perfect amount of doneness, with the least amount of smokiness.
Happy Jollidays!


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## Timothy (Dec 7, 2011)

vitauta said:


> every friday, whole foods (in our area) features a rotisserie duckling with black cherry sauce. just marvelous!!


 
I've never cooked a duck in my rotisserie, but have cooked many chickens in it. The chickens turn out fantastic. I think the duck will too.

Nice crispy duck skin! Oh yeah!!!!


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## Bolas De Fraile (Dec 8, 2011)

vitauta said:


> oh bolas, your golden grilled duckling is always a sight to behold!  i've never had bbq duck.  i bet it is wonderful that way though--crispy, smoky, moist dark meat wonderful.  is there a way for you to catch any of the duck fat when it is cooked on the grill?
> 
> your xmas at the bombay dynasty sounds like a great plan.  i hope you enjoy the indian cuisine and have yourselves a wonderful holiday time, bolas!!
> 
> nothing puts me in the mood for duck so much as your gorgeous birds on the grill, bolas!! (last year, there were two of them, i recall )


Thank you Vit and the same to you.I am lucky in many ways, one of those ways is the supermarket bargain scouts in our food group, they give me the heads up when bargains we like appear.Two supermarkets Tesco and Sainsbury discount frozen ducks by and guinea fowl by 50% a few times a year, they are about $7.5 and $4.5 each. IMO they are just as good as fresh ones so as I am lucky to have two large freezers and I am lucky to be able to buy quite a few we have them at least once a month.
I catch the duck fat in a tin.
Last year was great both Aldi and Lidl were selling frozen geese for about $20 this yr they have put them up to $30.
Both duck and geese have to be free range to thrive.


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## vitauta (Dec 8, 2011)

i wish we had ducks on sale here once in awhile....they are expensive, and remain expensive here--perhaps because ducklings have a small but loyal market base in this area....


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## PrincessFiona60 (Dec 8, 2011)

vitauta said:


> i wish we had ducks on sale here once in awhile....they are expensive, and remain expensive here--perhaps because ducklings have a small but loyal market base in this area....



$6.99/lb here. The largest was 3 pounds.  I almost picked up a fresh pork shoulder for $1.89/lb.  I'm still thinking about going back and getting it...$15 for the shoulder.


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## no mayonnaise (Dec 8, 2011)

Not me!  Maybe whole-roasted fish if I can find anything decent.  Colder months produce some great fish.


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