ISO suggestions on how to cook my duck! (tonight)

[Greg Who Cooks]

I know this is short notice but I've got stuff to do before I get around to cooking dinner so perhaps somebody will give me some suggestions, and maybe I'll see 'em in time to benefit. Or if not there's always another day and another duck.

I got two leg & thigh (attached) frozen at one of my Asian foodmongers 99 Ranch. They've been sitting in the freezer for a few weeks and I pulled 'em out a couple days ago, and they are dinner tonight.

I'm not quite sure which way to cook 'em. If I had the time to go get the ingredients I'd cook a Thai curry, that's my best duck recipe to date. I've got everything for that except the fresh ingredients, but the fresh ingredients are what makes all the difference between an average curry and a knocks you out curry!

For cooking methods I've assumed I'll roast them in the oven, but I've got a cast iron grill pan and a gas barbecue to use too.

As far as ingredients I've got all the usual suspects that last indefinitely in the fridge plus ordinary produce like onions, potatoes, lemons, limes, jalapenos, even fresh tumeric (that would go good in a curry!--that's why I got it), mushrooms, even bacon (although technically that's not produce).

I have more sauces than you can shake a stick at! (That's a lie, you could probably shake a stick at an infinite quantity of sauces, it's just an expression). I've got Hosing sauce, Teriyaki sauce, Asian fish sauce, we'd be here all night if I named every sauce I got.

So what do you think? If I don't have any suggestions when the hammer drops I'll probably just pop them in the oven maybe preheat 450 F then reduce to 350 when I stick 'em in, roast to the usual poultry doneness. I might do a bit of a Psycho bit and stab them with a fork several times to provide a channel for the bl... er, I mean fat to run out. I'll put 'em on a rack over a pan so they don't simmer in their own fat.

So how should I prepare this? Remember there's always more ducks at 99 Ranch.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Well there's good news and bad news.

Bad news: my work session lasted longer than expected and there's no time to cook a duck before my stomach times out. The solution: take out.

Good news: I'm having duck tomorrow night so please keep those suggestions coming in folks!

There's no need to post a recipe. Just point me to some interesting duck dishes you've had, with more or less my ingredients, and now I've got time to make a supermarket run and get any ingredients I don't have on hand.

Duck dish suggestions?

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I guess I'll have to go it alone. My duck leg/thighs are roasting in the oven and I have no plan. I have Hosing sauce here somewhere so I guess I'll serve it with that.

 

[Kylie1969]

Sorry Greg, I have never cooked duck before

How did it work out?

 

[Savannahsmoker]

Sorry I am late.
I did a post called Roast Duck by Pellet Grill here.
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f36/roast-duck-by-pellet-grill-82286.html

Duck look like this.

Biggest concern I learned in my years the Far East was to get rid of the fat in a duck. Score the breast, pour boiling water over the duck to get the fat flowing,
pat dry, season and roast.

Good luck and hope this helps.

 

[Hoot]

I reckon I am late as well.
I posted an experience with duck when I first joined D.C.
Duck at Rendezvous
It turned out good....t'weren't none left, 'course, it ain't what you would call traditional duck cooking. But it sure was good!

 

[vitauta]

microwave on high. pour off fat as needed. (big smile)

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I can't help you with a duck, but I can tell you how my goose was cooked, many times over.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I can't help you with a duck, but I can tell you how my goose was cooked, many times over.

Probably had something to do with relationships of he opposite gender is my guess.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Sorry Greg, I have never cooked duck before

How did it work out?

Nah, not that good. I discovered that if you have dug legs&thighs that the best way to cook them is to braise them. Roasting is for whole ducks.

It was edible. I had the right temperature on my probe. But it was tough, not "fall off the tonue" soft and juicy.

 

[Snip 13]

I'm late too sorry!

I usually roast whole duck. I debone my duck, leaving the wing and leg bones in.
Stuff the cavity with pork sausage or chicken sausage meat. I like using pork bangers for this. Rub duck with chinese 5 spice, butter and sea salt. Roast duck till golden and drizzle with a bit of maple syrup and grill for 10 more mins.
Heavenly!

 

[CharlieD]

With duck you have to be carefull. Becasue duck is not as popular as chicken for example, they do not raise as many of them and do not slughter as early as chicken. Basically the bird sold in the store older than avarage chicken bird sold in the store. And the older the meat the tougher it is.

P.S. There was a great recipe by Margi Cintaro for duck somewhere here, try to search for it.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Thanks Snippy and Charlie. Yeah Snippy my whole ducks have come out a lot better. I made my Thai curry with duck legs/thighs and it was good too. But if I get legs/thighs I think I'll stick to curry, and if I want duck otherwise I'll get a whole duck. Right now I'd like a really good duck. With a l'orange sauce please. (Grand Marnier.

 

[Snip 13]

Thanks Snippy and Charlie. Yeah Snippy my whole ducks have come out a lot better. I made my Thai curry with duck legs/thighs and it was good too. But if I get legs/thighs I think I'll stick to curry, and if I want duck otherwise I'll get a whole duck. Right now I'd like a really good duck. With a l'orange sauce please. (Grand Marnier.

My pleasure Maybe I'll try curried duck sometime.