Duck was a Dud

8 years ago

Took the wrapper off the duck we were planning to have for dinner today, and it was a mess. Looked like it had been shot down with a howitzer. And it was a farm raise, store bought bird. It was missing one leg, and that side was also stripped of it's skin and slashed into the back bone. I don't have the receipt for it anymore or I would have marched it right back tomorrow when I go to town.

DH took one look at it and declared it was going into the garbage. It looked that bad.

So, I had to thaw a standing rib roast for dinner instead. The roast was excellent, served with mashed taters, broccoli, Yorkshire pudding and lots of gravy. Definitely NOT our traditional Christmas dinner, but then the duck isn't either.

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Comments (20)

jakkom
8 years ago
What a shame! Although I would have turned it into soup stock. Duck broth is GLORIOUS!

My DH would never complain about prime rib for dinner - he likes duck, but he loooovvvves prime rib, LOL.
plllog
8 years ago
I would take it back even without the receipt. What a shame!!

It sounds like you still had a nice meal. Roast beef is traditional Christmas food in some places, even if it's not what you usually have. :)
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sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
8 years ago
I do save receipts out of habit, but rarely need them anymore for returns. Especially with the original packaging.
I would have returned it.

Nice back-up meal though!
lpinkmountain
8 years ago
If it will make you feel better, I made an intact duck for Christmas dinner and it was also a dud. Took 45 min. longer to cook than the recipe said, the skin wasn't "crispy" instead it was burned, but that's how long we had to cook it to get the flesh cooked. Despite loading it with a spice rub, spices inside, and a glaze, you could barely taste anything. Plus it was fatty as all get out, and way too rich. I had indigestion for the rest of the evening. New Year's resolution--no more ducks! This was the third time I have made duck for a holiday meal and been disappointed. The one time it turned out good but now three strikes and duck is out!
Lars
8 years ago
I hope you did not follow DH's declaration to discard the duck and were able to make soup stock with it. If the Marx brothers can name a movie Duck Soup, then it must be good! You can also save the duck fat from the broth to make tamales, using the duck meat as a filler. I prefer duck fat to lard in the masa for the tamales, as it has more flavor.

I did cook duck for Christmas last year, and it is one of my favorite holiday dishes, especially since I can make tamales with the leftovers!

Now I have the urge to make duck soup!

Lars
lpinkmountain
8 years ago
Wish you were here Lars, that's what I am doing right now with the carcass, making duck soup. And I threw out the duck fat. I know, it's a waste, but whenever I have saved it in the past I never used it. I just don't eat things that use it. Not sure what to put in the soup. I have leftover mushroom barley pilaf that I think I will add to it . . .
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
8 years ago
We made duck last year for Christmas eve and it was horrible. The most expensive terrible meal we have ever had. Port Wine glaze. It was so bad basically none of us could eat it. My husband is always the Christmas eve chef and he couldnÃ¢ÂÂt stop apologizing, thought it was clearly not his fault.
prairie_rose
Original Author
8 years ago
No Lars, we did not save the duck and make stock out of it. In fact, we didn't even save it to bate coyote snares with. It went straight to the garbage.

lpinkmountain, I found that if you pierce the heck out of the duck skin, and I do mean lots and lots of fork holes all over it, then roast it at 450 degrees for at least half an hour, then turn the heat down to 350 and cook until done, a lot of the fat melts out and skin gets nice and golden and crispy. Don't know if that is how you do yours, but I have never had a problem with cooking one by this method.

I love duck, and we make it on a fairly regular basis. But the condition of this one just turned me off of doing another one for a few months.

Darlene
dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
8 years ago
Duck is a treat. For that once in a while treat, I sometimes take the easy way out. It take a little time, but the end result is much easier to be perfect.

I would take the entire duck apart and cook each part separate.

Skin, meat and bones are all cooked in separate recipes.

dcarch
plllog
8 years ago
LOL!! Trust Dcarch to say that making three different dishes is taking the easy way out. ;)
dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
8 years ago
Yeah, it can be fun. It takes me a few seconds to skin a duck. Duck skin is better thank bacon.

dcarch

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orange duck
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Here is a link that might be useful: skin a duck
lpinkmountain
8 years ago
I did a whole big procedure that was supposed to render fat out of it ahead of time. I've done the piercing and also the high heat low heat thing. This year I steamed it for 45 min. before roasting it. It just wasn't good. Maybe ducks just vary a lot, because I also have had good ones. Just not the last couple of years. Maybe Annie can chime in here, maybe it is something about how they are raised. Anyway, it was just expensive and the chicken we roasted last year was a whole lot better! I made duck soup though. Haven't eaten it yet. Just surprising how little meat on the whole duck. Two people, one meal and barely enough meat for half a pot of soup, 17 bucks! Tons of fat though!
emerogork
8 years ago
The first time I cooked duck, for some reason, I felt compelled to make gravy from all of the oil! It was fun as I was relatively new to making gravy in the first place. I tossed out about 90% of it but all in all the meal was a success.

However, my cooked goose a year ago was a disaster....

Three years ago, I purchased a Pennsylvania Farm Fresh Turkey. Although I had cooked many other turkeys in the past, this one was awful. No reflection on the produce, I think it was my oven. I tossed it and yes, it could have been good stock.

I returned to the store with only the wrapper. I received a full refund. No receipt but this was the only store in the area that sold this brand.
lpinkmountain
8 years ago
Interestingly, while the duck was "meh," the duck soup I made was outstandingly delicious!
sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
8 years ago
After last night i'm done with duck, lol. Not a disaster at all but i was mopping the floor at midnight and had the stove top grates in the dishwasher...
An ounce of duck fat splatters is a mess. DH says he is careful but even the garage door handle was a slippery mess. (rotisserie duck outside)
I'm done for this year anywho. We ordered from PekinParadise and had a beautiful delivery for thanksgiving...ordered extra necks, paws and liver.
Froze it packets for future stock.
Making pate' tomorrow...have livers in a brine now...
The stock is the best base for any soups all winter.
annie1992
8 years ago
OK, now you have me thinking that maybe duck would be a good New Year's Eve project. I haven't had duck since that batch of 32 that I raised several years ago.

I cook them using Ina Garten's method, I think Ann T does too. First they are cooked in broth, then roasted at high heat, resulting in tender and succulent meat with crisp skin. Elery has also put them into the smoker, and those were amazing.

I wouldn't have thrown it out, I'd have made stock and perhaps used the meat for sandwiches or some kind of casserole, maybe duck pot pie?

Too bad about that, Darlene, at least your meal was still good.

Annie

Here is a link that might be useful: Ina Garten roast duck
annie1992
8 years ago
Edited to remove duplicate post

Annie

Here is a link that might be useful: Ina Garten roast duck

This post was edited by annie1992 on Mon, Dec 29, 14 at 22:40
KatieC
8 years ago
Ok now I'm scared. I have never cooked a duck. I like duck (although I found I do not like rare/med. rare duck breast...it feels like raw chicken in my mouth). DH has never liked dark meat (which is why I never tried to feed him duck), but is coming around. So I look up methods and look at them at the store and say, "I oughta try cooking a duck." And I keep walking. For $2.39/lb at the food service supply, you'd think I'd be braver.
prairie_rose
Original Author
8 years ago
Katiec, I say go for it. We love duck, have it every couple of months. Lots of recipes out there to try. It is greasy, no doubt about it, but tons of flavor. The only reason this one was a Dud was DH was so looking forward to duck dinner and so angry when the duck was so battered up. I personally would have roasted it anyway, but he is the major fussy one.
sheilajoyce_gw
8 years ago
Prime standing or rolled rib and Yorkshire pudding and gravy was a standard Christmas dinner when I was younger and living at home. I wish I could find such good meat these days.

Duck was a Dud

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