Ducks: Plucking Vs. Skinning

Chromaflage · 11-11-2003, 05:08 PM

Is there an advantage either way with respect to preparing the meat? I've heard that plucking to preserve the skin is beneificial when cooking, but the skin contains a lot of fat. Where are you guys on this?

ORS

Bait Bucket · 11-11-2003, 07:46 PM

Being from the East Coast, I always skin mine. Most of us do because there is no other way to determine if the bird carries rice breast disease. There was never a season where I didn't kill one with it....

1pump · 11-11-2003, 08:03 PM

I skin 'em. Plucking is a pain the arse. I'm of the opinion that duck meat sucks anyway, so leaving the skin on isn't much of an improvement.
The ODHA used to request that the skin be left on ducks that were donated for the annual duck dinner.

Capin' Dan · 11-11-2003, 11:42 PM

Well until last week I would say skin them. Then last Thursday Lives to Fish brought some cold duck to the blind. Boys I'm here to tell you that for those of you who don't really like wild duck kidnap this guy and torture the receipe out of him. I will tell you it was the best I have ever eaten. This guy could even make a comorant :blush: taste good.

Lives to fish if you don't mnd shareing how about posting that receipe for us. With that said the duck population will take a huge hit after it gets around.

Dan

Chromaflage · 11-11-2003, 11:56 PM

Oh, do tell....The best duck I've ever had was fried duck strips in a cajun resaurant in Kansas. I begged them for the recipe and they wouldn't give it up. All I know is that it had corn meal on it and they served with a sauce that was out of this world!

ORS

Hoosier Daddy · 11-12-2003, 10:35 AM

Anyone ever tried the wax and pluck method? I used to do it. Kind of a pain for a few ducks, but if you have a bunch works well. Take a big pot, boil some water, float a brick of parafane (sp., canning wax, etc). When that melts you dip rough plucked ducks through the wax slowly, pull them out and cool. Then peel the wax and feathers off like an orange.

Chromaflage · 11-12-2003, 10:39 AM

I've heard of that - and hear that it works pretty well. Never tried it though.

ORS

live to fish · 11-12-2003, 12:08 PM

Ok i'll tell
The ones you had the other day i marinated 7 birds at once using a 5 gal bucket.3 malards 1 gloden eye 1 teal 2 wigon.

Filled 5 gal bucket 1/2 full of water.
Then add 2 bottles of liquid smoke.
Then 2 cups of brown sugar.
Mix well.
Then use a fork and poke several holes in the meaty areas of your birds with the skin on.(By leaving the skin on it will help keep the meat from drying out as bad when you cook it.
Soak your birds in the marinade for at least 24 hours.

Then to cook them.
Put your birds in a covered roasting pan.Pour just enough of your marinade in the pan with the birds to cover the bottom of the pan.Place in oven at 350 deg for 1 to 1 1/2 hrs depending on how many birds your cooking.

Alittle hot mustard and sesame seeds goes well with this too.

salmurai · 11-12-2003, 11:43 PM

HD, the wax works with geese too. It just takes a bigger pot and two bricks of parafin..... Pluck or skin. Depends on how I'm going to cook them.

TideWater · 11-13-2003, 07:31 AM

Used to shoot lots of ducks adn geese.

It all depends how you want to eat them. When tired of eating skinned birds, go to plucking. The ultimate bird is plucked, waxed, then simmered in crab boil for about 40 minutes. Then take bird out ( Salt/peppper) and broil on BBQ (best) or in the oven until skin is browned. Cut bird up with a piece of skin on every piece of meat.

wax is cleanest for pin feathers. propane torch works but kinda smells.

TideWater · 11-13-2003, 07:34 AM

To wax make a double broiler and use a coffee can for the wax. Melt the parfin wax in the coffe can then brush wax on birds. Birds should be really cold when doing so. Wax will dry in 10 minutes, then scrape off wax and pin feathers with a butter knife. Plucking warm birds is the only way to go.