Making ducks delicious
D uck season in Arkansas ended Jan. 25. If you’re a waterfowler who enjoyed success in your pursuit of mallards, wood ducks, teal, gadwalls, pintails and other waterfowl this season, chances are good you have some birds in the freezer you’d like to prepare in some delicious manner for the dinner table.
Funny thing is, while wild ducks are considered among the best of all game by many chefs and master cooks, many Arkansans will quickly tell you they don’t care for the dark meat of these waterfowl.
“It tastes like liver, and I hate liver,” I often hear.
People seem to either love duck or hate it. If you love it, you have eaten it properly prepared. If you hate it, you haven’t.
For much of my life, I was among the haters. The ducks prepared by my mother and grandmother when I was a youngster always tasted livery and were dry and tough.
The first good duck I ever ate was a fat mallard cooked to perfection by Betty, a cook at Hartz’s Duck Camp near Stuttgart. The half bird she served me was tender, juicy and delicious. I quickly asked for seconds. What a revelation! Could this succulent duck really be the same creature my mother and grandmother had prepared? Had I foolishly turned my nose up at this incredibly delectable gamebird for all those years?
Over the next few years, I ate duck prepared in other ways, too, and found several recipes that soon became family favorites. Some of the cooks who prepared those birds told me that duck, to be delicious, must always be served rare. And certainly, if you like rare meats, duck is usually at its best served with some blood running.
Many folks don’t care for rare meat, however — my wife among them. So in our home kitchen, we’ve learned to prepare the rich, dark meat in ways that still retain the birds’ scrumptious flavor. Our duck gumbo has proven to be a favorite of all who have tried it, and without exception, those who try Poor Boy Duck Fingers cooked well done with a crispy coating on the outside have said it’s one of the best game dishes they’ve ever eaten. You can add duck meat to casseroles, grill it, smoke it, turn it into appetizers. There are many superb methods of preparation you’re sure to enjoy, including these tried-and-true recipes from our family cookbook. Bon appétit.
STUTTGART BETTY’S ROAST DUCKS
Ingredients: Any number of ducks Salt Baking soda Onions Green bell peppers Celery Flour
Directions: Salt the ducks to taste, and rub with baking soda. Allow to sit 1 hour; then wash off the soda. Stuff the body cavity of each bird with small chunks of onion, bell pepper and celery; then rub each bird with flour. Place in a large roasting pan with enough water to half cover the ducks. Cook in a 350-degree oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until the birds are tender. Remove the vegetable stuffing, and discard. Halve each bird lengthwise before serving. If desired, thicken the broth from the ducks with a milk-and-flour mixture to make gravy. Each duck serves 1 to 2.
POOR BOY DUCK FINGERS
Ingredients: Breast fillets from 2 ducks Salt, pepper 1 cup milk 2 eggs, slightly beaten Cracker meal Vegetable oil for frying
Directions: Slice the fillets crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Salt and pepper the strips lightly. Combine milk and eggs in a shallow bowl. Dip the duck strips into the mixture; then roll in cracker meal. Fry in hot oil until golden brown. Serves 2 to 4.
QUACKER CASSEROLE
Ingredients: 2 whole ducks or 4 breasts 1 onion, sliced 2 ribs celery, chopped 1 (6-ounce) box long-grain and wild rice 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup onion, chopped 1/4 cup flour 1 (6-ounce) can sliced mushrooms 1 1/2 cups half-and-half 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper 1 (3 1/2-ounce) package slivered almonds
Directions: Boil the ducks for two hours with the sliced onion and celery. Cook the rice according to directions on the box. In a deep skillet, melt the butter; sauté the chopped onion, and stir in the flour. Add mushrooms and their liquid. Add the half-and-half, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the rice. Bone the ducks and add the chunks to the other ingredients. Place in a 2-quart casserole, sprinkle with almonds, and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes. When it bubbles in the center, it’s done. Serves 8.
DUCK ROLL APPETIZERS
Ingredients: 10 boneless, skinless medium or large duck-breast fillets 1/2 cup olive oil 2 (1.25-ounce) packages taco seasoning mix 5 fresh jalapenos, halved and seeded 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese 10 green onions 20 bacon slices
Directions: Marinate the duck breasts overnight in the refrigerator in a mixture of the olive oil and taco seasoning. Drain at time of preparation.
Fill each half of jalapeno with cream cheese, and place a cut green onion on each. Place the cream-cheese side of a jalapeno opposite the skin side of a duck breast. Roll-wrap each breast with 2 bacon slices to cover most of the meat. Secure the bacon with toothpicks. Repeat with remaining duck breasts.
Grill 5 to 7 minutes per side over medium heat, just until the meat is medium rare. Transfer to a plate, cover with plastic wrap or foil, and cool in the refrigerator overnight. (Breasts can also be served as a main-course meat right off the grill.) Cut each bacon-wrapped breast crossways into slices about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Arrange on a serving platter. Allow to stand until the pieces reach room temperature. Serve. Yield: about 36 to 48 pieces.
DUCK GUMBO WITH ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE
Ingredients: Boneless breast fillets from 6 ducks, cubed 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced 1/4-inch thick 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup flour 1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper 1 1/2 cups chopped onion 1 cup chopped celery 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/2 pound sliced okra 4 quarts water 2 tablespoons salt 2 teaspoons black pepper 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 2 teaspoons thyme 5 bay leaves Cooked long- or medium-grain white rice
Directions: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil, add the duck meat and sausage, and brown. Remove the browned meat to a bowl and reserve.
Make a roux by sprinkling the flour into the hot oil a little at a time, stirring constantly until all the flour is incorporated. Stir constantly over medium heat until the roux is caramel brown in color. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic and okra, and cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 1/2 cup water and all the seasonings. Mix thoroughly; then gradually add the rest of the water and the reserved meat pieces, still stirring. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours. Serve hot in bowls over cooked rice. Serves 12 to 16.