Contrary to popular belief, duck does not taste like chicken. In fact, because of its strong flavour, it tastes more like red meat than anything. If cooked right, even the fattier parts of the duck can be delicious.
For meat lovers, duck can make the perfect protein combination. Not only that, but with each bite, you get a fatty, moist, and tender combination of deliciousness.
When cooking duck, the secret is to get the skin super crisp. The skin of a duck can be a lot fatter and thicker than that of a chicken or a duck. However, if it is not prepared the right way, an unpleasant rubbery texture is likely to give way because of the fat to meat ratio.
What is a duck
The most common name for the family Anatidae- species of waterfowl- is duck. Ducks can be used for their feathers, eggs and meat. Humans have hunted ducks since prehistoric times.
On midden excavations in California, dated to 7800 to 6400 BP, bones of various ducks have shown up.
However, it doesn’t matter whether you’re preparing duck at home or eating it at a restaurant. Several species offer different taste experiences. Some of them are mentioned below.
- Pekin duck: Because of its satisfying and mild flavour along with its ability to be adapted easily into multiple cuisines, the Pekin duck meat is the most popular.
- Muscovy duck: The Muscovy duck is thin-skinned and a cut of popular meat in Europe. Because of its flavour, it’s compared to roast beef, and its tenderness is compared to veal.
- Moulard duck: With a cut of this meat, you can get the best of both worlds. The Moulard duck offers a good layer of fat, a hefty breast and dark red meat.
How to store duck
If you’re not a professional cook or a chef, don’t worry. With a few tips and a bit of guidance, anyone can store and prepare duck successfully.
Putting duck in a freezer with a 0 degrees Fahrenheit temperature is the best way to store this meat. You can maintain the structure of the duck at this temperature better as compared to when you’re storing a turkey or a chicken.
How do you know if the duck has gone bad
Here’s the foolproof way to check whether your duck meat has gone bad:
Step 1: Check for colour. Spoilt duck meat can have a greyish or a yellow-green cast.
Step 2: Feel the texture. Duck meat should not be slimy. It can, however, feel a bit wet.
Step 3: Start sniffing. Sprint duck meat assumes a putrid odour. First, though, you need to keep in mind that duck meat can be naturally gamy. So lookout for any mouldy dishrag or skunky smell.
Dishes with duck
Give any one of these three delicious duck recipes a try if you’re tired of chicken:
- Braided duck with semolina, porcini and shallots: It can surely not get any better than slow-roasted duck meat.
- Pickled duck salad with orange and fennel: A burst of flavour for any midweek meal.
- Spiced autumn slaw and confit duck: Indeed, this dish will make for a fowl play from the butcher!
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