Wait a minute........ the title is misleading. They aren't still quacking are they?

Nice to see you May. Sorry I can't help you with the duck. It's been years since I made one.

Teresa

I use Ina Garten's recipe where the duck is first boiled and then roasted, but I've used it with domestic ducks and not wild ones.

Roast Duck

Ina Garten, All Rights Reserved
. Prep Time:15 minInactive Prep Time:20 minCook Time:1 hr 0 minLevel:IntermediateServes:4 to 6 servings.

Ingredients
2 (5 to 5 1/2 pounds each) ducks, innards and wing tips removed
6 quarts chicken broth
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions

Unwrap the ducks and allow them to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. With a fork, prick the skin without piercing the meat. This will allow the fat to drain off while the ducks cook.

Meanwhile, in a very large stock pot which can hold the 2 ducks, heat the chicken broth with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt until it boils. Add the ducks very carefully and bring the stock back to a boil. If there isn't enough stock to cover the ducks, add the hottest tap water to cover. If the ducks float to the top, place a plate on top to keep them immersed. When the stock comes back to a boil, lower the heat and simmer the ducks in the stock for 45 minutes.

When the ducks are finished simmering, skim off enough duck fat from the top of the stock to pour a film on the bottom of a 14 by 18 by 3-inch roasting pan. This will keep the ducks from sticking when they roast. Carefully take the ducks out of the stock, holding them over the pot to drain. Place them in the roasting pan, pat the skin dry with paper towels, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper. If you have time, allow the ducks to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the skin to dry.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. (Be sure your oven is very clean or it will smoke!) Roast the ducks for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow them to rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Elery made some duck breasts which were gifted to us by marinating them in teriyaki and grilling them, but you have to be diligent not to overcook them.

Good luck, and welcome back.

Annie

Nice treat! I think the first thing is to ask your friend how he/she hunted them and if you need to check if there are pellets in the meat.

Since you have two, try one out first with one recipe and make adjustment for the second one.

Wild duck depends on where they were hunted, they can taste very different.

I can't tell you how specifically because I use sous vide cooker to cook.

However, even it quacks like a duck, in general, don't cook it like a domestic duck. Duck recipes don't work very well for wild ducks. They need a lot more seasoning because they are gamier and very lean.

If you like rare meat, cook them rare, other wise stew them. For my taste, they don't taste good cooked in between.

Let us know how you end up making them.

I just bought a farm duck, and I will be making mine in the next few days.

dcarch

This post was edited by dcarch on Thu, Oct 17, 13 at 23:07

May!! It's so nice to see you back on the CF! How's your family? I hope you'll pop in more often. Sorry, I can't add to the discussion, I have never cooked a duck...

Wild ducks are leaner, tougher,stringier and gamier in taste so they are best "stewed" or made into a ragu. I have never cooked one but have eaten them.

I did a Google on wild duck recipes and a good many came up so you might want to peruse them and find one that strikes your fancy.

I don't know about the ducks but I've been wondering where you have been. Good to see you back here.

Hi May, nice to see you here. That stinks that GW is blocked at work. When I was working most social networking sites were blocked, but somehow GW slipped through. It was a life saver. I think I planned my entire kitchen at work. Hee hee.

I never cooked a duck in my life, but I would do what Annie says. She knows.

Try this link for cooking wild ducks. Two methods depending on the fattiness of the particular duck.

All the wild game recipes I've tried from this website have been delicious.

Here is a link that might be useful: Roast Duck or Goose - Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook

And like dcarch says, make sure all the buckshot is out, or you'll break a tooth. It could end up being a $700 duck.

Thanks! I think I'm going to follow the instructions on the link malna posted. I'm hoping to cook them next weekend. I'll let you know how it turns out. Pix if it's a success!

Thanks for all the comments. I've missed y'all too!

HI May long time!

Clive and I were just talking about San Antonio ..and your name came up, Sally too! Can't believe that was almost 5 years ago..how are the boys?

Has it been that long? The boys are fine, thanks! Out of school, gainfully employed and living nearby. Yay!

Agree with dcarch: rare is good if you like rare meat. If you cook the breasts medium well, it'll taste sort of liverish.

The last time someone gave me some ducks, I made a magnificent duck-and-andouille-sausage gumbo.

Oh well, it was a failed experiment. I don't know if I cooked them too long or not long enough. They cooked to the temperature of 140 in about 10 minutes. But when I took the probe out, the juices ran red. Bloody I guess. I put it back in for another 10 minutes. Juices were still red. I let it rest for several minutes and took a taste. I think it was cooked but the flavor was not pleasant. I'm pretty sure I messed up the cooking but I'm also wondering if wild duck is just not a flavor I'd like. Thanks for the info anyway!!