Wild Duck Recipes

[owejia]

Been gifted some wild ducks, remember my Mother making wild duck and dressing back in my youth, loved it. Will be making this and would like to try different recipes. These were skinned and deboned, so not whole ducks. What recipes for duck breast filets and pressure cooked duck meat do you have?

[Todd N.]

For duck breast...

Slice breast into medallions about 1.5" thick. Brown on both sides in a medium-hot cast iron skillet with some olive oil, then lower heat. To the pan add 2-3 minced shallots (or 1 onion), 1/4 cup finely chopped prunes or raisins, your herb of preference (I use rosemary), a generous splash of soy sauce, a TBS of Dijon mustard, and enough beef broth to cover meat and some dark red wine. Simmer it covered on the stovetop, low heat, for hours until the pan liquids are thick, or put it in the oven for a couple hours at 300* or so. When the liquids are thick and well reduced and the meat is tender, add salt and pepper to taste, some chopped parsley, and stir in a tsp or so of GOOD Balsamic vinegar to finish.

Served over some mashed Yukon Golds... fabuious!

[BK7saum]

I always cubed duck breast in 3/4 to 1" squares. Marinate in Italian dressing 12-25 hrs. place on skewers with peppers, onion, and wrap in bacon. Grill or place on smoker. The marinade in Italian dressing helps remove the strong flavor. I've had lots of folks that didnt like duck say it was great.

Anyway, that's the way my family and I cook out duck.

Oh, I've also made duck jerky on several occasions when the freezer was getting full at the end of season.

[garandsrus]

For holiday gatherings, I marinate duck or goose breast chunks in soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and a little pepper. After marinating, wrap with 1/2 slice bacon and grill. Disappears quickly!

[trails4u]

Duck has always been our go to for gumbo.... Or more so, our excuse to make a good gumbo. It's a labor of love when done right...but so worth it.

[Lloyd Smale]

carefully pluck all the feathers. Soak in brine solution overnight. Toss the brine solution and the duck and go and buy a chicken!!!!

[gbrown]

Not sure why you want to pressure cook them. We always had whole ducks, stuffed them with apple, onion, celery, garlic and butter in the cavity, seasoned the cavity and outside with salt and pepper. Wrapped them with 3-4 pieces of bacon, depending on size--teal vs. mallard or pintail--wrapped in aluminum foil and cooked for about 2-3 hours in a 250 oven. Unwrap the last 30 minutes. Tender and moist. Might make a cornbread/white bread dressing with lots of celery, onion, sage, salt and pepper to taste, Well moistened with chicken broth and butter, place the breasts with a layer of the dressing under and some heaped up around the sides. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake in the oven. Not sure of the time, as don't know size of the breast. Uncover last 30 minutes.

[Thundarstick]

Please please! Don't skin a duck! The best part of a duck is the fat, why do you think they make such yummy dressing? Pluck that duck! Look up duck press. The French had the best way to fix duck figured out long ago.

[fcvan]

Many moons ago, a good friend visited me when I was in Nor Cal and we went out on a local lake. It rained all day but my buddy got a couple nice Mallards. I got skunked! Anyway, he was an avid duck hunter from the Central CA valley area. Well, he prepared a marinade of melted butter and what seasonings I had on hand. He cooked the ducks low and slow, maybe 225, and basted frequently. It took me 4 hours to completely disassemble, clean, oil, and reassemble my Wingmaster. I always called that one my baby as it was the first gun Dad gave me. Being the youngest, I watched my older brothers and mother get theirs first. Yes, I still have the original box and papers from 45 years ago. Anyway, cleaning that gun kept me busy enough so I was not tortured by the smells filling the entire house. Every time I wipe down that gun I think of how good those Mallards tasted, having been basted low and slow. Oh, I was able to pick up an 870 Express Magnum, matte black, composite stock when my agency dumped a bunch of them, mine being un-fired. Next duck hunt my baby will be warm in the safe while the business gun gets a workout. Hopefully some Mallard or Canvas back will get cooked low, slow, and basted, using available seasonings. Can't go wrong!

[MaryB]

870 Express... look at it and it rusts LOL I had to keep mine oil soaked...

[fcvan]

870 Express... look at it and it rusts LOL I had to keep mine oil soaked...

Oh I will treat it like a Wingmaster, I just don't have to worry about the stock. Like I said, it was unfired from the Armory through a dealer. I can't say out loud what I paid for it (and 4 others, all unfired) but lets just say it was a thrifty purchase. And yes, I have seen them rust too while I was still working.

[barrabruce]

Hmmm
Pluck ducks
Chuck in baking dish.
Salt and pepper , some youngens .a little Butter or oil
Bake in oven high temp for about good 1/2 hr then turn to brown.
Add a inch of water and alfoil lid and cook slow. Check water and add when needed.
Prolly 4-6 hrs.
Leave the lid off and you will get a nice rich sauce/gravy.
They will fall apart when you lift them up from the pan with tongs.
Make a gravy with leftover and burnt bits.
Serve on plate with some bread and eat with hands and suck the bones.
Spit out shot where appropriate.

Wash down with a good brew of tea or what ever grabs your fancy.



Left overs can be de boned and made into devil duck.

Ohh the giblets and hearts make the mostest best stew or patte.

When I was young doing a hundred or two after a family shoot was not uncommon on opening days or organised shoots.

Yes I’ve eaten a few growing up.

Camp oven is a good way too.

Add some pearl barley ,celery ,wild rice from their crops , spuds and carrots and onions.
Bit water keep cooking slow till it’s all cooked and leave it an extra 1/2 to an hr and then it should be cooked proper.

Always wondered what the poor people ate growing up.

[DGV]

Very true! Especially with sea ducks.