Duck - Skin On or Skin Off

[thetoolman]

So I had some fresh duck breasts from Sunday and this being my second go around with duck I tried something a little different. I took two ducks and one I plucked the breasts and cut them out with the skin on, the other I cut the breasts out with the skin off. Cooked in the same skillet to Medium with a little Garlic Salt and Savory Duck Rub. The skin on was more tender and had quite a bit more flavor. The skin itself was a little chewy. Either way for my second go around at duck it far surpasses everything I have ever been told about duck. It is pretty dang tasty.

But it is hard as crap to get all those tiny little feathers off.

 

[WMAn]

The eight deadly sin is consuming poultry, game birds, and fowl skinless!

 

[Crosshairy]

So how much wax to you burn through with that approach? Actually, I guess you could drop all that crap back in the hot water, re-melt it, then scoop off the feathers with a strainer/colander, right?

The wax/hot water might get messy after a few rounds of that, but otherwise it seems like you'd run through some wax pretty quick.

 

[TAFKAP]

So I had some fresh duck breasts from Sunday and this being my second go around with duck I tried something a little different. I took two ducks and one I plucked the breasts and cut them out with the skin on, the other I cut the breasts out with the skin off. Cooked in the same skillet to Medium with a little Garlic Salt and Savory Duck Rub. The skin on was more tender and had quite a bit more flavor. The skin itself was a little chewy. Either way for my second go around at duck it far surpasses everything I have ever been told about duck. It is pretty dang tasty.

But it is hard as crap to get all those tiny little feathers off.

Absolutely, skin on. The "art" to perfectly seared duck breasts is getting the skillet hot enough for long enough to crisp the skin and render the fat underneath, without burning anything. It's delicious.

 

[TAFKAP]

So how much wax to you burn through with that approach? Actually, I guess you could drop all that crap back in the hot water, re-melt it, then scoop off the feathers with a strainer/colander, right?

The wax/hot water might get messy after a few rounds of that, but otherwise it seems like you'd run through some wax pretty quick.

Yes to all. I'm pretty new at this, and I used about 1 bar of wax for a mallard. I'd imagine as I get better, the wax usage will go down. The hardest part I've found has been trying to carefully peel wax away from around pellet holes without pulling skin off with it.

 

[chunkandwind]

Nothing like a duck sandwich with crispy skin.

 

[mike243]

So how much wax to you burn through with that approach? Actually, I guess you could drop all that crap back in the hot water, re-melt it, then scoop off the feathers with a strainer/colander, right?

The wax/hot water might get messy after a few rounds of that, but otherwise it seems like you'd run through some wax pretty quick.

Yes to all. I'm pretty new at this, and I used about 1 bar of wax for a mallard. I'd imagine as I get better, the wax usage will go down. The hardest part I've found has been trying to carefully peel wax away from around pellet holes without pulling skin off with it.

Chaney hasn't taught you how to head shoot them yet ? :)

 

[TAFKAP]

I've never pulled the trigger on a duck. I was odd man out the last time they went duck hunting, so when I got back from looking for deer, they gave me the birds they shot.

 

[Inkstainz]

You won't find a better teacher than chaneylake

 

[Kimber45]

My grandmother has been gone now for 13 yrs however, I had been HUGE in duck hunting prior to that for MANY years and got regular butt chewings from her about not plucking and searing the feathers off - keep the ducks skin intact! She made it very clear to me that she'd cooked em both ways for many years - skin on gave the meat the flavor I'd prefer.. Of course, she was right :) but man its SO easy to just breast out a duck :D