Roasted duck yesterday using Richard's/Joe's methods

Serving with Joe's/Julie's potato pancakes - in duck fat

Potato pancakes were from my friend Julie: Grate four largish russet potatoes on the FINE side of a grater. Add half a large onion, grated (coarse holes will do) and drain off any extra liquid. Add two beaten eggs, 2 Tbs. flour, salt and pepper. Line two baking sheets with paper towels. Portion out the pancakes on one of them, using about 2 Tbs. to form pancakes about 2 inches across and 1/2 and inch thick. There will be liquid left in the bowl. Fry in oil (I USED DUCK FAT!) and keep warm on the other paper-lined sheet in a 200*F oven. The fine texture of the grated potato was sublime. When pressed for the secret to my potato cakes, I finally admitted to the duck fat.

http://eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=174188

 
Sauce with cooked giblets

Not sure if I'll make a wine enriched "gravy" or chose fruit-based orange or blueberry sauce. Will depend on how the meat tastes when finished. Maybe no sauce at all with potato pancakes! Colleen

 
Crispy skin? Anyone do this?

I didn't cut the neck skin away but spread it out in the pan when I roasted the duck.

Wondering if I can trim the excess skin and crisp it separately from the duck. May know if this is possible when I melt the fat and flip the duck later today. smileys/wink.gif Colleen

 
1 duck liver pate - anyone ever try this?

I found several recipes that look as if they can be modified for a 2-person treat - extending the finished amount with wonderful add-ins. Certainly it would be "better" with more livers but I think I can create something yummy with the one liver that came from the bird. Wish that there had been 2!

Any advice? Colleen

 
Any advice on the best way to capture and save duck fat?

I'm prepared to strain through cheesecloth for a final save. How "clean" should the fat be to store in the fridge?
OR
Can I just as easily use it from the freezer and leave in the roasted bits? What would you do? Colleen

 
I've never done that but usually the skin is air dried. Removes the moisture for extra crispiness.

 
Yes, of course you can crisp the skin away from the duck--after skinning for

duck confit, the fat is rendered, and the skin is deliciously crisp and impossible to resist.

 
When it comes to fat, I've always strained out the bits, then froze the fat. Any leftover

bits and juices is what makes the fat turn rancid quicker, so make sure you leave that behind. Or better yet, save liquid and bits in a separate container (like stock) and use it quickly.

 
As with most other fats, try to get as much moisture out of the fat as possible. . .

Skim the fat from any liquid, let it settle and separate from any moisture, skim again and strain. Though if there are bits floating in fat, I leave them for extra flavor.

If you have a lot of fat, (and you will from a duck, rest assured!), it is pretty easy to ladle off the fat with little to almost no moisture. I ladle it into a deep glass container, then use a turkey baster to suction off any liquid or (usually) pour the fat off the liquid and stop pouring just before the liquid starts to run out.

 
Thanks to everyone who offered their help! You guys are the best

The duck was just okay. All of the fat did not render for me - all of the meat was tasty, but tough, and the skin was thick and chewy. I have the bones in the oven now and am hoping to eek out a bit more duck fat. Culinary gold!

Joe's Julie's Potato Pancakes were to-die-for! With a schmear of sour cream, absolutely unbelievable!

The pate was perfect but with only one duck liver (soaked overnight in milk), not nearly enough for the two of us to share. Just liver, fat, onion, spices and a dash of cognac - it could have been extended with butter and cream (and mushrooms or chicken livers) but the duck liver flavor was so enjoyable, we wouldn't change a thing. We inhaled every tasty morsel!

The giblet sauce/gravy (I added red wine) was yummy but did not get eaten - too much else going on. We have one of the duck breasts left and I plan to make mashed potatoes for the gravy - with sliced duck breast as the side.

Soup ahead and I'm hoping the pieces of skin I'm roasting will become crispy. I'd love to have them chopped into bits for garnish! Colleen

 
Red wine sauce/gravy for duck

Giblet cooking liquid*
Juices from roasting duck
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup all purpose flour
salt and pepper
Giblets - cooked*

1. Remove duck from roasting pan, pour juices into a large measuring cup. Set aside to allow fat to separate from juices.
2. Pour giblet cooking liquid into roasting pan and heat on stove, stirring to scrape up roasted bits.
3. Separate juices from the duck fat in the measuring cup and add juices to roasting pan. Bring to simmer, stirring. (Save fat!)
4. Whisk wine and flour together and add slowly to simmering juices, stirring to blend. Continue to simmer and stir sauce until flour is cooked and the proper consistency is reached. Depending on the amount of juices you start with, you may need to add more flour or water - I needed to add more flour (mixed with cold water). Sauce will be thinner and gravy, thicker.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Strain, if desired.
6. Stir in diced giblets and serve.

*Neck and heart simmered for 1 hour in covered saucepan with 4 cups water, 1 large celery stalk/tops, sliced, and 1/2 large onion, sliced. Strain, saving cooking liquid, and finely dice giblets.

 
Duck Liver Pate - simple

I used this Jacques Pepin recipe from Epicurious and served it on 8 crackers. Yummy!

Duck Liver Pate - makes 1/2 cup
3 ounces duck fat
1 large shallot, peeled and coarsely chopped (2 1/2 tablespoons)
1 duck liver (about 3 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Cognac
16 1/4-inch-thick horizontal slices from a small baguette, toasted

1. Place duck fat in a skillet, and cook over medium to high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until the fat has melted and some of it has browned.

2. Add the shallots, and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Add the liver, herbes de Provence, and garlic, and cook over medium to high heat for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the salt and pepper.

3. Transfer the mixture to a blender, add the Cognac, and blend until liquefied. If a finer textured pâté is desired, push the mixture through the holes of a strainer with a spoon. This will yield 1/2 cup. Let cool for at least 1 1/2 hours, then cover and and refrigerate until serving time.

4. Spread the pâté on the toasted baguette slices, and serve. The pâté will keep, well covered, for 3 to 4 days.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/duck-liver-pate-105586

 
Woo Hoo! Have you ever clarified butter? You can clarify duck fat the same way

Strain it, then reheat it until it starts sputtering and crackling. This is the liquid part at the bottom of the pan evaporating. When the crackling slows down to a whisper, take it off heat and put into containers to refrigerate or freeze.

If you're freezing it, all this is less important, but it's still a good idea to separate the fat from the liquid.

 
"impossible to resist" - yes indeed!

Roasted skin and bones in a big pan together and now have tasty crispy bits of duck skin to sprinkle as garnish. Ate way more than I should have - oh, well. Thank-you for your advice!

Also have roasty-tasting (brown) duck fat I'm looking forward to cooking with. Colleen

 
Of course! Didn't think of this!

I did need the juice for the gravy-sauce but simmering the remaining duck fat is a great idea to extend the freshness and enrich.

And now I have a bit of brown (roasted) duck fat to play with, as well. And crispy skin bits smileys/smile.gif

Thank-you for so generously sharing all of your duck-knowledge! Colleen

 
This was a treat over mashed potatoes

And probably would be just as wonderful over garlic or cauliflower mashed! I liked the light red wine flavor but DH did not. He opted to eat his mashed plain. Colleen

 
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