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Smoking a duck (farm raised) for the first time for Christmas. Suggestions?
Posted on 12/20/23 at 12:47 pm
Posted on 12/20/23 at 12:47 pm
I'm going to be buying a large farm raised duck from the Asian market (head and feet still on), and smoke it for Christmas dinner. I've read up on it some and it seems pretty simple:
- Poke holes in skin
- Dry brine with Kosher salt for 3 hours per pound
- Rinse salt off and pat dry
- Add duck to smoker (do I need to truss?) and smoke at 250-275 until breast is 160. I may up the temp to 350 for the last half hour to crisp the skin.
- Brush duck with a glaze. I'm planning on orange juice and maple syrup mixed together
- Broil for a few minutes to help crisp skin with the glaze and render fat. I'll probably do this on the grate above the fire box on my offset smoker / stick burner.
Am I missing something? I may put a pan under the duck (below the grate) to catch the drippings.
Also, what do I do with the head and feet? I've had chicken feet before and wasn't a huge fan. I'll cut the neck off and get the meat off that...but the head?
- Poke holes in skin
- Dry brine with Kosher salt for 3 hours per pound
- Rinse salt off and pat dry
- Add duck to smoker (do I need to truss?) and smoke at 250-275 until breast is 160. I may up the temp to 350 for the last half hour to crisp the skin.
- Brush duck with a glaze. I'm planning on orange juice and maple syrup mixed together
- Broil for a few minutes to help crisp skin with the glaze and render fat. I'll probably do this on the grate above the fire box on my offset smoker / stick burner.
Am I missing something? I may put a pan under the duck (below the grate) to catch the drippings.
Also, what do I do with the head and feet? I've had chicken feet before and wasn't a huge fan. I'll cut the neck off and get the meat off that...but the head?
8
Posted on 12/20/23 at 1:22 pm to SUB
Posted on 12/20/23 at 2:06 pm to SUB
quote:
Also, what do I do with the head and feet?
Cut the head in half and stir fry it. Eat the skin and scoop out the brains. I've never done it he had it in China. Or just use it and the feet in the stock you're going to make with the carcass.
Posted on 12/20/23 at 2:12 pm to SUB
In the glaze I'd add some cardamon, star anise and maybe a cinnamon stick.
Posted on 12/20/23 at 2:14 pm to SUB
quote:
- Poke holes in skin
quote:Be careful not to exceed 2% or you will affect the texture. Might end up with duck ham.
- Dry brine with Kosher salt for 3 hours per pound
quote:would do well to air dry in the refrigerator for a couple of days after brining.
- Rinse salt off and pat dry
quote:not necesarry to truss. Be careful with the skin crisping step if you are going to add a glaze. Glaze = moisture which could retard crisping. Glaze also = sugar which could burn at higher temperatures. You could employ the Peking duck cooking method but it's a lot of work for one duck.
- Add duck to smoker (do I need to truss?) and smoke at 250-275 until breast is 160. I may up the temp to 350 for the last half hour to crisp the skin.
- Brush duck with a glaze. I'm planning on orange juice and maple syrup mixed together
- Broil for a few minutes to help crisp skin with the glaze and render fat. I'll probably do this on the grate above the fire box on my offset smoker / stick burner.
quote:Roast and dehydrate them for the dog.
what do I do with the head and feet?
Posted on 12/20/23 at 2:45 pm to BigDropper
I don't do duck a lot but 2-3 times a year or so. I just poke some holes in the skin, lightly salt, and then put it on a rack in the fridge overnight or close to 24 hours.
I'm not sure I'd glaze it if you want good crispy skin, that goes against your effort to some degree especially first time. I'd have the glaze as a back up when your likely not quite perfect skin needs it to be dipped in.
I think the overnight in the fridge and using a meat thermometer so as not to overcook are the 2 most important steps.
I'm not sure I'd glaze it if you want good crispy skin, that goes against your effort to some degree especially first time. I'd have the glaze as a back up when your likely not quite perfect skin needs it to be dipped in.
I think the overnight in the fridge and using a meat thermometer so as not to overcook are the 2 most important steps.
Posted on 12/20/23 at 3:08 pm to SUB
I switched to buying "Buddist style" duck at Asian markets because I didn't like paying meat prices for the orange-flavored sugar water that comes with most supermarket frozen ducks. I use the head, neck and feet to get a start on duck stock. Chop raw neck into pot-size chucks then brown everything in a little hot oil along with bits of duck fat. Then simmer in a quart water seasoned as you like until meat falls off bones. The head will fall apart and most of the feet yield gelatin. Strain and remove bones. Later I use this stock to simmer the leftover cooked duck carcass. Eventually it all becomes gumbo.
Posted on 12/20/23 at 7:03 pm to SUB
I’ve done store-bought ducks on the rotisserie on a Weber kettle a few times. The recipes I read said to avoid poking through to the meat when piercing the skin. A good tip was to use a small knife and come at the skin almost parallel to it, so the tip of the knife slides just under the skin, creating a hole for the fat to render through. Some dunk it in boiling water a few times to melt some fat, but I’ve never done that.
Put a pan under it because it will drip a lot of grease. I cooked with cherry wood for flavor and mahogany color. No glaze. Just kept it simple, and it’s been good.
Put a pan under it because it will drip a lot of grease. I cooked with cherry wood for flavor and mahogany color. No glaze. Just kept it simple, and it’s been good.
Posted on 12/24/23 at 12:21 pm to SUB
Salted it last night and left in fridge uncovered.
Feet were still frozen to the inside of the cavity last night, but I got them out this morning.
Rinsed the salt off after about 15 hours and it is now uncovered in the fridge.
Question: I’ve read that you can serve duck medium rare. Has anyone done this? What temp did you pull off the pit?
Feet were still frozen to the inside of the cavity last night, but I got them out this morning.
Rinsed the salt off after about 15 hours and it is now uncovered in the fridge.
Question: I’ve read that you can serve duck medium rare. Has anyone done this? What temp did you pull off the pit?
Posted on 12/24/23 at 12:45 pm to SUB
breast yes, thighs no (not dangerous just unappetizing). I would pull the bird short of med rare breast and quarter the carcass, then return the thighs to cook to 170 ish
by the time they are done your breasts should be nice and rested and ready to slice. You can also pop them back in if they are no longer warm enough
by the time they are done your breasts should be nice and rested and ready to slice. You can also pop them back in if they are no longer warm enough
Posted on 12/24/23 at 2:01 pm to SUB
I've been smoking 2 ducks every thanksgiving the last couple of years.
I treat it the same as you would roasting a duck in the oven. I do this with any poultry. Gets a good smoke flavor and the skin doesn't turn to rubber
I'll score the breast to let out some of the fat.
If you have a way to put a pan under the ducks, slice up some sweet potatoes and cook them under the duck.
I treat it the same as you would roasting a duck in the oven. I do this with any poultry. Gets a good smoke flavor and the skin doesn't turn to rubber
I'll score the breast to let out some of the fat.
If you have a way to put a pan under the ducks, slice up some sweet potatoes and cook them under the duck.
This post was edited on 12/24/23 at 2:03 pm
Posted on 12/26/23 at 7:54 am to mchias1
It came out good! Thank you all for the tips, and Merry Christmas!
I threw the whole thing on the fire box grate on my smoker at the end for about 20 seconds, which is why you see the head, neck, and chest a little blackened.
I threw the whole thing on the fire box grate on my smoker at the end for about 20 seconds, which is why you see the head, neck, and chest a little blackened.
This post was edited on 12/26/23 at 11:14 am
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