Whole Duck

HouseMartin567

On another thread someone mentioned 2kg ducks being for sale at Lidl. I have never bought a whole duck before - only duck breast - so I’m wondering how many meals you would expect to get out of a 2kg duck? Would it be similar to the same sized chicken?

And what would you use the leftovers for? I can think of duck pancakes, and I’ve had a hoisin duck pizza before. Any other suggestions?

tooldle

Wraps? Bao buns? Stir fry type dish?
I’ve never bought a whole duck and can only recall buying duck breast a couple of times. 

I’m guessing ratio of meat to bone is pretty much the same as for chicken (70:30 ish)

mebu60

Duck & mushroom curry. 

NextToNowt

I never get quite as much meat from a duck as I do from a chicken but always stretch it to a few meals. Breast each for one meal, leg each for another, duck wraps with hoisin as a snack or a side to a bigger meal using the skin and scraps. I always boil the carcass then and use any remaining scraps (there’s always some!) and the stock to make a Thai coconut noodle broth 🤤

HouseMartin567

Ooh, thanks all. Don’t know why u didn’t think of wraps and stir fry. I’m also now googling how to make bao buns but I’m thinking they might be one of those things where it’s just easier to buy the buns!!

comeandgo

Ducks don’t have the same meat on them as chickens.  While I could get 6 meals from a decent sized chicken only 3 in same size duck.

Rosetta92

Don’t forget to collect all the duck fat for roast potatoes. Keeps for ages in the fridge. 

PipneyJane

As @Rosetta92 said, drain off the fat and save it for cooking dishes later. 

My rule of thumb for roasting a duck - or a goose - is to stab the skin with a fork in multiple places, rub over some salt and pepper, place it in an roasting pan with a cup of water and then to bake it at 200c.  After the first 45 min, lift out the duck and drain off the fat into a bowl, leaving a little in the bottom so the duck doesn’t stick. Repeat in half an hour, if necessary.  (If you have one of those fancy “gravy making” jugs with a spout at the bottom, this is the time to use it.   Drain the fat into that, then pour off the stock that will have formed at the bottom and save it for making your gravy. Meanwhile transfer the fat ASAP to a bowl to cool - don’t leave it in the jug because it’ll be really difficult to clean.)

Apologies but I can’t remember timings per kilo.  (I always check those in one of Nigella’s cookbooks.) For the last hour of cooking time put your par-boiled roasties alongside and baste. Salt as necessary.  Yum!   

Also, make duck stock with the bones and giblets, after stripping off all the visible meat.  

Ducks are bigger/heavier boned than chickens, so there will be less meat left on the carcass after the first meal, probably only enough for one other dinner.  I usually do a Duck Risotto with the leftovers, using duck fat to fry everything in.  If I’m really well organised, I’ll have made the duck stock first and use that as the stock component in the recipe.

HTH

- Pip

Wraithlady

HouseMartin567 said:

Ooh, thanks all. Don’t know why u didn’t think of wraps and stir fry. I’m also now googling how to make bao buns but I’m thinking they might be one of those things where it’s just easier to buy the buns!!

Marcus & Spencius do pre-made bao buns - there is a recipe on the Good Food website but tbh I've never tried it.

Mnoee

HouseMartin567 said:

Ooh, thanks all. Don’t know why u didn’t think of wraps and stir fry. I’m also now googling how to make bao buns but I’m thinking they might be one of those things where it’s just easier to buy the buns!!

I've made bao buns a few times - if you have a steamer and are fairly confident with general bready things, they're not too difficult. I tend to go for closed buns vs the folded ones, I can never make them as pretty as the people online, but they're still tasty. If you'd need to buy equipment or can't make a basic loaf, just buy them.

Gressingham also sell the very thin duck pancakes - my attempts to make them were an absolute failure! 

Brie

4 dinners only in my case.  2 eating the breasts, 2 with the legs.  And that's if we're not overly hungry else we'll down it between 2 of us in one meal.