Cooking duck a little philosophically

[slowshooter]

One of the things I have noticed over the years is that a lot of folks, when cooking dinner, do their level best to make duck taste like something else or as an ingredient where it no longer even resembles game.

Personally I like the gamey taste of duck, it makes the tasteless chicken bought in a store taste like cardboard. A friend of mine has taken adding bullion to every chicken dish just to make it taste like chicken. Bleah.

Around here we cook duck very simply. But to counter point the flavor of game which can dominate the plate. We use side dishes that are more flavorful. Think Moroccan, Mexican, Indian food.

Applying chinese philosophy of having a balanced place in terms of flavors, texture, color really do work when approaching a meal plan.

On the rare occasion that we do focus on the game being the "loudest" or at least the most savory thing on the plate then the sides and wine are chosen to compliment not compete.

Gotta a touch of the flu so hope this makes a little sense.

Hmmm. The only thing I can think of that falls outside the above is chili. - even then it taste like duck or goose chili.

[rabbitdundied]

If you cook duck correctly there is no gaminess. Salt and pepper are the only two things I use on a duck.

[slowshooter]

All depends on how you define gamey.

[Tiburon5]

Hmmm. The only thing I can think of that falls outside the above is chili. - even then it taste like duck or goose chili.

not if u add some other kind of meat in it. if u add deer taste like deer chili, if u add beef taste like beef chili and so on.

[slowshooter]

But then it's not duck or goose chili. It's duck/goose and something else chili.

[Tiburon5]

does it matter if it is taistes good?!? i mean look at hot dogs for ex.

[aunt betty]

If you cook it right, duck will taste really good like steak. If you take the same meat and cook it too long it will taste like liver. It's all about how you handle game that puts the "gamey" flavor in it.

If you like gamey I suggest not cleaning your ducks quickly or cooling them off quickly. Let them stew in their own juices until the next day and then clean them. Then over-cook the meat and whalla...super-gamey.

Get my point?

THIS IS NOT A JOKE!

[rabbitdundied]

This

[slowshooter]

Again, it depends on how you define gamey. When I say that I mean that it has flavor - not just the flavor of liver. A good duck is aged to perfection and cooked either quickly or for a very long time. If you are in the middle you will likely get a liver taste.

I guess we could talk about why there is liver taste at all. But heck, cook some cuts of beef incorrectly and you can make that taste like liver as well.

All that boils down to that if I meant "liver flavor" I would have typed "liver flavor". Natch.

It appears that we all like good food well cooked.

[dudejcb]

If you cook it right, duck will taste really good like steak. If you take the same meat and cook it too long it will taste like liver. It's all about how you handle game that puts the "gamey" flavor in it.

Very true. duck and goose (and all wild game and fish) should never be overcooked.

It helps if you like your steak rare, try hunter's duck.

Place whole plucked ducks (lightly oiled and seasoned) on a rack and bake at 500 degrees. Cook mallards for 30 minutes; wood ducks, pintail, gadwall for 25 minutes; teal for 20 minutes. Before you put them in the oven sprinkle a layer of rock salt in the bottom of the pan under the rack (it prevents duck fat from splattering up your oven and smoking up your house). Halfway throughcooking baste skin with ice water to make it crispy. DO NOT OVERCOOK!

Duck skins will come out brown and the meat hot and rare ... tasting almost like very fine beef, only pure duck. Serve with whatever turns you on...wild rice, barley & onions, salad, garlic toast.

It goes without saying that duck preparation and cooking of this nature should involve a few tumblers of red wine in order to be one with the Coyote. Note too, it may be a good idea to keep sheepish women away from a hunter feeding frenzy as it tends to gross them out.