Duck meat flavor!!

[scoopy]

Hi All!

Got a few Questions for you duck hunters out there!

I finally got out for my second time last weekend and managed to shoot a nice little Mallard on Kirkland Island in Ladner. This was the first bird I have ever harvested so I only took one, just in case I did not like the taste. I jumped in the boat and headed back to the 2 road boat launch, packed up the boat and went home. I breasted out the Mallard Drake and set up a frying pan with some onions, diced the breast and threw it in. Added a few spices and seasonings took it to the table. I tried it and found it to be horrible!! It smelled quite bad, and the taste was enough to put me off, but I shot it, so I finished it. Is it possible that I got a stinky over gamey bird? I love bird hunting, but won't continue if I don't like the taste. Do other birds taste better?
Help!

Matt

[Dirty]

Did you soak the meat in salted water? I heard that helps.

[pnbrock]

You Can Soak Them In The Finest Red Wine And They Still Taste Like Crap!however Have Had As Pepperoni Would Not Have Believed It Was Duck.

[longshot]

Watch how much salt, or it'll taste like salt water! If it stinks fishy, you got yourself a fish duck. What we do is soak it in plain cold water and just keep rinsing it with clean water to take as much blood out as possible. No salt or anything. Just a good washing/rinsing out.

It shouldn't stink like anything the moment you first cut it out. Maybe a "little" wild. THATS IT.

longshot jr.

[Marc]

Where was the bird shot? Was the chest and gut hit bad where the stomach juices might have soaked into the meat? Did the meat smell strong before you cooked it?

Some people just don't like the flavor of duck. Mallard is probably one of the mildest flavored dabbler ducks so unless you got a fishy one it's more then likely not going to get any better then what it was.

You may want to get someone who's done a bit of duck hunting and knows how to cook them to do some up for you so you can try it cooked the right way. Then get them to show you how to do it if you like it.

[870]

I find that the more you cook it the more the swamp taste comes out. try cooking it medium well

[f350ps]

Kirkland Island eh? You must have friends in high places. K

[kastles]

The best tasting duck I have had so far has been marinated in olive oil and heavy on the montreal steakspice overnight. Then BBQ'ed to a medium rare.

A duck was the first animal I had to gut and I found it had a stink when I opened it up but that was just what the inside of a animal(and probably us) smells like. When I ate that duck it was the same as all others since. I have also read somewhere on the great web that if you find duck to gamey to marrinade it in vinegar for a couple days. Try google duck recipes

kastles

[naes]

I had duck and geese for the first time at Christmas dinner. I did them up as bacon wrapped Appy's that I found in another thread posted by "Crazy Farmer" It was great All my family tried it and 2/3rds went back for seconds and thirds. The duck was more flavorful and tender the goose was a little tougher (not bad) but had less flavor.
If you go out again I would recommend trying this method.
The Thread was "Smoked roasted boneless Wooduck stuffed with chestnuts, wild rice and apples," Which was originally posted by Ian F.

[Steeleco]

I went out with Dutchie and Elkhound for my first ever duck hunt on Thursday. I was fortunate to bring home one duck. Cooked it up this morning for me and Buckwheat to try. We've never had duck before, but that one won't be the last. It cut and felt like cooking liver, but damn that was good.

All I need now is my own field to hunt on!!!! Next I've gotta try goose!!

[Gateholio]

MMMMMM

Duck breast....


http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs116.snc3/16332_190613270515_526315515_4383527_8124770_n.jpg

[heyblast]

Are you sure you shot a drake Mallard and not a drake Common Merganser. You say this was your second duck hunt and first bird, you could have missidentified it. The only other thought is it was eating dead fish. Most ducks are very good eating and I really hope one bad one dosn't turn you off duck hunting, you'll miss a lot of fun and enjoyment out in the field.

[870]

how did you get permission to hunt kirkland?

[PgHunterKid]

If you end up never liking the taste, don't stop duck hunting. Just give the meat to friends or donate it to some sort of charity for the hungry.

[lp270win]

I find ducks are a little inconsistant in taste. Depends on where you shoot them. If the weather is cold their gonna be eating more on the salt chuck, if the weather is warmer they will be eating more on farmers fields. I hunt on Van Isle and most ducks I shoot are on a farm where theres lots on potatoes, barley, corn, carrots, and pumpkins. When it freezes up we hit the ocean. However ALL the ducks I shot this year are going into the landjaeger pile only because I never got any sausage made out of the 2 deer a shot this year. Most roasted ducks i cook are awsome in taste and the gravy is even better! dont give up just because you shot one poor tasting duck!

[Deer Sausage]

Im not sure where your spot is but if its close enough to a salmon river that could be why. We hunt a river with salmon in it in december when the ponds freeze out. some of the ducks are a guarantee to be on salmon eggs/flesh...mergansers and divers....but some mallards will too. i usually can tell when i pick them up...they smell like bad salmon carcass....somehow some of that smell will sometimes get into the meat...its nasty...i havent found a way to get rid of it. we pick dabblers only but still a get one here there that is basically inedible.:?

[pete_k]

MMMMMM

Duck breast....


You are probably a good guy to ask Gatehouse. You're a Chef?
What is a good method of preparing duck?
Also, what is a good tasting duck? (Interior BC)

I order duck from time to time when we order in Chinese.
It's enjoyable, but I'm sure it tastes much different if cooked
European or Western and would like to harvest my own.

[behemoth]

Gatehouse, that looks like farmed duck breast to me. All the ducks I've shot look alot darker than that.

I would suggest you keep duck hunting, and collect them for sausage and jerky

[300win]

Watch how much salt, or it'll taste like salt water! If it stinks fishy, you got yourself a fish duck. What we do is soak it in plain cold water and just keep rinsing it with clean water to take as much blood out as possible. No salt or anything. Just a good washing/rinsing out.

It shouldn't stink like anything the moment you first cut it out. Maybe a "little" wild. THATS IT.

longshot jr.
The birds on the island are muddy tasting too say the least, because of what they feed on (ocean fed), grain fed tastes much better. As other posts have stated try making pepperoni, duck stew or what I do sometimes with deer liver is soak it in milk it takes a lot of the gamey taste away.:-D GOOD LUCK!!

[Dutch]

There is a lot to be said on when the bird was shot and what he was chowing down on.I always open the crop to see what they have been feeding on (the kids loved this when they were little) some of the more unusual stuff small crabs in a mallard ,oysters in a widgeon and the supreme popcorn from a park in geese.Have had bad and good ducks but years ago we used to do a wild game cook out for a fundraiser every year, elk, moose ,deer, duck ,pheasant and goose.The first thing to go was always the duck, maybe because it was hand picked lolol:wink:

[longshot]

The birds on the island are muddy tasting too say the least, because of what they feed on (ocean fed), grain fed tastes much better. As other posts have stated try making pepperoni, duck stew or what I do sometimes with deer liver is soak it in milk it takes a lot of the gamey taste away.:-D GOOD LUCK!!

Wouldn't say that to all species. Some widgeon and LOTS of pinnies taste muddy, but all the mallards here hide on all the private land. Lots of corn, grass, and other grains for them. Thats why we try for mallard only most of the time. But yes, the species that do hit the ocean and estuaries get 'muddy'.

jr.

[bopper]

Not much you can do for a mallard that has been feeding on rotting salmon, but if the birds you shoot have been feeding on field crops, here's a recipe that can't be beat:

1. Remove breasts from ducks.

2. Immerse breasts in marinade made up of enough......
a. Soy sauce
b. Garlic cloves
c. Sliced onions
d. green pepper slices
to cover the amount of meat you have. Marinade for 4 or more
hours. Drain.

3. Add 1 can of regular ginger ale and marinade for 1 - 2 hours more.
Remove breasts, pat dry. Wrap breasts in bacon slices and secure
with a toothpick.

4. Barbecue over high heat until bacon is done and meat is to
your desired tenderness. If you like your steak rare, you'll like
this duck rare. This recipe produces the "filet mignon " of ducks.

[timberhunter]

No matter what you do to it. It will always taste like duck:mrgreen:

[f350ps]

Not much you can do for a mallard that has been feeding on rotting salmon, but if the birds you shoot have been feeding on field crops, here's a recipe that can't be beat:

1. Remove breasts from ducks.

2. Immerse breasts in marinade made up of enough......
a. Soy sauce
b. Garlic cloves
c. Sliced onions
d. green pepper slices
to cover the amount of meat you have. Marinade for 4 or more
hours. Drain.

3. Add 1 can of regular ginger ale and marinade for 1 - 2 hours more.
Remove breasts, pat dry. Wrap breasts in bacon slices and secure
with a toothpick.

4. Barbecue over high heat until bacon is done and meat is to
your desired tenderness. If you like your steak rare, you'll like
this duck rare. This recipe produces the "filet mignon " of ducks.
One thing I might add is if the mallard has been eating fish you can still use this recipe. When you've finished grilling it you just throw the breast away and eat the bacon. :wink: K

[yamadirt 426]

Not much you can do for a mallard that has been feeding on rotting salmon, but if the birds you shoot have been feeding on field crops, here's a recipe that can't be beat:

1. Remove breasts from ducks.

2. Immerse breasts in marinade made up of enough......
a. Soy sauce
b. Garlic cloves
c. Sliced onions
d. green pepper slices
to cover the amount of meat you have. Marinade for 4 or more
hours. Drain.

3. Add 1 can of regular ginger ale and marinade for 1 - 2 hours more.
Remove breasts, pat dry. Wrap breasts in bacon slices and secure
with a toothpick.

4. Barbecue over high heat until bacon is done and meat is to
your desired tenderness. If you like your steak rare, you'll like
this duck rare. This recipe produces the "filet mignon " of ducks.

Made this recipe last night. Also made a apple /pear duck sauce to go over top. Turned out great. Meat have a nice flavor. Best duck so far !! Thanks

[Chuck]

Boil it for two hours with a grapefruit sized rock. When it's cooled sufficiently, throw the bird away and eat the rock.

[yamadirt 426]

Made the recipe above again. Not the rock one ! Dam good eats. thanks again

[EvanG]

I always cook my ducks on the bbq after an asian style mainade(garlic, soya sauce, terriayki and ginger and have yet to have a bad experiance and that was after much trial and error. If its real bad boil it in the marinade and then bbq, mite not be the most tender but will be edible.

I also alwyas cut into strips and soak in chilled salt water for a few hours first.

[Gateholio]

You are probably a good guy to ask Gatehouse. You're a Chef?
What is a good method of preparing duck?
Also, what is a good tasting duck? (Interior BC)

I order duck from time to time when we order in Chinese.
It's enjoyable, but I'm sure it tastes much different if cooked
European or Western and would like to harvest my own.


My favorite way to cook duck legs is confit.

Use 8gram coarse salt, 5 gram pepper per kilo of duck legs

Toss duck legs with salt and pepper, some garlic cloves, bay leaves and fresh thyme, let sit over night

In the morning, remove legs and drain off any blood. Keep the garlic etc. In a heavy pan, brown the duck in batches, set aside.

Put the duck and garlic/thyme/bay leaves in a heavy pot. Add some white wine (just a tiny bit to start it)

Put it on medium heat until you start to get a tiny simmer, then turn it down low. Place a plate or pan that fits INSIDE the pot on top of duck legs. Press downa nd you cna even use aweigth like a can of tomatoes to hold it down.

Slowly simmer for a few hours. Keep checking to make sure it's not boiling, only simmering.

Eventually the meat will be almost fall off the bone tender

Remove form heat, gently remove legs. Strain liquid and reserve liquid.

In th eold days, you woudl now put some legs in the bottom of acrock, and pour the fatty liquid form the duck legs on top to form a seal (the fat renders off the legs) and place in cellar.

I just use vac packs and put some of the liquid in them and seal.



Boneless Breasts:

Grill or pan fry, skin side down, over gentle heat until the fat renders down a bit and gets crispy.

Put pan in pre heated 400-450 degre oven for abotu 10 minutes,until breast is cooked medium. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with your favorite sauce.

That's how I cook the breats 90% of the time....I serve it with soem demi glace or you coudl make an orange demi glace if you want to kick it old school:mrgreen:

[Gateholio]

Gatehouse, that looks like farmed duck breast to me. All the ducks I've shot look alot darker than that.

I would suggest you keep duck hunting, and collect them for sausage and jerky

We raise ducks, I don't hunt them. When raw, the meat is a very dark purple colour, similar to deer or moose meat.

[yamadirt 426]

Ya I cooked them on the bbq. legs wings and breasts. Next i'm going to make a substitute soya sauce. Its just alittle salty. Well not for me but others. I will add some teriayki as well.

[Gateholio]

Try low sodium soy sauce form Kikoman

[yamadirt 426]

Will do and thanks for the other recipe. :-D Makes my mouth water and want to shoot something. :twisted:

[pete_k]

My favorite way to cook duck legs is confit.

Use 8gram coarse salt, 5 gram pepper per kilo of duck legs

Toss duck legs with salt and pepper, some garlic cloves, bay leaves and fresh thyme, let sit over night

In the morning, remove legs and drain off any blood. Keep the garlic etc. In a heavy pan, brown the duck in batches, set aside.

Put the duck and garlic/thyme/bay leaves in a heavy pot. Add some white wine (just a tiny bit to start it)

Put it on medium heat until you start to get a tiny simmer, then turn it down low. Place a plate or pan that fits INSIDE the pot on top of duck legs. Press downa nd you cna even use aweigth like a can of tomatoes to hold it down.

Slowly simmer for a few hours. Keep checking to make sure it's not boiling, only simmering.

Eventually the meat will be almost fall off the bone tender

Remove form heat, gently remove legs. Strain liquid and reserve liquid.

In th eold days, you woudl now put some legs in the bottom of acrock, and pour the fatty liquid form the duck legs on top to form a seal (the fat renders off the legs) and place in cellar.

I just use vac packs and put some of the liquid in them and seal.



Boneless Breasts:

Grill or pan fry, skin side down, over gentle heat until the fat renders down a bit and gets crispy.

Put pan in pre heated 400-450 degre oven for abotu 10 minutes,until breast is cooked medium. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with your favorite sauce.

That's how I cook the breats 90% of the time....I serve it with soem demi glace or you coudl make an orange demi glace if you want to kick it old school:mrgreen:

Thats great. Good instructions. Thanks.
I'll buy duck next Saturday and try it out.

[Gateholio]

Shoudl have also said- When you go to reheat your duck legs, do it in a hot oven, to crisp up the skin. You can also use a broiler, just keep an eye on it.

Serve with your favorite gravy or sauce

[rbduck]

I haven`t met any duck meat I haven`t liked since I move here from B.C. in 76. Shooting ducks on the Delta or Ladner marshes plus off the dykes in Richmond, I did find the birds a bit "fishy tasting". Now....there is nothing like a big fat prairie corn/barley/oat fed duck. I even shot a Mallard Drake a few years back that was full of Leopard Frogs and after cleaning all the ducks, I could not tell the difference in taste.
I`ve tried all sorts of duck recipes over the years and I still find duck is my favourite wild meat.
Salt and peppered, pan fried or BBqed medium rare, I find is still the simplest and best way to serve duck.

Ron:mrgreen:

[Marley420]

This late in the season I find the ducks to have a muddy taste. I find the best tasting ducks are right after the Northern birds come down into the Lower Mainland. However I have found if you marinate over night in a milk bath it takes some of the wild taste away. Also if you pound the breast to Schnitzel size patty, coat it with spices and bread crumbs and pan fry in olive oil, onions and garlic, the meat is hard not to enjoy.

When cooking the breast whole be sure to score the fat so it doesn't shrivel up. I recommend med rare at the most. Let it rest for 5-10 mins and enjoy.

Try stews, curry or a slow cooker. There are so many options.

I agree that if you keep all of your birds through the season, and turn the meat into sausage or pepperoni, you will love it.

Keep on hunting!!!

[Kirby]

Use 2% or homo milk and soak it for 24 hours.

Kirby

[Mr. Dean]

Boneless Breasts:

Grill or pan fry, skin side down, over gentle heat until the fat renders down a bit and gets crispy.

Put pan in pre heated 400-450 degre oven for abotu 10 minutes,until breast is cooked medium. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with your favorite sauce.

That's how I cook the breats 90% of the time....I serve it with soem demi glace or you coudl make an orange demi glace if you want to kick it old school:mrgreen:

So far, I've only cooked 6 ducks (all mallards and widgeon) but,,, they were all done pretty much like this with exce[tion that, mine were skinless and I added some sort of various 'rub' a couple hours before browning in the skillet.... And I skipped the fancy-pants sauce/glaze thingy. I try to go for medium (140) after letting them rest....

GOOD EATS! that have a hint of beef liver flavour. :cool:

[Fred H]

I like every kind of duck. With dabblers, I don't do much to change the flavour: salt pepper and good gravy but I marinate sea-ducks and remove any visible fat. When I am away from home for a while, I miss the strong flavor of eider and scotters.