Have you eaten Common Merganser or would you?

[lokidog]

I shot a Common Merganser the other day and there were some comments made about the inedibility of them.  So, tonight I did a taste test.  I made Salisbury Steak with it (ground up and seasoned), I also made Scoter and Oldsquaw.  Each meat was kept seperate but seasoned the exact same way. 

They were all excellent, in fact the Merganser was the lightest colored of them.  There was not a hint of gamey/ducky taste to it or the other bottom feeders.

Here are some dinner pics.  1. ground duck, Scoter, Oldsquaw, Merganser  2. seasoned duck  3. started cooking  4. cooked  5. plated

 

[seth30]

I would try it

[sakoshooter]

I used to get teased for shooting, keeping and eating them until I convinced a few of my hunting partners over the years to try them. No more teasing. Can't tell the difference. Big ducks, big breasts also.

[lokidog]

I used to get teased for shooting, keeping and eating them until I convinced a few of my hunting partners over the years to try them. No more teasing. Can't tell the difference. Big ducks, big breasts also.

You'd think they would have more meat since they are so big, but there is still quite a bit.  Merganser breast= 0.5 lb, two Oldsquaw= 0.75 lb, and three Scoter= 0.75 lb.  A few years ago I did a hunt at Moses Lake with some guys, the second day we shot about 20 mergansers (hardly anything else showed up), only one guy wanted some so I got a lot of duck.  I also got all of the legs from the whole weekend.   

[irishevox]

i usually mix the meganser i shoot with some other duck to mask the flavor, so i mix with mallard or even goose in some instance.  i will not eat meganser by it self

[JLS]

I've eaten Hooded Merganser.  I grilled it side by side with Wigeon and Mallard.  I couldn't tell the difference.

[Becky]

If you cooked it I'd try almost anything... you got everyone to eat raccoon at the BBQ and there was no odd taste to that.

[Special T]

Buddy had it, said it tased like liver.

I've eaten Coot before several times. First time i cooked it i couldn't tell the difference between it and other ducks shot. 2-4 time they all tasted like liver.

I've prepared it by soaking in Teriki sauce for 4 days before and it tasted fine, couldn't taste the meat just the sauce. 

[Atroxus]

That looks tasty. Any chance you could share that recipe?

[JLS]

Buddy had it, said it tased like liver.

I've eaten Coot before several times. First time i cooked it i couldn't tell the difference between it and other ducks shot. 2-4 time they all tasted like liver.

I've prepared it by soaking in Teriki sauce for 4 days before and it tasted fine, couldn't taste the meat just the sauce. 

I detest liver.  I love duck.  If your ducks taste like liver, odds are you are overcooking them.

[Special T]

I can tell you i didn't over cook the coots and that is what they tasted like...

IMO if you feed anything enough corn it tastes great! I don't think sawbills eat too much corn...

[weathergirl]

Tasting these side by side last night, I have to say I actually thought the merganser was the LEAST "ducky" tasting of all three (and there was just a hint with the other two).  I'm kind of picky when it comes to duck (and other meat).  I don't like it if it is at all strong or gamey tasting.  I don't like organ meats, and I whine about "rutty" tasting deer.  So if I thought the merganser tasted mild (and yummy), then you should be convinced.     (And lokidog isn't a bad cook either  )

[WSU]

I've tried it and it was nasty.  And I like liver, organ meat, duck meat, etc.  Maybe I'll try it again?

[Curly]

I think you guys that are saying fish eating birds taste good are just trying to convince more people to shoot those *censored*s.  They don't really taste good, but you might convince some hunters to thin the birds a bit............that is until they cook them up. 
    


I wish I could find somebody to give them to, or I wish it was legal to just shoot and leave lay like a coyote.  I wish cormorants were legal to pop too.

[singleshot12]

I'm sorry Loki but I can smell the fishy smell just from looking at the pics

Tried merganser once years ago and it was pretty rank,maybe the trick is to disguise the flavor more when cooking

The last mergansers I shot I stewed them up for my dog and within an hour he threw up all over the house,but he did clean it up and held it in the second time

[Curly]

   Well, at least the dog liked merganser enough to eat twice.    

[Curly]

Is that a glass of beer in the last pic?  Weathergirl and Loki, you didn't drink a whole bunch of beer before trying the duck, did you?  I suppose enough beer might be able to make fish duck taste ok. 


All, kidding aside, Loki must be a really good cook.  I'm glad you're taking out some fish eaters.  Good job! 

[GrampasGuns]

Maybe Im spoiled having worked with some James Beard award winning chefs in my time as a butcher, but I seriously have never eaten a winged and wild bird that didn't taste excellent. If people stepped up their cooking game a bit they would be blown away, instead of limiting a duck to flying breast meat that gets put into pepperoni. Try some cure wild duck breast! IT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND!

Eat on brothers!

[lokidog]

Now I'm torn on what to cook for the next BBQ get-together, merganser or dogfish....     I am surprised at the lack of adventure that all of the "no, never will" responses show in this and the dogfish poll.   

Smossy's Girl, thanks for the kudos.     I enjoy cooking and trying different things.

Atroxus, I've been waiting for someone to ask.  This recipe does not actually have a bunch of stuff to cover up the taste.  I have found though that breaking the meat into smaller bits (grinding or slicing thin) allows the flavor to show more than the texture.

Here it is (reduce or increase the ingredients according to the amount of duck you have):

Salisbury Duck Steak

1 1/2 lb ground duck                      3/4 cup breadcrumbs (seasoned or not)
1-2 T ketchup                                2 t dry mustard
6 dashes Worcestershire sauce        1 cube or t beef boullion
1/2 t black pepper                          1 t salt
1 t onion powder                            1/2 t garlic powder

Flour, black pepper, thyme (for dredging the patties).
Onions, olive or canola oil.

In a small bowl, add the dry ingredients and mix together, add to the ground duck, mix thoroughly, add wet ingredients, mix thoroughly.  Make small patties, the mixture will be really sticky so I formed a ball then flattened it a bit and finished flattening when I dunked it in the flour (you can add more breadcrumbs to make it less sticky).  Set aside so all can be added at once.

Fry onions and garlic or mushrooms, if wanted, to desired doneness, remove from oil and set aside.  Make sure there is at least 1/8 inch of oil in the pan, you may have to add some (too little oil and you won't get the brown crunchiness that is yummy on the outside).

Add flour covered patties, cook until done flipping when the first side starts to brown.  Do not worry too much about overcooking a little as this will not get tough and chewy.  Add onion (mix) back to pan to warm it up. 

We just served it with mashed potatoes and instant brown gravy.  Or make homemade beef gravy.

Enjoy.   

BTW, anyone wants to send me Merganser meat (I'll take the legs too), I am more than happy to oblige.  Wish there was more season and time now that I found a recipe that is not just OK, but really good.

[lokidog]

And, no Curly, not beer, it is a whiskey and seven though only my first one of the evening.   

[papisjeep]

my dogs love merganser
 

[ICEMAN]

Yes. They eat just fine.

[WSU]

Maybe Im spoiled having worked with some James Beard award winning chefs in my time as a butcher, but I seriously have never eaten a winged and wild bird that didn't taste excellent. If people stepped up their cooking game a bit they would be blown away, instead of limiting a duck to flying breast meat that gets put into pepperoni. Try some cure wild duck breast! IT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND!

Eat on brothers!

Got a recipe?  I'd love to give it a try.

[Kola16]

Even the guys on Alaska the Last Frontier wanted to barf when they ate mergs, and they gobbled plain puddlers