Breast or pluck em

[whatcomhunter]

I am wondering how you guys perfer to clean your birds. Plucking them or breasting them out?

[carpsniperg2]

I take the breasts out them take the thigh and legs off at the joints.

[Stilly bay]

if its a good sized mallard or canada that isn't shot up too bad I will pluck it, I have a killer smoked duck recipe that requires the skin be left on. anything else gets skinned and boned out.

I remember the first time I plucked a snow goose, I swear to god half of its weight was from the feather alone.

[hdshot]

I prefer eating plucked duck roasted like a turkey stuffed with dressing.  Only takes little over an hour to cook at 350 and the best wild game I will ever have.  Cooked duck for several people over the years this way and never had a complaint.  Duck is funny, cooked the extra mile it is great or cooked wrong no one will try it ever again.  Leftover meat makes a good sandwich.

When breasting I slice like chicken strips soak in buttermilk over night, bread it, then deep fry.  OK but far from great.  Or grind up with fatty burger.  Not a jerky guy but good if someone knows how to do it.

Ducks are the easiest bird to pluck which I prefer but they better not sit for over 6 months in the freezer.     

[h2ofowlr]

If it's a big old mallard or goose that I head shot, I will pluck them.  Otherwise I typically breast them out.

[BigGoonTuna]

i generally breast my ducks out and treat it like steak.  sear in a frying pan until it's medium rare, good stuff!

also, not bad at all cubed up and cooked into teriaki rice a roni stuff.

[hdshot]

i generally breast my ducks out and treat it like steak.  sear in a frying pan until it's medium rare, good stuff!

also, not bad at all cubed up and cooked into teriaki rice a roni stuff.

I always hear rare to medium.  It makes me nervous to eat game not cooked fully since BB's can rip through the poop shoot and into the meat.  Always wondered about that when DU shows not fully cook as well? 

[rasbo]

breast them,and make jerky

[BB]

If your worried about any bacteria issues toss the breast and thighs in a nice brine for about 12 hours.... 24 hrs if your really worried.   For me, rare/med rare is the only way to go. 

[goosegetter79]

breast them,and make jerky

   Except for the ones that I pluck and give to my grandparents every once in a while they love ducks!!

[JackOfAllTrades]

Ducks.. The same as Grouse. Cut the head off, stand on the wings, pull on the feet!

Geese.. Breast'em. They really don't have a lot of meat on the wings, and their thy's aren't worth the work.

-Steve

[Stilly bay]

Ducks.. The same as Grouse. Cut the head off, stand on the wings, pull on the feet!

bet a sharp knife makes for quicker cleaner work. the few times I tried the stomp and stand technique it was a disaster, and you still have you use a knife to bone it out.

i generally breast my ducks out and treat it like steak.  sear in a frying pan until it's medium rare, good stuff!

also, not bad at all cubed up and cooked into teriaki rice a roni stuff.

I always hear rare to medium.  It makes me nervous to eat game not cooked fully since BB's can rip through the poop shoot and into the meat.  Always wondered about that when DU shows not fully cook as well? 

i think they want you to use discretion. thoroughly clean the meat and cut away any suspect parts. if you don't eat  your duck rare or medium rare your missing out.

If your worried about any bacteria issues toss the breast and thighs in a nice brine for about 12 hours.... 24 hrs if your really worried.   For me, rare/med rare is the only way to go. 

and brine with the pink salt, and cook it immediately after removing from the brine or else your duck breast is just one big petrie dish full of bacteria.
brining also helps draw the blood out of the meat, and takes away that ammonia  flavor that westside local ducks get.

it took a lot of ruined or improperly cooked duck meat for me to find a recipe that makes me excited about eating duck. I felt kinda lame since I was going to great trouble to kill the things, which is pointless without going to great lengths to eat them. 

[hdshot]

I had duck rare once and puked that night.  Wasn't sick and didn't drink, so I think it was to rich.    Felt like a million bucks after.