Meat Of It All: Duck
Diana Miller
Duck offers one-of-a-kind flavors and nutritional value while having deeply established roots in many cultures around the world. For a non-duck eater, this meat can be intimidating, however, this bird acts as an ideal alternative to more popular protein choices like turkey and chicken. Although duck is not as common in America, there are countries that have been cooking with duck for centuries, making it the heart of their cuisine. For instance, China, accounting for nearly 68% of all duck production in the world according to the Helgi Library, takes great pride in its succulent Peking Duck preparation which was originally served to the wealthy and is seen as a dish of nobility today. In Taiwan, the Cantonese Duck preparation is a close relative to Peking Duck with slight variations in the cooking method, birthed from availability and comfort cooking. In France, the second largest producer of duck, there is a preparation called confit de canard, where the duck is delicately cooked in its own flavorful fat over an extended period.
This is merely a quick snapshot of some of the most popular dishes found around the world, not to mention many others that include other parts of the duck-like the head, the liver, and the eggs. Peculiarly, America hasn’t quite caught on in terms of cultural significance, but why? According to Wholey, duck just isn’t a smart business move for America, naturally instilling a sense of intimidation to many Americans who have not tried it or feel it is only accessible on a fine dining menu. Wholey states that duck has not yet been incorporated into the large-scale agricultural system, like chicken and turkey, because the birds need nearly three times as much space. This means farmers would require a much larger farm leading to a significantly larger investment in resources which discourages most farmers from duck production. The increased cost of duck production directly impacts the market value of ducks at the grocery store and from those farmers who are willing enough to raise them.
Though not as accessible in America, duck is still a delicacy on the plate and in the history books. To understand where the duck’s popularity came from is to understand China’s infatuation with Peking Duck. As aforementioned, Peking Duck is a staple in Asia with roots branching as far back as 1271-1368 during the Yuan dynasty, according to the Culture Trip. In a cookbook written in 1330 by a royal dietary physician named Hu Sihui, the dish was first associated with the imperial court with an elaborate preparation of roasted duck in a sheep’s stomach. From here, the Qing dynasty in China, where the renowned Peking Duck preparation was already well established, incorporated the dish in Chinese nobility. Having been enjoyed for hundreds of years, this cherished Chinese delicacy wasn’t seen in restaurants until the 15th century, in Beijing. The restaurant Quanjude in Beijing, China, opened in 1864 and has sold nearly 200 million Peking Duck to its hungry patrons and is still open today.
It was not until post-WW2 that America started to experience this Chinese duck revelation with the arrival of highly skilled cooks from mainland China who traveled to New York and Washington D.C., eventually opening their own Chinese restaurants. In 1972, President Nixon visited Tiananmen Square where a nationally televised banquet of various Chinese dishes, including Peking Duck, was prepared for his arrival. Nixon is considered by many to be perhaps the greatest salesman of Peking Duck for the Western World to this day, where thousands of Chinese restaurants serve this highly sought-after game bird in many different preparations.
For practical reasons, this rather small animal is utilized in the kitchen with holistic practices in mind. For instance, Peking Duck is cooked using the entire bird with air pumped between the skin and meat contributing to the shiny, perfectly crispy skin post-frying. Other cultures, including America, prepare whole roasted duck by carefully removing the giblets from the cavity while saving the legs for a duck confit and the fat for that golden-brown herb roasted potato side dish. The giblets that are removed for roasting could be made into a rich, smooth pate or even a terrine de foies de canard. The duck breast, popular on American fine dining menus, is generously seasoned on both sides and cooked skin-side down, starting in a cold skillet to ensure the fat is thoroughly rendered which creates a crispier skin. The neck and the head can be used for a duck stock while the drums and the wings are commonly made into easy-to-eat bar-inspired fair, like this recipe here: Miso Glazed Duck Wings.
When handling duck meat, the USDA recommends treating it like chicken in terms of cooking, storing, and preparing. In the grocery store, look for duck meat that is firm, texturally intact, and not slimy with a fresh smell to it that isn’t too “gamey”. You can purchase high-quality duck meat in just about any form at D’Artagnan, along with other gourmet ingredients like truffles and foie gras. Locally, most butcher shops and grocery store outlets will likely carry that perfect cut of duck needed for that perfect dinner.
For other fun duck dinner ideas, try checking out Olive Magazine: home to 45 duck recipes like spicy duck curry, sour cherry duck terrine, roasted duck with braised cabbage, and a fresh duck confit salad topped with crunchy peanuts.
