Spatchcock Duck

SteveWPBFL

This was good. A Publix frozen duck raised indirect at 425F dome. The duck was 6.6 lb and cost about 20 bucks. It just said "Duck", it didn't say what kind but it was not 'wild'.

SteveWPBFL

The package called out to cook it to 180F internal temp at the thigh, so we did! It took a little over an hour, the package times show it taking longer. It took a little longer than a spatchcock chicken because it called for a higher internal temp.

SteveWPBFL

Here's what came out of the bag. I don't show the orange sauce, which was micro-wavable in a minute and a half. We used it, it was good. But we're hooked on Bone Sucking Sauce these daze. 

SteveWPBFL

Rubbed on some S, P, G, and some Fish House Jerk that we get from the Fish House in Key Largo. 

SteveWPBFL

The gibs made for some nice 'cook's tips' and went well with IPA. They didn't make it to the table.  

SteveWPBFL

We threw on a couple of turkey thighs for the squeamish about duck crowd. 

SteveWPBFL

Ta - Duck! It reached the 180F internal at the thigh and we pulled it, the breast was lagging at about 165F. 

SteveWPBFL

I split the bird in half as shown below and then into quarters and my son went for the dark and I the light though it's all dark. The wife and the rest of the fam totaled the turkey thighs.

It was great! 

There was about a quarter inch layer of fat on the breast piece that I peeled off to enjoy a tender relatively dark breast that was about half the thickness of a similar size chicken breast. The wing was crispy good, though. My son raved about the leg quarter but you can't really trust college sophmores about 'good food'. We're 'dark meat people' so it was right in our wheelhouse. Son tried to sign me up for a 'Turducken'. That seems kind of gimicky. The duck was not gamey at all. Flavor was great. Though a same-weight' chicken is 'meatier'. 

We will do this one again and again. Spatchcock was definitely a good way to go. We cooked indirect to avoid dripping duck fat on the fire during the cook and would probably do that again. Not sure there is a way to get 'crispy skin' though, the duck is too 'well insulated'. Bon Appetit!

SkinnyV

Nice cook did my first spatchcock chicken tonight, taste met all the hype. 

tazcrash

Boy that looks good. 

I have to see if i can convince the family (well really SWMBO)  for a dark meat meal.

SteveWPBFL

taz - We conduct 'prototype cooks' on a regular basis, which are cooks like the duck that are 'experimental' or first time through, and may not be enjoyed by everyone but may be enjoyed by at least some. That's why the turkey thighs were included this time around.