another spatchcocked duck

Baysidebob

I've ruined more ducks than a Chesapeake Bay poacher and thought I finally had it down (no pun intended).  So I look through the forum and see all sorts of spatchcocked ducks.  I don't even particularly like duck but I gotta try this.

Step one is slitting the skin with a razor blade to let the fat out.  Spread the skin with your thumb and forefinger while slicing and you can see it open up wthout cuttin too deeply.

I used the AR with a 15" pizza stone for indirect.  It's worked for me just fine.

Put the electric starter in vertical to keep the fire top to bottom in the center. It’s a small fire to start and takes awhile to build. I find the delay can be mitigated with ice cream and beer (in that order).

On she goes skin down.  Suck out the great duck-fat with a glass baster.  I had previoiusly used a plastic baster and it melted.

Poked a few holes in to let more fat out once she was on and warmed up.

Getting close, start basting.

 

All done, looks good.

 

I'd rate it "very good" but short of "perfectr".  Wife did a glaze with peach preserves, s&p, ginger, orange juice and brandy.  She seldom measures so I can't provide a recipe.

Taste was excellent; skin was crispy but it wasn't as tender as I would have wished.

I have a backup duck in the freezer.

What I'll do different next time:  I put the rig and duck in at the same time, mistake.  All that metal and stone sucks up heat for a good while.  Next time I'll put the rig in sans duck and let it heat up.  The point is not to "save time".  "Big Green Egg" and "save time" is a contradiction in terms.  The point is to not have the poor bird lolygagging over a weak flame and drying out.

I'm close, real close to getting this right.  I don't care how many more ducks I have to destroy, I'll get it just right.   Any tips from duck eggsperts appreciated.

 

travisstrick

Never done a domestic duck. The wild ones are a whole different ball game. 

Your looks good to me. 

Baysidebob

travisstrick said:

Never done a domestic duck. The wild ones are a whole different ball game. 

. 

So true, hence Kierkegaard's "Goose parables".  For most of human history the problem was not enough calories.  Look at the belly of a wild goose.  Nice and round.  Look at a domestic goose, fat drooping down.  Same with ducks.  Wife and I worked with a hunter.  He gave us geese, ducks and teal.  We were working, had no time and I used a gasser.  I stuffed them all on a spit in batches and they came out great.  I have no idea how i'd do them on my BGE but i'm sure it would be swift and gentle.

SteveWPBFL

What do you do with the duck fat that you siphoned off?

Botch

SteveWPBFL said:

What do you do with the duck fat that you siphoned off?

Fried potatoes, man, fried potatoes!!!   ^:)^

Baysidebob

Botch said:

SteveWPBFL said:

What do you do with the duck fat that you siphoned off?

Fried potatoes, man, fried potatoes!!!   ^:)^

+1

Little Steven

Looks real good from here. I'm doing duck at around 250* and getting good skin. I sprinkle a bit of cornstarch on it.

Baysidebob

Hadn't thought of cornstarch.  I have one in the freezer.  I'm going to do it 325-350, pre-heat the rig and stone and go to 400 at the end.  Mine looks great but was only "good".  A bit dry and almost tough from too much time I suspect.  I don't know why I keep messing with ducks when I like chickens better and they're so easy.  I guess it's just the challange.

Little Steven

Cornstarch works on chicken too. I would have duck or lamb every day if my family would go along.