Going to do a duck - best advice for crispy, yummy skin?

Cookbook_Chip

I have done one duck so far (in over 3 years with my LGBE).  It was pretty good, but not great.  Anyone done a killer duck?  I don't care if it's low and slow, spatchcock (spatch-duck?), or whatever.  I want crispy!  Thanks!

fishlessman

this was a store bought duck done low and slow and direct raised grid. very crispy

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/237371/duck-with-wild-rice

smak

If you are game for a lot of prep time you could go Peking Duck.  I have done this a handful of times on the egg.   It has been awhile but I do have a duck in the freezer for this in the near-ish future.

The "blanching" and then hanging of the duck for several hours really dries the skin for the crispiness.  When I hang the duck I normally setup a fan to blow on it as well.

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1039970/duck-last-night

-smak

Little Steven

You can do a lot of things. Score skin lightly but not to meat. You can do it inverted on a stand or spatchcock starting out skin side down. I use cornstarch whatever I do. Another way is to spatchcock and do it in the style of pollo al matone or chicken under a brick except it would be duca al mattone. Instead of a brick use a CI pan, get it hot and sear off the breast side, flip the bird and use the pan as the brick.

Cookbook_Chip

@fishlessman thanks - 220F raised direct - got it.   Did you flip the duck or just leave it set the whole time?

@smak - wow.  That's awesome and I may be too lazy to try that this week.  But I want to!

@little%20steven for spatchcock, what temp did you run your egg?  What temp for finished meat?

Little Steven

165* thigh, breast as close to 140* as it could get. The inverted one on the chicken stand came out perfect.

Darby_Crenshaw

one way to do them, especially if you want the fat (it will be too smokey if you try to pour it off the drippings) is to par cook for a bit by steaming.

prick the skin all over, and put the duck in a colander in a larger pot with an inch or so of water.  steam the thing for a half hour maybe.  then pat dry, and roast slowly to finish, to steven's temps. pour off an save the fat as it cools.

i used to part them out.  take the breasts off, the thighs and drums, etc. and steam them, then finish on cast iron in the egg, pressed under a brick.  crispy skin man.  can't beat it.

Cookbook_Chip

Little Steven said:

165* thigh, breast as close to 140* as it could get. The inverted one on the chicken stand came out perfect.

Thanks!

fishlessman

Cookbook_Chip said:

@fishlessman thanks - 220F raised direct - got it.   Did you flip the duck or just leave it set the whole time?

@smak - wow.  That's awesome and I may be too lazy to try that this week.  But I want to!

@little%20steven for spatchcock, what temp did you run your egg?  What temp for finished meat?

didnt flip. there used to be a poster years and years ago here, djm5x9, that had a writeup, he did this cook spatchcocked, 6 hours raised direct, at 200 dome.  his writeup has been missing for sometime now

saluki2007

I've done this one a couple of times with wild duck.  Always turns out great.
http://www.thehungrymouse.com/2009/02/11/the-best-way-to-roast-a-duck-hello-crispy-skin/#chitika_close_button

Cookbook_Chip

fishlessman said:

Cookbook_Chip said:

@fishlessman thanks - 220F raised direct - got it.   Did you flip the duck or just leave it set the whole time?

@smak - wow.  That's awesome and I may be too lazy to try that this week.  But I want to!

@little%20steven for spatchcock, what temp did you run your egg?  What temp for finished meat?

didnt flip. there used to be a poster years and years ago here, djm5x9, that had a writeup, he did this cook spatchcocked, 6 hours raised direct, at 200 dome.  his writeup has been missing for sometime now

Cool - so you spatchcocked it?

fishlessman

Cookbook_Chip said:

fishlessman said:

Cookbook_Chip said:

@fishlessman thanks - 220F raised direct - got it.   Did you flip the duck or just leave it set the whole time?

@smak - wow.  That's awesome and I may be too lazy to try that this week.  But I want to!

@little%20steven for spatchcock, what temp did you run your egg?  What temp for finished meat?

didnt flip. there used to be a poster years and years ago here, djm5x9, that had a writeup, he did this cook spatchcocked, 6 hours raised direct, at 200 dome.  his writeup has been missing for sometime now

Cool - so you spatchcocked it?

djm5x9 used to do them that way, heres one of his low and slows
about 6 hours at 200

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/54110/wild-duck

blind99

@fishlessman thanks for sharing, that duck with rice looks beautiful

Chip, please post your result!  I also have only done one duck.  It tasted great but the crispy skin didn't happen.

Cookbook_Chip

@blind99 you bet I will!  Think I'm doing it Saturday or Sunday.

fishlessman

make sure to make some kind of citric sweet sauce to go with it. the crandberry blueberry relish i made really sparked it up

Cookbook_Chip

I have a nice Dr BBQ orange glaze I've used that rocks. But yours looks very interesting to try!

Cookbook_Chip

Got my follow up pics.  Thanks for all the suggestions!  Did raised direct spatchcock at 220 grid for about 6 hours. Maybe shoulda gone hotter. It was wicked tasty and crispy in spots but not the whole bird. In the pics you'll see half glazed with Loco Cowpoke Jalapeño Blackberry jam I heated and put on her. Man!  Hit the spot. So...

SGH

Looks like a winner to me my friend. Im cooking a couple of ducks for Thanksgiving myself.

SmokeyPitt

It looks great from here.  I have never cooked duck before.  I'm going to use all the good info in this thread to try some.  

Cookbook_Chip

Thanks guys!  BTW, notice the legs - looks like a P38 with the skin across the legs?  That was the extra piece of neck skin - I cut it off and put it there - it was the best bite of all!

bgebrent

That looks great!!  Gonna have to give it a try.  Great job Chip!

Cookbook_Chip

Thanks @bgebrent !