The duck has landed

BlueSmoke

Did that duck today, with the gracious help of of Nature Boy and djm5x9. I brined the bird for 36 hours and then hung it from an Oriental duck hook (ran the hanger up through the chimney and hung it on a stick). As expected, gallons (well maybe not quite that much) of fat rendered out into the drip pan. 400 degrees for 1 1/2 hours - breast temp was 175 when I pulled it. And it is deeeelicious!

Nature Boy

BlueSmoke,
Yahooooowahh! Tell me more about this "Oriental Duck Hook" please. Sounds like a great way to elevate that quacking carcass over the drip pan. Thanks for the report!
Happy weekend.
NB

BlueSmoke

Nature Boy,
It's the kind they use to make Peking duck: a ring on which are mounted two J-shaped hooks (about 8 inches long) and a swivel hanger. Cost less than $5 at an Oriental market. If I remember correctly, I had a choice of 3 sizes and chose the middle. All you do is put the hooks down the neck hole and lodge them at the wing joints; then hang it from whatever you rig up. (In my case, a piece of oak flooring atop the daisy wheel.) I used foil to shut down the chimney. Now that I've finally gotten a chance to use it, it's definitely part of my "arsenal." Knowing what I do now, though, I'd opt for a shorter hook.
I neglected to say that the color is a beautiful rich mahogany, thanks in some part to my wood choice: Osage Orange. (Love it for poultry, and it ain't half-bad on pork.)

Unknown

BlueSmoke, interesting that you use osage orange. There have been occasional questions re o a on the forums and, IIRC, most responses have been negatives/warnings.

Char-Woody

George, I agree, and I think I was the first to toss a warning about it on the forums. However one of the primary smoking wood chunk suppliers informed me upon my inquiry that he sells Osage Orange as a smoking wood. So it must have its followers.
The warning I conveyed at the time was that it was a hazard to use as a mixing bowl for houshold use as it tended to give harsh upset stomach symptoms due to the tars in the wood. This was from another supposedly reliable source. I hope it clears up the mystery. I still think it makes great fence posts and bows.
If it smokes..use it!
Cheer to ya George over in Columbine, Colorado. Good to hear from ya.
Char-Woody.[p]

BlueSmoke

Char-Woody, I get my Orange from Brazos Mesquite Company, and based on my dealing with them I can't believe they would sell a product that was in hazardous in any way. Wood preference is a funny thing -- I also like sassafras and finally found one other positive post. The few others were negative, dealing from the old USDA "sassafras is carcinogenic" days. I'm with you - if it smokes, use it.

Char-Woody

BlueSmoke, I think those are the folks that I contacted and was told that they did indeed sell it for a smoking wood. My caution regarding it was as I described earlier. When used in direct contact with salads ie: salad bowls, or other food preparations, the old pioneers soon discovered that the belly aches were not due to a bacteria, but due to a chemical in the wood.
So I figured that anything that would do that, use caution. I had already read a report that some fellow had used it in his most flavorful turkey. I am most prudent when using caution, even when result in the burning isn't the same as
the food aborbing the tars from the wood in direct contact.[p]This topic now reminds me of a news bulletin that was aired in the last few days..regarding eating at petting zoo's or after contact with animals. Children are becoming ill due to a cross infection occurring after visiting animal zoo farms with goats, sheep, and other animals. They insert fingers in mouths after feeding and petting the animals and one child nearly died from the results. I point this out as the need for caution sometimes is necessary.
Thanks for helping to clear up the "smoke" issue with Osage Orange.
Cheers atcha..
C~W