Wild duck?

[Carnivore]

I just went to a farm and helped harvest and clean some ducks, and I brought one home. I'm not sure if they're a pure breed, but they have wattles on their heads that make me think that there's at least some Muscovy in them.

It seems like there isn't quite as much fat on my duck as there is on a commercial Pekin. Any hunters out there know if there's a standard conversion for recipes that assume a commercially raised bird?

I am planning to do Alton Brown's Mighty Duck recipe, so if I need to cut the steaming time, that'll be easy.

Thanks!

 

[Jim]

Duck to duck and by species it will vary. You will have to use your best guess.

 

[professorchaos]

Clearly you'll want to avoid overcooking it! Does the recipe call for larding it?

 

[Carnivore]

No, and that's the thing. It calls for a 45-minute steam, then 15 minutes in a preheated cast-iron skillet for the legs and 7 for the breasts. I definitely don't want to overcook it--There isn't much that's better than a seared duck breast that's rare and juicy in the middle!

 

[wazazzle]

Should be some good duck cooking vids online. Last year i had some pheasants but i had to watch a couple youtube vids on preparing/cooking them.