By Rick Riozza
Goodness! Aren’t we wine folk a dramatic bunch! All right—let’s calm down and sensibly discuss eating duck: Delicious in flavor and high in nutrients, ideally we’d like to claim that duck has proven to be the new standard in savory poultry options.
Back in the day, duck was reserved for special occasions. I remember when I was 18 and wanting to impress my girlfriend, we would occasionally hit the fancy French restaurants in town; with a penciled-in moustashe, I’d order a very dry Martini along with Duck à l’Orange as one of my go-to dishes.
Fortunately now, duck, we hope, is quickly becoming a staple among those who enjoy dining out or at home. If you adore chicken as one of your main meals, it’s time to start thinking about adding duck to your plate. We’ll mention some of the usual ducky suspects and some wine pairing suggestions below.
Not that we need to convince anyone to do this or that, but, we’d like to present some info to consider: Duck is the perfect option for those who are mindful of their food choices. This lean meat is rich in protein and fat and has the same calories as turkey and chicken breast. Rendered duck fat has comparable health benefits to olive oil and is lower in saturated fat. It can also be used as a substitute for other oils when cooking and provides wonderful flavor, i.e., deep fried duck fat french fries—the bomb!
I ducked right into the internet and found this piece: Duck is chock full of vitamins and contains almost as many Omega-3s as chicken. It is a plentiful source of vitamins B5 and B12; both of which are essential minerals for your body’s nervous system. It also contains zinc, an immunity booster, and selenium, a vitamin necessary for proper thyroid function. Duck also provides a good source of iron because it is a red meat.
Not only is duck a simple dish to cook, it is versatile. Duck has a hearty and naturally robust flavor and requires minor seasoning. The fat from the duck itself will provide enough flavor that you may only need a few dashes of salt and pepper. Cooking duck doesn’t require a culinary degree; just a watchful eye and a few flips to sear the sides.
Duck isn’t just for the main entrée anymore. It can be used in just about any dish including casseroles, soups, appetizers and salads. Purchase a whole duck and divide it into parts for a variety of dishes throughout the week. The breast can be cooked in the slow cooker or roasted in the oven, while the wings and legs can be baked and used as a confit. No matter how you choose to prepare it, you will have a variety of tasty meals.
Okay—the duck sermon is over. And one can find wonderful recipes all over the phone and in books.
But Honey don’t! Let’s quickly mention what not to do with duck: cooking the entire duck at once could be problematic: The most important thing to bear in mind when cooking duck is that different parts of the bird cook uniquely. For instance, the legs, which are darker than the breast, take longer to cook. That’s why when you cook a whole duck, it’s possible that the breast might overcook and dry out.
Good news though—the breast can be eaten pink, unlike chicken, which is considered a health hazard. Duck breast can, of course, be cooked well done and be tasty enough. However, preparing the breast separately allows you to cook it until pink, which results in juicier meat that’s tender and succulent.
Duck has darker meat than chicken and is higher in fat. The fat is almost entirely under the skin, making it a relatively lean piece of meat covered in a thick layer of fat. As there’s no need to use any extra oil, the point is to ensure the fat on your duck renders properly. When heat is applied to it, it’s going to melt for sure, but it needs pathways to escape in order to drip down onto the meat and beyond. This is why it’s important to score or pierce the skin. If you don’t, the fat will get trapped in the skin, making it greasy and not crispy, while your duck meat dries out because it’s not getting basted enough. Making these little cuts creates air holes and a way for the fat to come out successfully.
When talking about duck and wine pairing, Pinot Noir tends to be the duck-feathered pillow and blanket answer. And there is certainly a lot of sense in that recommendation. Duck tends to be a little fatty, rich but not as strong as game, and either pan fried or roasted. As a result, choosing a wine that has good acidity and freshness will help to balance the fat. Fruity and smoky aromas will pair well with the meat flavors.
But because the fat content isn’t very high, you want to keep the tannins medium to low. And there you have it, we’ve just described the taste profile of Pinot Noir, generally speaking. But we know there’s so much nuanced wine around the world.
So—we’re going to get all of our ducks lined up in a row and next time specifically discuss the some of the more versatile and sexy wines we enjoy with Duck Confit, Duck a l’Orange, Roast Duck, Asian Duck, and other ducky stuff. So please stay tuned! Cheers!
