General Description:Duck is a water fowl prized for its rich flavor. Duck is one of the most versatile meats and pairs well with a large range of ingredients, both sweet and savory; they may be roasted, braised, or made into confit. Ducks, along with other migratory birds, naturally gorge themselves till they double in weight, creating a thick layer of fat that helps them during their seasonal voyages.

Ducks hunted in the wild include many species of the Anas family; the most highly rated in the United States include canvasback, wood duck, mallard, and teal. The Chinese were the first to raise wild ducks, with their strong-flavored, lean meat, for food. Many hunters prefer wild duck roasted very rare.

The Moulard duck (Cairina moschata X Anas pekin) is a cross between a Muscovy male and a Pekin female artificially bred to produce foie gras. Large moulard ducks are the foundation of Gascon cuisine, in the southwest of France. Do not confuse Moulard with mallard, which is a wild duck. In the eastern United States and Canada, large and firm foie gras is produced from Moulard ducks. Moulards are especially prized for their large breasts, called magret, which are seared rare like a steak.

The Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata), which originated in Brazil, is raised for its well-flavored meat. The Muscovy duck is now Europe’s most popular breed of duck, especially in France. Because they need no protection against cold weather, the Muscovy develops little fat and is by far the leanest domesticated duck, with 30 percent less fat than Pekin duck. Muscovy ducks, along with Moulard, are used to produce foie gras in California.

Pekin duck (Anas peking, NAMP P3001-3050) is a variety of mallard native to China and raised extensively in America for its dark, rich, flavorful meat. Peking duck is a legendary dish: To prepare it, air is pumped into the duck to separate the skin from the flesh. The bird is then hung to dry in the open air, glazed with honey and other ingredients, and air-dried again. It is then roasted in a special oven until crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside. The duck is sliced into small pieces with the skin and meat served separately spread with hoisin sauce (Chinese sweet bean barbecue sauce) and rolled with scallions in thin pancakes.

Characteristics:Most ducks sold now are actually ducklings, or young ducks. In general, duck breast is finely textured and milder in flavor than the leg meat. Because ducks fly, their breast meat is dark–more oxygen is needed by working muscles, which is delivered by the red blood cells, giving the meat color and a stronger flavor. Duck legs cooked long and slow will become tender and succulent without excess fat. Wild duck has lean, deep reddish-brown meat.

Moulard has the wildest game flavor of domesticated fowl and tastes of wild berries. The drake (male) is about twice as large as the hen (female). Magret breast can be dry and mealy if overcooked.

Muscovy ducks have plump breasts and a rich, distinctive flavor, making them excellent for roasting, especially the smaller females. The drakes are larger and often older, making them best suited for braising.

Young Pekin ducks are mild in flavor with tender breast meat and are excellent for roasting.

How to Choose:Restaurant buyers can find duck in almost any form: whole, half, quarters, legs, breasts, boneless breasts, giblets, livers, wings, thighs, drumsticks, and even duck feet and tongues. Home cooks will most often find whole ducks, with or without giblets, or duck breasts. Pekin duck breasts will be relatively small; breasts of other types of duck will be larger. Look for firm meat with moist-looking skin. A broiler duckling is a young bird between 6 and 8 weeks old. A roaster duckling is a somewhat older duckling less than 16 weeks old. Moulard duck breast is considered the best-tasting duck breast. Breasts from the female weigh about 1/2 pound; breasts from the male weigh as much as 1 pound. Magrets are sometimes aged up to 7 days to improve their flavor. Even though there is a lot of fat on the Moulard, the meat is quite lean.

Duck livers are valued as a delicacy, particularly for foie gras. Sometimes the livers are removed to sell separately; many are exported to France. In France, duck fat is highly regarded and is rendered for use in cooking and frying and for making confit.

Amount to Buy:Duck has a high percentage of bone and fat to meat. Allow 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per person of whole duck. Allow 6 to 10 ounces of breast and leg per person.

Storage:Fresh duck may be available at holiday times, but they are commonly sold frozen. Defrost in the refrigerator for 48 hours on a tray to catch drips. Refrigerate whole birds 1 to 2 days; refrigerate vacuum-packed breasts or legs up to 5 days.

Preparation:Duck Breast:

1. Score the fat deeply without piercing the skin, so it will crisp. Marinating is not recommended for magret; other varieties of duck breast can be marinated over-night in the refrigerator.
2. Sear well skin side down in a hot pan and finish in a 400°F oven for about 10 minutes. Cook rare to medium-rare.

Whole Roast Duck:

1. Trim excess fat, rinse the bird inside and out, and pat dry. Marinate or dry-rub as desired and keep refrigerated up to 2 days, uncovered and preferably on a rack, so the skin will dry and crisp better. If possible, let the bird air-dry in front of a blowing fan as it comes to room temperature to further encourage crispy skin.
2. Trim excess fat at the base of the tail and pull out the fat packets from either side of the opening. Prick the skin all over so the fat can melt out.
3. If desired, stuff the duck with cool stuffing no more than 3/4 full. Massage the skin with oil or butter, which will promote crispness, and then season to taste. Tie the legs together loosely with butcher’s string.
4. Place the duck, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan with 1 cup water. Roast at 375°F for 45 minutes, then increase the temperature to 400°F and continue roasting for 1 hour, 15 minutes, about 2 hours total, or until the thigh measures 175°F at its thickest point and the juices run clear. Pour off the fat once or twice while the duck is roasting. (Reserve the rendered fat, refrigerated, to use for cooking; it is especially good with potatoes, chestnuts, or cabbage.)
5. Transfer the duck to a platter, drape with foil, and allow it to rest 15 minutes before carving.

Flavor Affinities:Apples, cabbage, chestnuts, curry, figs, ginger, hoisin sauce, honey, oranges, peaches, pears, pomegranates, port wine, raspberries, sage, soy sauce, turnips.