12354 Duck Fat and Cracklings Makes 1½ cups strained duck fat and ½ cup cracklings Wed Aug 06 01:05:17 -0700 2008 Tue Feb 03 23:07:21 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12354 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 07:07:21 GMT One of the best by-products of cutting up a duck is the fat you can render from it. It makes a superb cooking medium, a free dividend from your meat. The fat will keep 8 months in the refrigerator and up to a year in the freezer.

These crisp bits are wonderful sprinkled over a salad or an omelet or simply nibbled as a snack with drinks.

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  • Cut the skin of the duck into small pieces. Grind the fat and skin with ½ cup water in a food processor.
  • Scrape the puree into a heavy saucepan. Cook slowly for about 1 hour, or until the fat turns clear and pieces of skin have floated to the surface and are pale in color. (This can be done in a covered Pyrex bowl in the microwave in 15 minutes.)
  • Strain though a fine-mesh sieve into a container; reserve the bits of skin. Let the fat cool; then cover and refrigerate. It will keep well for up to 8 months.
  • The bits of skin can be made into savory cracklings; though a bit hard to digest, they are irresistible! Cook the reserved pieces of skin over moderately low heat for 10 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring from time to time. Cover the pan and continue cooking, stirring several times, for 10 minutes, or until the bits are crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve.
  • For perfect rendering of the skin and fat, melt it at a low temperature, preferably 170°F. At higher temperatures the surface would sear, sealing in the fat.
  • Moulard ducks are well endowed with fat; Muscovy ducks are not. You can purchase rendered duck fat in large quantities from D'Artagnan and other purveyors of duck products (see Mail Order Sources, pages 415–417).
    • ]]>     http://www.chow.com Paula Wolfert 50 Main Reserved fat and fatty skin from 1 duck or 1 pound chunks of duck fat and fatty skin from 1 duck

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