primitives discuss cooking Beijing waterfowl

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/115738498

Oh my.

1000words (1,568 posts)    Fri Jan 31, 2014, 03:15 AM

Advice on cooking Peking Duck

I've been making Peking Duck with Cranberry/Orange glaze for several years now. Delicious. Thing is, I can't quite get the skin to crisp the way you get in the restaurants. If I cook it longer than the recommended 2.5 hours, it burns. I'm afraid if I lower the temp and let it cook longer, the meat will dry.
 
Any advice?

<<<has no opinion on the matter; wouldn't touch Asian cuisine with a ten-foot primitive.

BainsBane (22,504 posts)    Fri Jan 31, 2014, 08:27 AM

1. Do you blow air between the meat and the skin?

I have noticed at a lot of Western recipes omit that step, which is supposed to be the secret to the crispy skin. I have never made it myself. I'm skilled at eating it, however.
 
http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2010/02/homemade-peking-duck-how-to-blow-up-a-duck.html

Major Nikon (13,098 posts)   Fri Jan 31, 2014, 10:19 AM

2. My advice is to go buy one at the Asian market

That's what I do. It's just too much trouble to do them at home.

When I cook duck at home I quarter it, steam it first which cooks the duck and renders much of the fat, then I brown it in a cast iron skillet. I believe they do something similar with Peking Duck by either steaming it or boiling it first. The outer skin is not going to brown up until most of the subcutaneous fat renders. So basically you render the fat first, then brown.

1000words (1,568 posts)   Fri Jan 31, 2014, 01:20 PM

3. LOL

Yah ... considering I live in Chinatown (Portland) it would be even easier to go to a restaurant.

Major Nikon (13,098 posts)   Fri Jan 31, 2014, 01:47 PM

4. The really good places use special techniques and ovens that are hard to replicate at home

I've been to the Quanjude in Peking and had it there and it was incredible so I wanted to do it at home. I asked a friend of mine who is Chinese and a great cook how to do it. He gave me the same advice. I will make duck at home, just not Peking duck. Any waterfowl is more challenging than land fowl because they have more fat and in different places, so you just can't use the same techniques to cook them.

1000words (1,568 posts)   Fri Jan 31, 2014, 01:51 PM

5. I kind of figured as much

Part of why I like to cook it, is for the fat. I do a duck for the holidays and use the fat to cook with the rest of the year. Damn, duck fat is tasty!
 
Edited to add: The steaming is a good idea, btw. I steam chicken wings before baking them, and the skin is perfectly crisped.

Major Nikon (13,098 posts)    Fri Jan 31, 2014, 02:01 PM

6. Duck fat is even better than bacon fat

It's like liquid gold.

Here's a pretty good recipe for making duck from the NY Times. It's basically the same way I do it, except rather than leaving the duck intact I quarter it and brown it in a cast iron skillet. The key is to steam it first, which also allows you to save the rendered duck fat.
 
http://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/21/nyregion/food-no-more-hair-dryers-steam-duck-before-roasting.html

1000words (1,568 posts)    Fri Jan 31, 2014, 02:06 PM

7. Thanks!

And, I agree: Duck fat > bacon fat. (Sorry bacon ... you knows I loves ya!)

[BattleHymn]

BainsBane (22,504 posts)    Fri Jan 31, 2014, 08:27 AM
I'm skilled at eating it, however.

Don't worry about that, we noticed. 

[JohnnyReb]

DUmmie has been to China, huh....must be a Mao SEE-dung communist.

[Ralph Wiggum]

How can the perpetually broke DUmmies afford Peking Duck in this Obamanation of an economy? 

[franksolich]

DUmmie has been to China, huh....must be a Mao SEE-dung communist.

One notices the primitives haven't conformed to the politically-correct spellings of foreign cities.  They're still using the dead white men's eurocentric imperialistic version.

[JohnnyReb]

One notices the primitives haven't conformed to the politically-correct spellings of foreign cities.  They're still using the dead white men's eurocentric imperialistic version.

Probably says "PEE-King" instead of "Bay-zhing" too.

[Purple Sage]

If you like duck, First Barbecue in Richardson, TX has the best Asian duck I've ever eaten.

Better duck is to take an old truck wheel, attach something to hold an electric rotisserie fork to the lugs (I used rebar and bolted the rotisserie holder to the rebar, stick on a couple of ducks, run extension cord to the wheel, plug in the rotisserie and cook over a wood fire.  Skin is guaranteed crispy and duck is sweet and tender.  Lots of beer consumed while cooking.  The more beer consumed, the better the duck tastes when done.

Edit to put the State.  Duh.   

[Skul]

What the bloody H is wrong with just cooking the stupid duck and just eating it fer cryin' out loud? Sheesh. 

[Chris_]

What the bloody H is wrong with just cooking the stupid duck and just eating it fer cryin' out loud? Sheesh. 

You can't look down your nose at your online friends that way.

[Dori]

I've only cooked duck once.  I roasted it in the oven like a chicken.  It was beautiful.  The skin was golden brown and crispy, but when I stuck the meat fork in it, the whole thing collapsed into a pool of fat. 

I was so disgusted I just threw the whole mess out. 

[Chris_]

I've only cooked duck once.  I roasted it in the oven like a chicken.  It was beautiful.  The skin was golden brown and crispy, but when I stuck the meat fork in it, the whole thing collapsed into a pool of fat. 

I was so disgusted I just threw the whole mess out. 

Check out Alton Brown's "Good Eats" episode.  It's good.

[Skul]

I've only cooked duck once.  I roasted it in the oven like a chicken.  It was beautiful.  The skin was golden brown and crispy, but when I stuck the meat fork in it, the whole thing collapsed into a pool of fat. 

I was so disgusted I just threw the whole mess out. 

Did it wrong. 

[Purple Sage]

What the bloody H is wrong with just cooking the stupid duck and just eating it fer cryin' out loud? Sheesh. 

Duck is a fatty bird.  The fat needs to be rendered or it will be too greasy for some people.

Do you feel the same about Barbecue?  Why not just stick a brisket, pork shoulder, ribs, etc...  in the oven and "cook" it as opposed to smoking?  Why not stick hamburger patties without any seasoning in a frying pan on the stove and slap them in a bun without any fixings as opposed to having the backyard cookout?

I don't always "just cook" because it doesn't always taste as good and isn't nearly as much fun.  I often do, but I also enjoy cooking surrounded by family and friends.  Good times.
 

[Purple Sage]

<<<<<<<<<< Notice my nick.  I have a greenhouse in the back and love growing things.  I grow my own herbs that I utilize to cook year-round.  That doesn't make me an elitist or a Democrat.  It's one of my many hobbies that gives me pleasure in life.  Feeding bellies and watching the feedees enjoy something that I put my effort, love, and thyme into gives me joy.

 

[franksolich]

<<<<<<<<<< Notice my nick.  I have a greenhouse in the back and love growing things.  I grow my own herbs that I utilize to cook year-round.  That doesn't make me an elitist or a Democrat.  It's one of my many hobbies that gives me pleasure in life.  Feeding bellies and watching the feedees enjoy something that I put my effort, love, and thyme into gives me joy.

 

Oh now, madam, don't be too upset.

Usually criticism of cooking and baking is directed at the pretentious primitives, not at other members here.

Decent and civilized people do things different ways because it suits them; primitives do things only because they want to show off.  They're very shallow and very stupid people, the primitives.

[ChuckJ]

The DUmmie should just eat chicken. Wendys has an Asiago Ranch Chicken Club now. While I realize that asiago isn't quite as pretentious as they usually prefer it is still an European word.

[GOBUCKS]

The DUmmie should just eat chicken. Wendys has an Asiago Ranch Chicken Club now. While I realize that asiago isn't quite as pretentious as they usually prefer it is still an European word.

They should eat Pollos Hermanos.

[Purple Sage]

They should eat Pollos Hermanos.

Chicken brothers? 

[Purple Sage]

Oh now, madam, don't be too upset.

Usually criticism of cooking and baking is directed at the pretentious primitives, not at other members here.

Decent and civilized people do things different ways because it suits them; primitives do things only because they want to show off.  They're very shallow and very stupid people, the primitives.

My panties aren't in a wad, coach.   

[Vagabond]

I am a fairly young man that has always been an old hippy at heart, I guess.  When I can, I grow my own garden and herbs.  I have raised my own chickens for the eggs and because those store bought things with yellow skin are disgusting.  I have never tried to show off, but I have a cooked some really good chili with mostly just stuff I have grown.

[Purple Sage]

Self-sufficiency is a good thing. 

[Chris_]

Chicken brothers?  

Los Pollos Hermanos


^{('Breaking Bad' spoilers)}

[Purple Sage]

Los Pollos Hermanos


^{('Breaking Bad' spoilers)}

Aaaaaaah.  They'd love to have a bag of the "batter" I'm sure.