Duck Meat: What about it?

Ducks are very popular in Asia and North America for their meat and eggs. China is among the Asian countries that consumes duck meat than any other country.

Their meat is very rich in flavor than that of chicken and turkey and also rich in proteins, fats, calories and contains some essential vitamins.

These birds are common near most water bodies like rivers and lakes where they feed and nest. On the shore and banks they mate, lay eggs, hatch and raise their young.

Ducks are very popular for the way they love water and can be enjoyable to watch them swim and splash water in the ponds and nearby rivers. Is duck meat healthy?

Yes, duck meat is good for your health. It is rich in proteins and iron than any other poultry. Proteins help to build our body tissues and muscles keeping us healthy. Iron helps in our blood making oxygen available to our body tissues through hemoglobin.

Is duck meat healthier than chicken?

Duck meat contains far less fats than those found in chicken meat. It has more proteins and high in iron and vitamin B3 fatty acids and yet manages to be full of flavors and nutrients.

Why is duck so expensive?

Ducks are gaining popularity over the years making the demand for duck meat go up. Also, the inputs required have become costly per duck than they are for any other kinds of poultry like chicken.

This makes duck meat expensive.

How does duck meat taste?

To me I have found duck meat to be full of flavor compared to other poultry. It is juicy and taste better especially when roasted.

What does duck meat look like?

There is some confusion on whether duck meat is red or white. To clear this doubt, I want you to remember that duck is classified as poultry and they are known to be white meat.

Duck meat tends to be darker than other kinds of poultry. The reason why they are darker is because most of the popular edible parts of the duck are thighs and breasts.

These parts are mostly muscular and ducks tend to use them more often hence having a higher accumulation of oxygen that makes the meat dark.

Red meat is known to have more myoglobin than white meat. Myoglobin is a protein found in the muscle tissue of mammals and when it binds to oxygen it contributes to the red color in meat.

In cows, lambs and other four legged animals there is higher myoglobin content making their meat red. However, in chicken and other kinds of poultry, the myoglobin levels are low hence making their meat white.

Where can I get duck meat?

You can get duck meat from various sources. The best for me is get one from my flock and butcher it myself. I prefer this because I raise the birds myself and I know their history pretty well.

For those who don’t have ducks at home, you can get them from grocery or from the local butcher. You can also buy a live bird from local farms and butcher it for yourself.

Those who have the advantage of having them visit nearby rivers can use this opportunity to hunt. However as you hunt consider not to wipe the entire species out as some species are rare and they are in the blink of extinction.

Eating duck meat

Duck meat can be prepared and served in various ways. As for me I prefer it roasted and served with mashed potatoes. The breast is a bit tender and less dark than thighs.

Ducks have a layer of fat between their skin and meat that acts as an insulation layer when in cold water. When roasting I blow air between the meat and skin to make sure the heat melts the fat and cooks the meat evenly.

As the fat melts, the skin becomes crispy and turns golden brown squeezing all the juices out making you salivate as you wait for a bite.

Popular duck breeds

Khaki Campbell  

This breed of duck is very popular in India as they are excellent egg layers. They are also known for their juicy carcass.

Mallard

This breed is a cross between the Pekin and Muscovy breeds of ducks. Mallard is popular for its stout constitution and large size. It is preferred for duck confit.

Muscovy

They are also known as the Barbarie or the Barbary duck. This breed is widely domesticated in the United States. The Muscovy is thinner skinned and more intensely flavored than the Pekin.

Their meat is deep red with a gamier taste and has larger breasts than that of the Pekin. It is mostly used to making soups and stocks although when roasted it tastes great.

Pekin

Also known as the Long Island duck, it is mild flavored, meaty and a great choice. Pekin ducks are commonly available in the United States. This breed of duck is the best when it comes to roasting.

Duck meat nutrition

Duck meat is known to be very rich in protein. Protein helps to keep our blood, skin and muscles very healthy and it is very important that you take the right amounts daily.

Ducks are also known to be rich in B vitamins and are rich in vitamin B3 that is also known as niacin. They are vital for our body functions and aid the immune system, nervous and muscular system and helps in production of hormones.

They are also rich sources of iron that helps in hemoglobin formation. Hemoglobin is a protein that carries oxygen in the blood.

Duck meat is also a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids that are known to prevent some types of chronic cancer. It also contains selenium a mineral that prevents symptoms of chronic inflammation.

Safety precautions when handling poultry

There are some of the most important factors you should consider when handling poultry meat as health and hygiene should be given the top priority.

• Wash your hands, appliances and surfaces before and after preparing raw duck.
•  Dispose any waste properly in disposable bags.
• Use clean and recommended storage containers to store duck meat.
• Eat duck meat that is well cooked at 165 degrees F to avoid contamination.