How about roasting the squash, instead of sauting it? that would add another dimension to the flavor.

I live in France and have been looking at Duck breasts (canard marget)for a year now without a clue what to do with it. I followed your directions carefully and I couldn't belive how beautifully it turned out. At the last minute (bad mise en place) I realized I didn't have any porto so I used red wine and casis istead. And of course saskatoon berries are out of the question, but I used a frozen berry mix instead which did the trick. I never would have had the confidence to make it without your wonderful video, and my French husband was very impressed!

Ok, I am curious why not just caramelize the veggies in duck fat? Why add olive oil?

I think the main reason we used olive oil instead of duck fat is the simple fat that this was not our recipe. This recipe is from chef Dino Renaerts. It's his personal wedding menu...and we didn't want to change his recipe.

That being said, you could use duck fat instead as it has almost the same smoking point as refined olive oil.

Thanks - I feel like I ask some specific questions (with perhaps obvious answers) but it is the nuances that you are teaching me. I have learned so much with some of the little details, especially understanding the whys. So I figure it is worth asking. I had the instincts and basic skills; now the fine tuning; such a joy - thank you!

when i remove the legs, it is very hard to pop out that joint unlike a chicken where it pops out very easily. am i doing something wrong?

No, if you follow the video on How to Butcher a Duck, you are not doing anything wrong. You just might need to use a little more force to pop the joint.

when someone says preheat pan to medium low, or medium high, does that mean you set the gas to that temp and do the water test? do you still have to even do the water test? will the water test work at medium low to low temps? thanks

Hi Sushruth,

This depends on a few things:

1. what you are trying to accomplish (sear, brown, saute, etc).

2. what kind of pan you are using

I mention this because the first thing you should always do when 'following' recipe instructions is to know that many recipes use the wrong terms and mention the wrong temperatures.

To answer your questions when using a stainless steel pan, the water test will not work on lower heat. I would do the water test and then turn the pan temperature down before adding the ingredients (or just set aside for a minute or two). From here, rely on your technique, your observation skills (sight, sound and watching what the ingredients are doing, such as getting too dark, not dark enough). Know your outcome and trust your judgement vs. following instructions.

Oh, and if you are sweating, then you don't even need to do the water test as you will be cooking on low temperature in fat.

so for a duck breast, you would do the water test on high heat and then turn the heat to meaduim low? ...right? thanks

You are getting closer.

Do the water test yes and then trust your instincts (not directions). If you want a crispy skin (and you do), then medium low will not likely achieve this. And you don't want to burn it, by keeping it on high. So what do you think you should do (again, turning it back to you)?

Not trying to be mean, just trying to help you change your way of thinking.

One last thought.... what is medium low to me and 1,000 other cooks, might be completely different. So don't get hung up on the temperatures too much, think desired end results.

ok here it goes:
turn the heat to high and do the water test
once the pan is virually nonstick then turn the heat to medium-high.
thus, duck wont stick, fat will render and a nice crispy skin will be achived?

one more question though. can you finish cooking the duck after searing in the sauce? or does it have to go into the oven? thanks

Can you finish cooking the duck in the sauce as opposed to the oven? Thanks

You can finish cooking the duck in the pan (not necessarily in the sauce) as opposed to the oven. You will just have to take into consideration - the heat, how you want the duck cooked etc. Cheers!

Why does duck seem to be cooked more rare, when chicken is cooked thoroughly. Just started working with duck and wondering....if you have already addressed this, sorry to repeat!! Are most birds other than turkey and chicken best when cooked this way? Thanks.

Good question. Here is a Drill-down called "Cooking Duck to Medium-Rare" that talks a bit about this. You may also want to check out the lesson called "Poultry Fundamental" as it also goes into a bit about working and cooking with duck. Cheers!

Would frozen blueberries work well? I would like to serve it with duck confit and puy de lentils. Thanks.

Frozen blueberries could work. Preferably, try to find ones that are smaller in size so they do not overpower the meat when it comes time to plating. Cheers!

I used to cook the duck the same way you do here and it always came back very good with a crispy skin.

The last two times I cooked duck I bought those huge duck breasts ( I actually thought there where two in the same package !) I think they were magret duck or something. They were very big with a very thick fat cap , bigger than the flesh itself !. The first time I said will duck is duck and I cooked it the same way you did here but it came back horrible with a soggy fat layer instead of a thin crispy one. The second time I thought I should try something I saw on tv where they put the duck in a cold pan and heat it gently to render the fat. The problem with this method is that it took 30 minutes and the fat cab was still too thick and starting to get brown. Is there any trick to cook this kind of duck ?

Actually the method of rendering the fat on low heat is your best bet. Make sure to score the skin first so it renders much more fat. Also, keep the temp low. This takes time, I know, but scoring should help. Magret breasts simply have tons of fat becasue those are usally the same ducks that are fed for foie gras.

Hi Tony, Dawn, Joe, and Kimberly,

Just wanted to find out where I can get that double lipped saucepan from in the "Duck Short Stock" section (can be seen at the 4:06 mark).

Cheers!

If you referring to the pot in step 1 that has two pouring spouts (one on each side) then I would have to say that I am not 100% sure of where I bought it. I believe it might have been at a local store here in Vancouver. I did do a quick search online and there are other pots available with the double pouring spouts. Cheers!