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Duck fat is easily one of my all time, favorite ingredients to work with. It does absolutely magical things to sauteed vegetables and mushrooms. It was used to make the original french fries. It comes with a nice high smoke point, but a low melt point, so you can toss vegetable in this before you roast them. I also like to rub down chickens and turkeys in this instead of butter. As far as I'm concerned, it's earned it title of liquid gold.
Unfortunately, it also gets that name because if you try to buy it at the grocery store, it's super expensive. This stuff if made from the fat found around the duck's organs and kidneys and has a clean, neutral flavor that can be used for baked goods.
Luckily! If you don't mind some ducky-flavor or using a down and dirty method, you can make it yourself from duck skin. This latest batch was made using skin I trimmed from the neck and butt/thighs(?) of the ducks I grilled for Yule.
Ingredients:
uhh... skin? Trimmings? I feel like this part should be pretty self explanatory. You're looking for, well, duck fat
Steps:
Cut your duck skin/fat into small pieces. I usually cut them into 1-2 square inches
Throw them in a pot or saucepan
Add about a tablespoon of water. This will help keep the skin from burning when you first add head
Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally to unstick the pieces of skin from the bottom of the pan. Unfortunately, this step will take hours. But by the time it's done, the water will have evaporated, and you'll be left with lots of golden, rendered fat
Strain out the solid pieces of skin. If you want, you can put these on a paper towel or tea towel to drain and sprinkle salt on them. These are cracklings!
Pour the fat into a jar and let it cool on the counter before you put on a lid and put it in the fridge. Optionally, you can strain this stuff through something like cheese cloth if you want to get all the little bits out. I don't bother and just leave them in.
And voila! You have duck fat! This method also works to render lard from pig fat if you want real lard instead of the nasty, shelf-stable, hydrogenated stuff from the supermarket. Check the butcher shop around hunting season. A lot of them will sell pig fat for the guys making venison sausage.
Recipe for Pan-Roasted Red Potatoes
Your family and friends will adore these skillet-roasted red potatoes for breakfast or dinner because of the rich flavor and crunchy crust they get from the duck fat.
Pan-Roasted Red Potatoes
These skillet red potatoes pan-roasted in duck fat develop a rich flavor and crispy crust your family and friends will love for breakfast or dinner.
Duck Fat-Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe
Brussels sprouts are tossed with duck fat and roasted in a hot oven in Chef John's recipe for a terrific side dish.
Fruits and Vegetables - Duck Fat-Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are tossed with duck fat and roasted in a hot oven in Chef John's recipe for a terrific side dish.
WE'RE DOING IT WITH DUCK FAT? DUCK FAT. WE HAVE SOME NICE FLOUR. We're going to do anything. Just do it. I promise you're going to be fucking with us. I'll have this in my hand right now, but don't think you're getting the hang of it. We're taking care of the rest. GO PAMPHLET.
GOROW (looking around at the group) THIS IS A POSSESSION?
PAMPHLET (to one of the members) NO.
This works with any stainless steel object! They actually sell "magic soap" for this purpose, but save yourself the $7 and just grab a piece of flatware from your kitchen drawer. I use serving spoons for the larger surface area.
[HOT WATER. OKAY. WE GOTTA BREAK DOWN THE STEM THAT WAS STILL THERE AND BEYOND THESE IS A CLUSTER OF SMALL HOUSES. NOW WE'RE GONNA TAKE THE PURéE AND FRY IT IN DUCK FAT. (imitates quacking)]