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| Duck and Goose from Farm to Table |
The White Pekin duck,
native to China, is a relative newcomer to America. In 1873,
a Yankee Clipper ship crossed the Pacific with fewer than a
dozen of them, marking the beginning of America's domestic duck
industry. The domestic goose, bred in ancient Egypt, China and
India, arrived from a different direction — across the Atlantic
from Europe, where they're immensely popular. Following is background
information on these two poultry species.
What are duck and goose?
- Broiler Duckling or Fryer Duckling - a young duck (usually
under 8 weeks of age) of either sex that is tender meated
and has a soft bill and a soft windpipe; ducklings classified
as broiler-fryers weigh from 3 to 6 ½ pounds.
- Roaster Duckling - a young duck (usually under 16 weeks
of age) of either sex that is tender-meated and has a bill
that is not completely hardened and a windpipe that is easily
dented; they usually weigh from 4 to 7 ½ pounds.
- Mature Duck or Old Duck - a duck (usually over 6 months
of age) of either sex with toughened flesh and a hardened
bill; these ducks are usually too old to lay eggs and their
meat is used in processed products.
- Young Goose or Gosling - may be of either sex and is tender
meated. A gosling weighs about 8 pounds; a young goose weighs
12 to 14 pounds.
- Mature Goose or Old Goose - may be of either sex and has
toughened flesh. A mature goose is usually a spent breeder
and its meat is used in processed products.
- Gander - a male goose.
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How are ducks and geese raised?
Almost all ducks are raised indoors to protect from predators
and to manage their manure, which is collected and used elsewhere
selectively as fertilizer. Most ducks are now raised in Wisconsin
and Indiana since land on Long Island, NY, where most ducks
were formerly raised, has become increasingly too valuable to farm. Ducks are fed corn and soybeans fortified with vitamins
and minerals. Most feed contains no animal by-products.
Geese are raised under cover for the first six weeks of life.
Then they are put on the range 14 to 20 weeks where they eat
available grass and some grain. California and South Dakota
are the main geese-raising states.
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Are duck and goose USDA inspected and graded?
All ducks and geese are federally or state inspected. Grading
is voluntary and a plant pays to have its ducks or geese graded.
The presence of the USDA Grade shield, usually Grade A, on these
products is an indication of quality. USDA Grade A ducklings
are the highest quality available. They are plump, meaty and
have skin free from cuts, bruises and tears. There are no broken
bones, no missing parts and few pin feathers. Grade B and Grade
C ducklings are not usually found in supermarkets.
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Can antibiotics and hormones be used in raising duck and goose?
No hormones are allowed in U.S. duck or goose production. The
Food and Drug Administration strictly prohibits the use of hormones
in these birds.
Very few drugs have been approved for ducks and geese so antibiotics
are not routinely given and are not useful for feed efficiency.
If a drug is given — usually, through the feed — to cure illness,
for example, a "withdrawal" period of days is required from
the time it is administered until it is legal to slaughter the
bird. This is so residues can exit the bird's system. FSIS randomly
samples poultry at slaughter and tests for residues.
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How are duck and goose down obtained?
When these birds are slaughtered, they are first stunned electrically.
After their throats are cut (by hand, for geese) and the birds
are bled, they are scalded to facilitate removal of large feathers.
To remove fine pinfeathers, the birds are dipped in paraffin
wax. Down and feathers, a very valuable by-product of the duck
and goose industry, are sorted at another facility.
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Additives
Additives are not allowed on fresh duck or goose. If the meat
or giblets are processed (such as in paté or smoked breast,
for example), any additives such as MSG, salt, or sodium erythorbate,
must be listed on the label.
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Fatty Deposits
Ducks and geese swim, and they have a fat layer beneath the
skin that keeps them buoyant. Before cooking a whole bird, the
skin should be pricked all over with a fork to facilitate the
fat rendering out. This fat layer must have melted and disappeared
for the bird to be done.
The fat is not "marbled" into the meat so it can easily be removed
from the surface of a raw duck or goose if deboning the meat
before cooking.
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Retail Cuts of Duck and Goose
- Whole duckling, gosling or goose including giblets and
neck.
- Bone-in parts such as whole leg, breast quarter and breast.
- Boneless breast, skin-on or skinless.
- Giblets (liver, heart and gizzard) sold with whole birds
but much liver exported to France.
- Tongues and feet (delicacy mostly exported to Hong Kong
but some used by Asian Americans).
- Processed products such as smoked cooked breast, sausage
and hot dogs.
Some cuts may be used mainly for food service and restaurants.
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Quantity to Buy
When buying whole duck or goose, allow about 1 to 1 ½ pounds
of raw weight per person. Raw boneless meat yields about 3 servings
per pound after cooking. Estimate 3 to 4-ounces per person for
fully cooked products.
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Are duck and goose considered "red" or "white" meat?
Duck and goose are poultry and considered "white" meat. Because
they are birds of flight, however, the breast meat is darker
than chicken and turkey breast. This is because more oxygen
is needed by muscles doing work, and the oxygen is delivered
to those muscles by the red cells in the blood. One of the proteins
in meat, myoglobin, holds the oxygen in the muscle, and gives
the meat a darker color.
Chickens and turkeys stand a lot but do little if any flying,
so their breast meat is white and leg meat, dark. Game birds,
however, spend time flying so their breast meat may be as dark
as leg meat.
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What is the flavor of duck and goose?
Because all the meat on a duck or goose is dark, it has a stronger
flavor than chicken breast meat--and even chicken leg meat.
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What does natural mean?
All fresh meat qualifies as "natural." Products labeled "natural"
cannot contain any artificial flavor or flavoring, coloring
ingredient, chemical preservative or any other artificial or
synthetic ingredient. All products claiming to be natural should
be accompanied by a brief statement which explains what is meant
by the term "natural."
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What foodborne organisms are associated with duck and goose?
As on any perishable meat, fish or poultry, bacteria can be
found on raw or undercooked duck or goose. Bacteria multiply
rapidly in the "Danger Zone," at temperatures between
40° and 140 °F (out of refrigeration and before thorough
cooking occurs). Freezing may limit growth but does not kill
bacteria. They are destroyed by thorough cooking.
Salmonella is often associated with shell eggs and
poultry. It may be found in the intestinal tracts of livestock,
poultry, dogs, cats and other warm-blooded animals. Salmonella
Enteritidis is only one of about 2,000 Salmonella bacteria.
Freezing doesn't kill this microorganism but it is destroyed
with thorough cooking.
Salmonella must be eaten to cause illness. Raw
poultry must be handled carefully to prevent cross contamination.
This can occur if raw duck, goose or their juices contact cooked
food or foods that will be eaten raw such as salad. Salmonellosis
is a foodborne illness characterized by stomach pain, diarrhea
and nausea.
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Irradiation
Irradiation has not been approved for use with duck or goose.
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How to Handle Duck and Goose Safely
FRESH DUCK OR GOOSE
Because the demand is not as high as for other poultry such
as chicken or turkey, ducks and geese are usually kept in the
frozen food cases at supermarkets. At holiday times, fresh duck
and goose may be available.
Select them just before checking out at the register. Put each
duck or goose in a disposable plastic bag (if available) to
contain any leakage which could cross contaminate cooked foods
or produce. Make the grocery your last stop before going home.
At home, refrigerate a duck or goose immediately (40° F)
and use within 1 or 2 days, or freeze (0° F) in its original
packaging. If kept frozen continuously, it will be safe indefinitely.
READY PREPARED DUCK OR GOOSE
If picking up a cooked duck, or other fully cooked product,
be sure it is hot when you pick it up. Use it within 2 hours
or cut it into several pieces and refrigerate in shallow, covered
containers. Eat either cold or reheated to 165° F. It is
safe to freeze ready prepared duck or goose. For recommended
storage times, see the chart below.
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Marinating
Marinate duck or goose in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Boil
used marinade before brushing it on the cooked poultry. Discard
any uncooked leftover marinade.
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| Storage
Times for Duck and Goose |
| Product |
Refrigerator
40 °F |
Freezer
0 °F |
| Fresh Duck or Goose |
1 to 2 days |
6 months |
| Fresh Giblets (liver, etc.)
|
1 to 2 days |
6 months |
| Cooked Duck or Goose; gumbo,
stews or casseroles |
3 to 4 days |
2 to 3 months |
| Leftover takeout or restaurant
food |
3 to 4 days |
2 to 3 months |
| Smoked duck breast or franks:
Vacuum sealed |
2 weeks (or 1 week after "use-by
date") |
1 to 2 months |
| Smoked duck breast or franks:
After opening |
7 days |
1 to 2 months |
| Frozen commercial dinners
or entrees |
Keep frozen before cooking
|
3 to 4 months |
| Canned duck or goose products
in pantry (paté, soup, etc.) |
2 to 5 years in pantry; 3
to 4 days after opening |
After opening, 2 to 3 months |
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Safe Thawing
There are three safe ways to thaw a frozen duck or goose: in
the refrigerator, in cold water and in the microwave. Never
defrost on the counter or in other locations. In the refrigerator,
whole birds may take 1 to 2 days or longer; parts, about 1 day.
Once the raw poultry defrosts, it will be safe in the refrigerator
an additional 1 or 2 days before cooking. During this time,
if you decide not to use the product, you can safely refreeze
it without cooking it first.
To thaw a duck or goose in cold water, do not remove the packaging.
Be sure the packaging is airtight or put it in a leakproof bag.
Submerge the bird in cold water, changing the water every 30
minutes. A whole (3 to 4-pound) duck or package of parts should
defrost in 2 to 3 hours; a goose, which is larger, may take
4 to 6 hours.
When microwave-defrosting a duck or goose, plan to cook it immediately
after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm
and begin to cook. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended
because any bacteria present may not have been destroyed. Foods
defrosted in the microwave or by the cold water method should
be cooked before refrigerating or refreezing.
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Partial Cooking
Never brown or partially cook duck or goose to refrigerate and
finish cooking later because any bacteria present may not have
been destroyed. It is safe to partially pre-cook or microwave
poultry immediately before transferring it to the hot grill
to finish cooking.
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Can safely cooked duck and goose be pink?
Cooked muscle meats can be pink even when the meat has reached
a safe minimum internal temperature. If fresh duck or goose
has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F
as measured with a food thermometer, even though it may still
be pink in the center, it should be safe. The pink color can
be due to the cooking method or added ingredients. For reasons
of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook poultry
to higher temperatures.
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Safe Cooking
USDA recommends cooking whole duck or goose to a safe minimum
internal temperature of 165 °F as measured using a food
thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost
part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
When cooking pieces, the breast, drumsticks, thighs, and wings
should be cooked until they reach a safe minimum internal temperature
of 165 °F. For approximate cooking times for use in meal
planning, see the following chart compiled from various resources
and use a food thermometer.
| Approximate
Duck and Goose Cooking Times |
| Type of Duck or Goose |
Roast |
Grill
Direct heat |
Smoke
Indirect heat* |
Braise |
Whole duckling, 4 to 6 lbs
Do not stuff. |
30 to 35 min./lb. at 350 °F |
Not preferred |
2-½ hours |
Not preferred |
| Duckling breast |
Brown skin-side down in a skillet over medium heat. Then cook in a 425 °F oven 12 minutes. |
Grill skin side down 6 minutes; turn and grill 7 to 8 minutes. |
1 to 2 hours |
60 to 75 minutes |
| Duckling legs or thighs |
Roast 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours at 325 °F. |
Grill legs/thighs 30 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. |
1 1/2 to 2 hours |
1 1/2 hours |
| Whole young goose, 8 to 12 lbs |
2-½ to 3 hours+ |
Not suitable |
2 to 2-½ hrs |
Not preferred |
| Young goose, cut up |
2 hours |
35 to 40 min. |
2 hours |
2 hours |
NOTE: Prick skin of whole duck or goose before roasting or smoking
so fat can render.
+ Unstuffed. If stuffed, add 15 to 30 minutes additional time.
* Indirect method using drip pan.
Microwave Directions:
- Place duck or goose in an oven cooking bag (or in a covered
dish). Microwave on high 6 to 7 minutes per pound. Crisp
in 500 °F conventional oven 10 to 20 minutes.
- When microwaving parts, arrange in dish or on rack so
thick parts are toward the outside of dish and thin or bony
parts are in the center.
- Allow 10 minutes standing time for bone-in goose or duck;
5 minutes for boneless breast.
- USDA recommends cooking whole duck or goose to 165 °F.
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Last Modified:
May 13, 2011 |
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