Basic Duck Stock Recipes

DUCK STOCK (SAVE THAT CARCASS)

Steps:

• Throw everything into a large pot and cover with water (about 3 litres). Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 1/2 hours, skimming any scum that rises.
• After simmering, strain into a bowl pressing the meat and veg gently to remove all the liquid. Discard carcass and veg etc. Add in any reserved meat jelly (see my intro) and return stock to the cooktop.
• Boil until 2 or 3 (500-750 ml) of stock remain. I stop reducing when the flavour is good. Strain again.
• Cool quickly, label and freeze.
• No need to season it-that happens when I use it for soup in the future.

BASIC DUCK STOCK

Steps:

• Coat the carcasses and various bird bits with oil. Salt them well and put in a large roasting pan. Put in the oven, turn on the oven to 400°F, and roast for about 1 hour, until well browned.
• Meanwhile, score the pig's foot all over, or chop the duck feet with a cleaver or other heavy knife, to break the skin and expose the joints and bones. There is collagen in the feet that will seep into the water and give the finished stock more body.
• When the carcasses are ready, remove them from the oven and chop them into large pieces with heavy kitchen shears or a cleaver. This will make it possible to fit them all into your stockpot. Transfer them to a large stockpot and add the feet. Pour in cold water to cover everything by about 1 inch. Turn the heat to medium, bring to a bare simmer, and cook very gently for 2 to 8 hours. Do not let this boil.
• Meanwhile, put the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in the roasting pan and stir to coat with the fat that has rendered from the duck bits. If you are using domestic ducks or fatty wild ones, you may have too much fat: if you have a pool of fat at the bottom of the roasting pan, drain off all but about 3 tablespoons. You can strain the fat and reuse it (it's great for roasting potatoes). Put the vegetables in the oven and roast for about 45 minutes, until browned.
• When the vegetables are browned, pour about 4 cups water into the roasting pan and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
• When the stock has simmered for at least 2 hours, add the vegetables, the liquid from the roasting pan, and all the remaining ingredients. Stir well and simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer.
• Turn off the heat and strain the stock. Set up a fine-mesh sieve over another large pot (you may need 2 pots if you don't have a second large pot). Line the sieve with a piece of plain paper towel or cheesecloth and ladle the stock through the sieve. Change the paper towel or rinse the cheesecloth once or twice. This step is vital to making a clear stock. Do not attempt to capture the last dregs of stock at the bottom of the pot, or you will have cloudy stock.
• Your stock is now ready. Season to taste with salt, adding a little at a time. Skip the salting if you want to further concentrate flavors by simmering the strained stock for as long as you like. Check every 15 minutes or so to see if the flavor is as you want it.
• Transfer the stock to jars, let cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 9 months. Alternatively, pressure can the stock and store for up to 1 year.

DUCK STOCK AND CONFIT

Steps:

• Set the duck breast-side up on a cutting board. Using a boning knife, cut along one side of the breastbone; keep the back of your knife flush against that bone and follow the curve, cutting with the tip of your knife and pulling the meat back as you go. (It's actually a kind of natural movement; trust yourself.) When you meet up with the skin from the legs, cut through the skin and detach the breast. Repeat with the second breast. The legs are now easy to see.
• One leg at a time, cut through the skin, pulling the leg back as you go. Bend the leg backward to crack the joint, then cut through the joint (it's easy to see once you've cracked it); detach the leg. Repeat with the second leg. Remove the skin from the legs with your fingers, loosening it with your knife as necessary; reserve. Remove and reserve any fat you encounter.
• Lightly score the skin of the duck breasts to make a diamond pattern; be careful not to cut all the way through to the meat. Sprinkle with salt, cover and refrigerate until ready to use in the cassoulet.
• Toss the duck legs with the garlic (use more if your cloves are small), thyme, shallot and a few pinches of salt. Refrigerate and marinate the duck legs overnight.
• Heat the oven to 350. Put the duck carcass, onion, carrot and celery in a roasting pan. Roast, turning every now and then until quite well browned. Take your time; it'll take at least an hour.
• Transfer the contents of the roasting pan to a large pot; pour off the rendered fat and reserve it. Add the bay leaf, parsley and about 10 cups of water to the pot, and turn the heat to high.
• Bring just to a boil, then lower the heat so the mixture sends up a few bubbles at a time. Cook, skimming and discarding any foam that accumulates, for at least 60 minutes and up to 2 hours. Cool slightly, then strain. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate the stock overnight. The next day, take the stock out of the refrigerator and remove the duck fat from the top; it will have solidified, and you'll be able to scoop it right off.
• Put the fat in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the fat melts and reaches about 190 degrees, add the duck legs along with the garlic and as much olive oil (or duck fat) as necessary to submerge the legs. Discard the thyme and shallot.
• Cook, never letting the heat exceed 200 degrees, until the meat is tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 1.5 hours. Let cool, then store the duck in the fat in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it in the cassoulet.

DUCK STOCK

Steps:

• Break and crack the carcass.
• In a large stockpot, heat the vegetable oil.
• Season the bones with salt and pepper.
• Add the bones to the pot and brown for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
• Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and bay leaves.
• Season the mixture with salt.
• Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes, stirring often.
• Add the wine and tomato paste and stir to mix.
• Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the water.
• Put the thyme, parsley sprigs, and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth, tie it together with kitchen twine, and add it to the mixture.
• Bring the mixture to a boil.
• Skim off any cloudy scum that rises to the surface.
• Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 3 hours.
• Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and cool.
• Refrigerate overnight and remove any congealed fat from the surface.
• The stock can be stored in the freezer for 1 month.