Poultry • Review • The previous unit / lesson • Chicken & Turkey • Overview • The next unit / lesson • Guinea Fowl, Duck, Goose, Pigeon, Deli Meats, • Ratites –Emu/Ostrich/Rhea, Rabbit Source:  On  Cooking,  Chapter  18  page  462  to  465  

Duck Ducks contain only dark meat and large amounts of fat and a high percentage of bone to meat ratio Classification •  Duckling - Caneton –  Young bird, tender meat –  8 weeks or less old – 1.3 - 1.7 kg in weight

•  Duck - Canard –  Old bird with tough flesh used for braising only –  6 months or older – 1.8 - 2.6 kg in weight ‒  Magret – duck breast traditionally taken from ducks that produce foie gras

Duck – Varieties Barbary/Moscovy smaller duck with less fat/meat ratio

Peking large meaty duck

Moulard cross breed between Moscovy and Peking Ducks

Mallard wild duck and therefore belonging to the game birds

Duck – Varieties

Pekin duck Barbary Muscovy duck

Cooking Methods of Duck Dry-Heat cooking methods Young ducks are roasted either whole or breasts only. Ducks in general have lots of fat which needs to be rendered during the roasting process.

Moist-heat cooking methods Boiling or simmering in general are not suitable for duck due to the large amount of fat. Confit of duck leg works very well though.

Combination heat cooking methods Young and older birds are good for stewing or braising

Goose Goose contains only dark meat and has very fatty skin. Served often during holidays (St Martins day - 11.11 )

Classification •  Young Goose - Oison –  Rich, tender dark meat, soft windpipe –  6 months or less old 3 - 5 kg in weight

•  Mature Goose - Oie –  Tough flesh and hard windpipe, for braising, stewing only –  Over 6 months old 5 - 7 kg in weight

Main varieties – Grey goose - Black goose – Canada / Goose webs are a specialty in Chinese cuisine Used for force feeding and produce Goose liver

Goose & Duck liver Foie Gras – D’oie/canard Considered as a high priced specialty. Foie gras is a French term meaning “fat liver”. Goose and duck are force fed with gavage (grain, maize mix with fat and vitamins) to fatten the liver to a multitude of it’s original volume (approx. 400-450 g per piece). The technique dates back to 2500 BC and the Greeks, although today France is the biggest producer of foie gras in the Perigord and Alsace regions. Goose-duck liver is best pan-fried but can also be poached (au torchon) or made into a pate or mousse.

Goosliver – Fabrication & Products

Guinea fowl Guinea fowl is the domesticated descendant of a game bird originating from Africa. It has light and dark meat and the flavor is similar to pheasant although less pungent.

Guinea Fowl – Pintade –  Tender meat, flexible breast bone –  900 g – 1.3 kg in weight –  Cooking methods for Guinea fowl are in general the same as for chicken.

Pigeon The young pigeon is referred to as squab. Classification

•  Squab –  Immature pigeon, very tender dark flesh –  4 weeks old – 0.3-0.7 kg –  Suitable for dry-heat cooking methods

•  Pigeon –  Mature bird, tough flesh, coarse skin, for braising & stewing –  Over 4 weeks old – 700 g and above in weight

Ratites Ratites are a family of flightless birds. They are generally farmed for the food industry consumption.

–  Emu (Australia) –  Ostrich (Africa) –  Rhea (South Africa) Very little fat content and very red in color, similar to mature beef. Generally the meat is from birds 10-13 months old and cut from the back (which also contains the tender tenderloin), the thighs (fans) and legs. Tender meat is suitable for Dry cooking methods (broiling/grilling, sautéing, roasting or pan-frying) while tougher parts need to be cooked via combination cooking methods (stewing & braising).

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Ostrich Butchery Chart

Rabbit Rabbit refers to the domesticated animal not the wild rabbit which is referred to as hare and considered game meat. Rabbit has soft white tender lean meat and is often considered an alternative meat to poultry.

Rabbit can be roasted whole, or in separate pieces, front feet (shoulder), back legs, rack with tenderloin, belly and other off-cuts. Rabbit is similar to the chicken suitable for almost any cooking method.

Rabbit

Rabbit Butchery chart

Various Poultry

1.  Turkey 2.  Goose 3.  Barbary duck 4.  Guinea fowl 5.  Mallard 6.  Poussin 7.  Quail 8.  Partridge 9.  Pigeon squab 10. Pheasant 11.  Chicken, 12. Aylesbury duck