Duck Confit - How easy was that?

[GoneOffShore]

Made duck confit - Fergus Henderson's recipe and the NYT one a couple of weeks back.

Too easy. And now I've got duck everywhere.

Chicken thighs are next on the agenda.

[Warpy]

1. Julia Child did pressed duck on one of her shows in the 60s

The duck press was a gargantuan thing, almost bigger than she was, and that's saying a lot.

I filed it under "fuck it."

I wish I could get duck here in NM, but I haven't been able to find any store that carries it, not even frozen.

I've wanted to do a duck for ages, if only to get a huge stash of duck fat in the freezer.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Dunno where you'll find a fresh one unless you hunt it yourself, but...

it seems a few places are selling frozen ones online at about 2-3 bucks a pound plus shipping. Inever bought one online, so I can't imagine who to recommend.

About fresh ducks, one of the last Long Island Duck farmers years ago here on Long Island only had frozen ducks. He explained that the inspectors only showed up once a month or so, so that was slaughter day and you could get one then. The rest of the day's kill had to be frozen. Things may have changed since then, but I tend to doubt it.

Few farmers out here do ducks any more, and only then as a sideline. Costs are astronomical on Long Island, so Long Island ducks (a trade name for the common white ducks for sale) are mostly raised in Michigan.

[Warpy]

3. I knew the yuppies had developed and driven the Long Island duck

producers elsewhere. I didn't know the problem was having inspectors required at slaughter.

I also knew that about the only way to get a fresh duck back in Boston was to go out and shoot it yourself.

Still, it's just something New Mexicans don't consider when it comes to food. Cranes come here, but most waterfowl give the arid climate a miss, so it's just never been on the menu and supermarkets won't stock it.

[hippywife]

4. I was able to get it in Tulsa

at a butcher shop. They were frozen, but still very good. Are there no butcher shops outside if grocery stores in NM????

[Warpy]

5. "Carniceria Chihuahua" is all over the place

but they don't do ducks, either, although they don't look at me like my space helmet is on backwards when I want the feet with an old stewing hen.

Nobody does ducks around here because it's just not something the locals consider. Chickens and Thanksgiving turkeys are it for fowl. Waterfowl has never been possible to hunt or farm here, so nobody considers it food.