Duck breast: fresh or frozen

I notice on here a number of folks cooking duck breast. I am a fan of duck but we rarely make it at home. Rarely as in we have been married over 25 years and the last time we cooked duck was before 1984. The basic roadblock is not recipes or desire but lack of raw material (cooking talent may be a problem too but that is not part of this post).

The local butcher has frozen duck, both whole bird and whole breast. Do most of you folks cook fresh duck breast? Or do you use frozen? Any comments on the difference between the two?

Mike
I've found duck to be one of the more forgiving meats wrt freezing. I'd say give it a go with (say) duck breast and a simple sauce made from juice of freshly squeezed oranges (and some orange zest), reduced down in a pan for ~ 30 mins until it thickens. Adding a little spice to this can be interesting.

I like the duck oven baked (a little flour on the skin will help it crisp up) skin side up.

regards

Ian

I think it depends on the style of duck you like, Mike. For well done/crispy, I'm with Ian -- duck is very forgiving since it's so fatty and you'll cook out much of the fat.

If your preference is for rare duck, though, fresh duck will give you much better results.

IMO, of course.

[Jenise]

Fresh is never not best, Mike, but if it weren't for frozen this cook would have no duck at all, so yes, by all means buy frozen if you can get it. As everyone else said, it's very forgiving.

If you order today from Grimaud Farms, you can get a discount. They ship. I just ordered a few of the Drake Breasts from them. You season the breast, sear it in a hot skillet about 3-4 minutes on a side, and put in a 350 oven for another 6-8 minutes to finish cooking.

Now thru February 28th:

Product Sale $ Reg $
Whole Muscovy Hen 14.00 22.00
Muscovy Drake breast 16.00 26.00

Be sure to use promo code FRZ to get the special price on our special birds.

(800) 466-9955
http://www.grimaud.com