how much fat can i expext to render from a duck?

November 14, 2007 10:48 AM

how much fat can i expext to render from a duck?

i have searched but been unable to find the answer. on average how much fat can I expected to render from a duck?

posted by phil to food & drink (13 comments total)

wow i can't type today. please pardon the wonky use of caps and tense.
posted by phil at 10:51 AM on November 14, 2007

I just roasted a five pound duck this weekend, and there was easily four cups in the pan afterwards.
posted by zebra3 at 10:52 AM on November 14, 2007

Yeah, about four cups sounds right, maybe a little less. Duck fat is amazing on roasted carrots and onions.
posted by painquale at 11:08 AM on November 14, 2007

I have about two cups in my freezer from 1 duck.
posted by Eringatang at 11:13 AM on November 14, 2007

How big is your duck?
posted by lalochezia at 11:45 AM on November 14, 2007

lalochezia
i have yet to purchase duck(s). i am trying to determine how many i need. what i am looking for is how much fat i can expect to render per pound of duck.

thank you all for your answers so far.
posted by phil at 11:57 AM on November 14, 2007

This blogger got two cups.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 12:12 PM on November 14, 2007

Eringatang

do you by any chance remember the size of the duck?
posted by phil at 12:20 PM on November 14, 2007

This is variable, but you should expect 1.5 - 2 cups per duck.

Unless I miss my guess, you're thinking about confit, so I'll just tell you my rule of thumb: the fat rendered from one duck is generally sufficient to confit two legs from a similarly sized duck.

Cheers!
posted by rush at 2:14 PM on November 14, 2007

rush

i am actually thinking french fries but thank you for the information.

8 ducks to the gallon it is.
posted by phil at 2:32 PM on November 14, 2007

No, I don't. It was a Canadian duck, if that helps (it probably doesn't...). I would guess it was at least five pounds and no more than 7.
posted by Eringatang at 3:00 PM on November 14, 2007

I know you're making fries (and not roast duck), but here's what my husband said when I sent him this link:

I think what I've done in the past is to get a couple of ducks, and take off the good bits -- legs and breasts. Then trim up those good bits and keep the trimmings (skin and fat). Then I trim up the carcass, again keeping the trimmings. Roast the carcass and wings. Keep the roasted bones for stock, and strain and collect the fat that comes off. Render the trimmings and add the collected fat to that collected from the bone roasting exercise.

Ducks are expensive. This is how I make the most of them.

posted by web-goddess at 3:08 PM on November 14, 2007 [1 favorite]

I'm also quite fond of potatoes fried in goose fat. A ~12lb goose should give you somewhere northwards of 48 oz of rendered fat.
posted by Caviar at 7:24 PM on November 14, 2007