Should I steam or let this duck rest first?

November 24, 2010 3:14 PM

Should I steam or let this duck rest first? For game birds, I've usually pricked the skin, quick-poached it, then let it sit uncovered overnight to crisp up the skin before I roast it. However, I've been using a new recipe for duck that calls for steaming it before you roast it (a wonderful recipe, btw). So the question is: should I let it sit overnight in the fridge before I steam it or after I steam it?
posted by digitalprimate to Food & Drink (2 answers total)

Best answer: are you getting a crisp skin now? That's why you let it sit uncovered. The steaming is supposed to render the fat from the skin as well as some collagen so that it crisps in the over. If you do want to let the skin sit out because it isn't crisp enough you want to do it after the steaming, otherwise you are just rehydrating what you dehydrated overnight.
posted by JPD at 4:01 PM on November 24, 2010 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Aaaaand we're done in one. Makes total sense.
posted by digitalprimate at 6:49 PM on November 24, 2010