Thinking about trying wild duck? Since not many people are familiar with this poultry meat, we’ll be covering everything you need to know about its taste and texture.
Wild duck meat tastes quite similar to red meat to chicken, but with a stronger and sweeter flavor. Perfectly-cooked wild duck meat tastes juicy, deeply rich, and quite flavorsome. However, depending on the type of species, you may also find the taste slightly gamey or fishy, with subtle hints of an umami undertone.
If you want to find out more, read this article to discover the best tasting wild ducks for achieving the ultimate flavor.
What Does Wild Duck Taste Like?
Wild ducks, like other game birds, have a strong flavor than farmed ducks because of their feed and active lifestyle. Since they need to do a lot to survive, their muscles are constantly working out. It gives them a deep and rich flavor that’s closer to red meat than chicken meat. But, when paired with flavor enhancers and other ingredients, it may taste like chicken or turkey, but with a pronounced flavor.
Compared to other types of poultry, wild ducks have thicker skin; therefore, when cooking the bird, pay attention to the skin. The crisp skin adds delicious taste and texture to the overall meal!
It’s crucial to cook wild duck properly as overcooked duck meat develops a strong, gamey flavor that resembles the liver’s taste. However, there are several ways to mellow this naturally gamey flavor, such as brining as this helps to add moisture and flavor to the bird. You can also use other ingredients to cut through that rich flavor.
Another reason to pay attention to the cooking process is that overcooking the meat can make it tough or rubbery. To ensure a tender and succulent taste, you must keep a lookout for the clock when cooking!
The wild duck’s flavor also depends on its feed. Since shallow water ducks, like mallard and teal, feed on grains; they taste succulent; on the other hand, diver ducks consume fish, which can affect how they taste like. Due to their active lives, wild duck meat is also leaner, compared to other birds.
As the wild duck is a rich source of flavor, you can have it on its own or use it to add a delicious aroma or flavor to vegetables or other meats! Reserve some duck fat to add umami notes to practically any dish!
Some of the best cooking methods include frying, braising, and roasting as it renders flavorful and juicy meat while giving the skin a delicious crispness. It also contains several health benefits and nutritional properties than other types of poultry meat.
Best Tasting Wild Duck
Now that you’ve learned about what wild duck tastes like, it’s crucial to find the best-tasting birds as this one variable can affect how your meal tastes like.
1. Mallard
Mallard is easily one of the most sought-after hunting birds, despite the strong gamey flavor. When prepared with care, it can quickly become one of the favorites to eat!
2. Teal
Teal is an incredibly delicious bird for its delicate meat and subtle flavor. It has succulent fat that melts quickly, making it an excellent choice for roasting, grilling, braising, and sautéing.
3. Wood duck
The wood duck is another tasty option as it has a milder flavor than the other species. You can best enjoy this bird by cooking it over a BBQ!
Is it Safe to Eat Wild Duck?
Although wild ducks tend to have a gamey taste, they are safe to eat. Wild ducks are blessed with plentiful fat and protein content; adding it to your diet is a great way to reap the health benefits! Furthermore, wild duck meat does not pose the risk of salmonella poisoning as rare chicken meat does.
However, since duck fat goes rancid pretty fast, you must clean, store, and age the bird properly before cooking. Avoid consuming duck meat if it has an unpleasant, fishy taste.
Conclusion
Wild duck meat has a strong, gamey flavor compared to other types of meat. The deeply-rich flavor and tender meat is truly a taste to savor! The best way to devour this poultry meat is by roasting it whole because it makes the meat juicy and helps the thick skin crisp up.
Compared to farmed birds, wild ducks have active lives as they need to do more to survive. Since this puts their muscles to a constant workout; therefore, they have lesser fat content than the farmed birds. Nonetheless, the wild birds have a richer flavor and darker color. Moreover, since they have a vast range of feed, the meat tastes stronger and gamier. Therefore, the taste of wild duck is more similar to steak than chicken.
Make sure to choose the wild duck species according to your food preferences.