Duck Fat

pure liquid duck

I made a duck. With the whole duck I also go to enjoy, bones for broth, offal for paté, and gobs of fat and skin which can be rendered down. The flavor is pure duck, liquid fatty duck. Most fats have the same amount of calories per serving, but different amount of saturated and un fats. Saturated fat gives food that greasy crave-able fat flavor. Just as a review of your average fats:

1 tablespoon of olive oil 119 calories / 2 grams saturated fat
1 tablespoon of butter 100 calories / 7 grams saturated fat
1 tablespoon of lard (pork product) 115 calories / 5 grams of saturated fat
1 tablespoon of duck fat 112 calories / 4 grams of saturated fat
1 tablespoon of peanut oil 112 calories / 4 grams of saturated fat

Duck fat isn't healthy but it's not the most bad for you oil either. I'm sure all kinds of debates can be had over what makes a fat good or bad. If you want to check out more nutritional stats visit NutrionalData.com.

Rendered Duck Fat and Cracklings
Duck Skin
Drippings from cooked duck

Make sure to reserve every drop of duck drippings from your duck. Place in a glass container, measuring cups work great. Freeze for 20 minutes until the fat hardens. Scoop the fat out of the container and place in a small heavy bottomed pan. Slice up the duck fat into thin strips, 1/4-1/8". You may use cooked or uncooked (which you may have trimmed off before cooking) skin. It all has fat in it. Place skin in the pan along with 1 cup of reserved duck liquid.

Heat over medium low heat. You don't want the fat to sputter and splash. Cook for 10-20 minutes until all the liquids have evaporated and skins are a deep golden brown. Remove duck skin cracklings with a fork and drain on a paper towel. Salt immediately, and those are ready. Cool the fat off. Store chilled in a glass jar for 3-4 weeks.

What do you do with this pure gold oil? Well, you will automatically be left with duck crackling as you render the fat out of the skin. Crunch bits you can use to garnish food like bacon, or eat like chips. I found them way too rich to eat plain, but my guests enjoyed them with cheese and fruit at a picnic. The oil can be used to saute potatoes, yams, green beans, zucchini or any veggie. Try throwing it melting over pasta, topped with cheese. My biggest success was using it to make Duck Fat Mayo! Yes duck fat mayo was awesome on anything between two slices of bread. I adapted Serious Eat's mayo recipe, it's a good idea to jump over there and read the detailed instructions if you have not made mayonnaise before.

Duck Fat Mayo

1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
2 tsp white wine vinegar, divided
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
1 duck fat
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Either leave your egg out at room temperature for 3 hours or place in luke warm water for 20 minutes. Whisk together the yolk, salt, mustard, 1 tsp lemon juice, and 1 tsp vinegar. Whisking constantly add 1/4 of the duck fat in a slow steady stream. Whisk in the remaining lemon juice and vinegar. Finally add the remaining fat in a slow steady stream followed by a dash of cayenne. Allow mayo to sit at room temperature for 1 hour before refrigerating. Should be good for a week. Hello heart attack week.