How to choose the right duck meat?

It is believed that the most tender and juicy duck is the meat of ducklings under the age of 3 months. You can buy any duck, but it is better if it is as young as possible. There are many ways to determine the age of a bird. One of the most effective of these is the assessment of the appearance of fat. The older the duck, the more saturated the shade the fatty layers acquire. Old duck has yellow fat.

Duck, depending on age, can be divided into three types:

• duck meat up to 3 months;
• young duck (ducks over 6 months old);
• old duck (ducks over 1 year old).

In stores, duck can be sold frozen or chilled. If possible, it is better to give preference to the second option. The quality of frozen meat is difficult to assess due to the ice and altered consistency. Most of the rules for evaluating duck cannot be applied to such a product.

When buying a cut duck, the purpose of the purchase should be determined in advance. Legs are suitable for stewing and roasting, breasts are more often boiled or fried. Other parts of the duck’s body are used to prepare broth dishes.

How to choose duck meat

When choosing a duck, it is important to remember that the meat of any poultry is assessed not only according to individual criteria, but also in accordance with general rules. Fresh poultry always has a uniformly colored skin, and no feather residues should be present on it. If there is even the slightest suspicion of stale duck, then it is better to spend time looking for a quality product.

What kind of duck can you buy:

• the duck’s skin must be free of any damage, including bruising, bruising, dents or tears;
• the color of the skin and meat of the duck should be uniform (there should be no sharp contrasts in any case);
• duck meat, regardless of whether poultry is sold whole or cut, should always be slightly moist and sufficiently elastic;
• the elasticity of the duck is determined by simply pressing a finger (fresh meat should not deform);
• the muscle tissue of the duck has a slightly reddish tint (this is a sign of the freshness of the duck);
• if the duck is bought whole, then special attention should be paid to the beak (it must be shiny and clean);
• the webbing on the paws of a whole duck should not be damaged or appear dry;
• duck skin should not be sticky;
• the carcass of the duck should be moderately well-fed;
• the young duck has yellow legs and transparent fat;
• the duck’s toes should be easy to move apart (the membranes should be intact);
• if the beak of a duck is flexible, and when pressed, its slight softness is felt, then such a bird is young (its meat will be the most tender and juicy).

What kind of duck you shouldn’t buy:

• if when you press your finger on the duck, a dent remains, then the meat cannot be called fresh, and you should not buy it;
• the slightest spots or dots on the duck’s skin are signs of improper storage or poultry diseases;
• it is better not to buy meat with yellow or darkened fat (old duck is stiff and dry, it is rather difficult to cook it);
• it is not worth buying a duck with a dull, dirty or pale beak, as well as with dried membranes between the paws (such a duck is stored for a long time and improperly);
• a duck with a sticky skin is spoiled, it can neither be bought nor eaten;
• thin ducks are characterized by fibrous, dry and tough meat;
• in fatty ducks, the taste will be impaired (a large amount of fat spoils not only the taste, but also the aroma of the meat);
• if the paws of the duck are not yellow, then the bird is old;
• foreign odors in the aroma of the duck may indicate its spoilage or poor quality bird nutrition;
• if the duck’s toes cannot be pushed apart, and the membranes are stuck together, then the duck is not fresh (spoiled meat can harm digestion);
• if there is a plaque on the duck’s skin, then the purchase of such a bird must be abandoned;
• You should not buy a duck if there is damage or bruises on the surface of its skin.

If the duck is purchased cut up, the packaging must be evaluated separately. There must be no tears, other damage or double labels on it. The expiration date shouldn’t be overlooked either. There should be no moisture in the container.