Have you ever considered deep frying duck? If you have, then you’re like tens of thousands of others. One of the tastiest meats around is duck, and it’s especially tasty when deep fried.
While all deep fried foods taste great, duck is in a league of its own. There are also many dipping sauces that you can whip up for your duck. The truth is that you can use virtually any oil that you want to cook the duck.
However, for the best results, you’ll want to go with oil that has a higher smoke point. Peanut, safflower and canola are excellent options. These oils can also be reused four to five times. Many chefs actually prefer peanut oil over most of the alternatives.
Get Started Deep Frying Duck
If you want to deep fry the duck correctly, you’ll want to make sure you use a large and heavy pot; it should be deep enough to cover the entire duck in oil. It’s also important to have an oil thermometer on hand.
If you don’t have a thermometer, you can always drop a few bread crumbs into the oil; when the crumbs start sizzling and crackling, the oil is ready to go.
You want to make sure that the oil doesn’t get hot enough to start smoking because it will cook the outside of the duck too quickly.
CAUTION: If you happened to get a brined duck, make sure it’s totally dry on the inside and out. You never want to add a wet duck into a pot of extremely hot oil – it can cause the oil to boil over and start a fire.
How to Deep Fry Duck
The recipe is really simple. You’ll want to start by heating the oil to 325 degrees in a large, heavy pot. There should be about 4 to 6 inches of space between the top of the pot and the oil.
Next, make sure to pat the duck dry and pour plenty of your favorite seasonings onto it. You want to place the ducks into the pot of oil, one at a time. The duck should be golden brown when it’s fully cooked. You should fry the duck for about 9 minutes for every pound of meat.
If you want, you can remove the duck towards the end and check the internal temperature to make sure it’s 180 degrees F. It’s a good idea to allow the duck to cool for roughly 10 minutes before serving.
Tasty Duck Dipping Sauce Recipes
Want a simple sweet and hot mustard sauce to dip your bird in? Simply combine 2 teaspoons of Tabasco sauce, ½ a teaspoon of lemon juice, ¼ a cup of honey, ½ a cup of Dijon mustard, 1/3 a cup of sour cream and 1/3 a cup of mayonnaise.
Roasted Red Pepper Duck Sauce
Want a spicy roasted red pepper sauce? Simply combine ¼ a cup of olive oil, a pinch of salt, ¼ a teaspoon of fresh pepper, 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar, 2 cloves of minced garlic and 1 cup of roasted red peppers, drained from oil or water.
Duck Deep Frying Tips
You should always allow the duck to completely thaw in the refrigerator before you fry it. In some cases, it can take up to three days to thaw. If you have a 5 pound duck, it will comfortably feed about five people. You’ll need a couple of ducks to feed a crowd.