I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?


--
Jani in WA (S'mee)
~ mom, VidGamer, novice cook ~

"S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
...
> I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
>
>

May sound gross, but I put my chicken skin in with the bones when I make
chicken stock. It provides lots of flavor and as long as I skim off all the
fat, who cares?

kili

S'mee in WA wrote:

> I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
>
>

I'd season it and fry it up crisp for a snack that beats the heck out of
commercial pork rinds.

Kathleen

On Tue 27 Sep 2005 11:35:09a, S'mee in WA wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?

Cosmetic surgical transplant? :-)

Uh, actually, if you render it, the fat makes a very good seasoning in many
dishes. Also known as schmaltz.


--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974

"S'mee in WA" wrote ...
> I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?

I toss it in with the bones when I make broth/soup. You always skin the fat
anyway.

Pam

kilikini wrote:

> "S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
>>the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
>>I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
>>
>>
>
>
> May sound gross, but I put my chicken skin in with the bones when I make
> chicken stock. It provides lots of flavor and as long as I skim off all the
> fat, who cares?
>
> kili
>
>
Yep that's what I do. An easy way to skim off the fat it to toss in a
few ice cubes then remove the fat and ice cubes all at once. I don't
like watering down my stocks so I let them cool then put in the fridge
so the fat forms a layer. I remove the layer then either can or freeze.
I really like using stocks for cooking rices instead of using water so
I tend to have a lot of them.

One time on Usenet, "kilikini" > said:
> "S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
> ...

> > I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> > the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> > I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?

> May sound gross, but I put my chicken skin in with the bones when I make
> chicken stock. It provides lots of flavor and as long as I skim off all the
> fat, who cares?

I was kind of thinking along those lines -- saving it for soup or
for a dish that needs some added richness. But I fear it would just
sit in the freezer, for all my good intentions... ;-)


--
Jani in WA (S'mee)
~ mom, VidGamer, novice cook ~

In article >,
(S'mee in WA) wrote:

> I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?

leftover chicken skin is an oxymoron in my house. ;-)

I'd fry or grill it and eat it plain.......
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article >,
~patches~ > wrote:

> kilikini wrote:
>
> > "S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >>I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> >>the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> >>I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > May sound gross, but I put my chicken skin in with the bones when I make
> > chicken stock. It provides lots of flavor and as long as I skim off all the
> > fat, who cares?
> >
> > kili
> >
> >
> Yep that's what I do. An easy way to skim off the fat it to toss in a
> few ice cubes then remove the fat and ice cubes all at once. I don't
> like watering down my stocks so I let them cool then put in the fridge
> so the fat forms a layer. I remove the layer then either can or freeze.
> I really like using stocks for cooking rices instead of using water so
> I tend to have a lot of them.

When I make meat or bone stock, I strain it then place it in the
refrigerator to cool for a few hours. The fat floats to the top and
_hardens_. I then just lift it off in one big cake and either use it for
cooking or feed it to the chickens if I have enough on hand already.

I grilled duck the other day so I have some nice "rendered" duck fat in
a container at the moment. :-) I plan to make some pate' with it.

Cheers!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

> In article >,
> ~patches~ > wrote:
>
>
>>kilikini wrote:
>>
>>
>>>"S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
...
>>>
>>>
>>>>I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
>>>>the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
>>>>I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>May sound gross, but I put my chicken skin in with the bones when I make
>>>chicken stock. It provides lots of flavor and as long as I skim off all the
>>>fat, who cares?
>>>
>>>kili
>>>
>>>
>>
>>Yep that's what I do. An easy way to skim off the fat it to toss in a
>>few ice cubes then remove the fat and ice cubes all at once. I don't
>>like watering down my stocks so I let them cool then put in the fridge
>>so the fat forms a layer. I remove the layer then either can or freeze.
>> I really like using stocks for cooking rices instead of using water so
>>I tend to have a lot of them.
>
>
> When I make meat or bone stock, I strain it then place it in the
> refrigerator to cool for a few hours. The fat floats to the top and
> _hardens_. I then just lift it off in one big cake and either use it for
> cooking or feed it to the chickens if I have enough on hand already.
>
> I grilled duck the other day so I have some nice "rendered" duck fat in
> a container at the moment. :-) I plan to make some pate' with it.
>
> Cheers!
Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A store
bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster years ago
and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks in return
for produce last year. I roasted them and they were horrible. The same
guy wants to barter this year but my experience with wild ducks is not
very good so maybe I will just give him the produce and forget about the
ducks. I would like to know how to cook them though!

~patches~ wrote:

> kilikini wrote:
>
> > "S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >>I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> >>the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
>
> >>I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?

Coat the larger pieces of chicken skin with mustard, dip in a thin
batter or bread crumbs and deep fry, or crisp up in oil with onion.
Horribly unhealthily but delicious. I do not recall exactly but i think
there is a Jewish dish called "Greban" that uses chopped chicken skin
cooked till crisp and added to schmaltz or used as a tasty garnish.

> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > May sound gross, but I put my chicken skin in with the bones when I
> make
> > chicken stock. It provides lots of flavor and as long as I skim off
> all the
> > fat, who cares?
> >
> > kili
> >
> >
> Yep that's what I do. An easy way to skim off the fat it to toss in a
>
> few ice cubes then remove the fat and ice cubes all at once.

I have heard of this, also using paper towels to drag across the top of
stock to absorb fat, and sitting it in the fridge till the fat congeals
on top. The ice cubes seems like a lot of work and adds water, the
paper towel thing don't work IMO and i have read that letting the fat
sit over night causes certain undesirable elements (notably water
soluble fat) to reabsorb back into the stock.

I use a large metal ladle from my local Chinatown, it is about the size
& shape of a large saucer, shallow depth and easily skims a large stock
pot in just a few minutes.

Also, though i assume everybody also know this trick, pull the stock pot
over to one side of the burner so the motion of the simmering stock
pushes all the fat up against one side of the pot, concentrating it and
making it easy to skim.

> I don't
> like watering down my stocks so I let them cool then put in the fridge
>
> so the fat forms a layer. I remove the layer then either can or
> freeze.
> I really like using stocks for cooking rices instead of using water
> so
> I tend to have a lot of them.

I primarily use the stock for soups, stews and sauces and occasionally
for braising of meats. Its probly just me but i have never noticed a
marked improvement in using stock to cook rice in.

Around the winter holidays, when there is lots of left over stock making
materials, i like to really concentrate my stocks down to a solid gel
which keeps well in the fridge, in an air tight container for weeks.
This is essentially home made 'bouillon cubes' or 'glace de viande"
iirc. Jaques Pipan (sp?) in one of his books goes on and on about this
process and i would add my praise to his. In many English language
French cook books they are called meat 'glazes'.

One time on Usenet, Wayne Boatwright > said:
> On Tue 27 Sep 2005 11:35:09a, S'mee in WA wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>
> > I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> > the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> > I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
>
> Cosmetic surgical transplant? :-)

Heh!

> Uh, actually, if you render it, the fat makes a very good seasoning in many
> dishes. Also known as schmaltz.

I recognize the words you're using, but I wasn't sure about the
rendering process, so I did some checking at Epicurious.com:

schmaltz
[SHMAHLTZ, SHMOHLTZ]
A rendered chicken fat (sometimes flavored with onions, apples and
seasonings) that is strained and used in many dishes of Middle European
Jewish origin much like butter -- both in cooking and as a spread for
bread.

render
To melt animal fat over low heat so that it separates from any
connective pieces of tissue, which, during rendering, turn brown and
crisp and are generally referred to as CRACKLINGS. The resulting clear
fat is then strained through a paper filter or fine CHEESECLOTH to
remove any dark particles. The term try out is used synonymously with
render .

cracklings
Delicious, crunchy pieces of either pork or poultry fat after it has
been RENDERED, or the crisp, brown skin of fried or roasted pork.
Cracklings are sold packaged in some supermarkets and specialty markets.
"Cracklin' bread" is cornbread with bits of cracklings scattered
throughout.

Oh my, it all sounds so yummy and so bad for my cholesterol... ;-)


--
Jani in WA (S'mee)
~ mom, FRPG Gamer, novice cook ~

One time on Usenet, "pjjehg" > said:
> "S'mee in WA" wrote ...

> > I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> > the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> > I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
>
> I toss it in with the bones when I make broth/soup. You always skin the fat
> anyway.

Thanks, Pam -- I rarely make homemade soup, but I'm remembering
my mother's chicken soup fondly, so maybe I'll try it...


--
Jani in WA (S'mee)
~ mom, FRPG Gamer, novice cook ~

In article >,
~patches~ > wrote:

> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>
> > In article >,
> > ~patches~ > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>kilikini wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>"S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
> ...
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> >>>>the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> >>>>I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>May sound gross, but I put my chicken skin in with the bones when I make
> >>>chicken stock. It provides lots of flavor and as long as I skim off all
> >>>the
> >>>fat, who cares?
> >>>
> >>>kili
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >>Yep that's what I do. An easy way to skim off the fat it to toss in a
> >>few ice cubes then remove the fat and ice cubes all at once. I don't
> >>like watering down my stocks so I let them cool then put in the fridge
> >>so the fat forms a layer. I remove the layer then either can or freeze.
> >> I really like using stocks for cooking rices instead of using water so
> >>I tend to have a lot of them.
> >
> >
> > When I make meat or bone stock, I strain it then place it in the
> > refrigerator to cool for a few hours. The fat floats to the top and
> > _hardens_. I then just lift it off in one big cake and either use it for
> > cooking or feed it to the chickens if I have enough on hand already.
> >
> > I grilled duck the other day so I have some nice "rendered" duck fat in
> > a container at the moment. :-) I plan to make some pate' with it.
> >
> > Cheers!
> Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A store
> bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster years ago
> and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks in return
> for produce last year. I roasted them and they were horrible. The same
> guy wants to barter this year but my experience with wild ducks is not
> very good so maybe I will just give him the produce and forget about the
> ducks. I would like to know how to cook them though!

Wild (mature) duck tends to be tough!
Braising takes care of that, or slow roasting...

Same as beef.

Duck soup works too as long as you skim off the fat.

Grocery store grilled or roasted duck, to me, is fantastic.
The trick for roasting is to prick the skin all over with a fork for fat
drainage, and roast it on a raised rack breast up. The orange coating
works well when done this way!

Hot and fast for young birds, slower and longer for older or wild birds.
Lots of herbals for wild birds as well as they tend to be gamey or even
fishy. Rosemary, thyme, dittany, basil, onion and garlic, and white
pepper.
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> ~patches~ > wrote:
>
> > OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> >
> > > In article >,
> > > ~patches~ > wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >>kilikini wrote:
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>>"S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>>I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> > >>>>the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> > >>>>I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>>May sound gross, but I put my chicken skin in with the bones when I
make
> > >>>chicken stock. It provides lots of flavor and as long as I skim off
all
> > >>>the
> > >>>fat, who cares?
> > >>>
> > >>>kili
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>
> > >>Yep that's what I do. An easy way to skim off the fat it to toss in a
> > >>few ice cubes then remove the fat and ice cubes all at once. I don't
> > >>like watering down my stocks so I let them cool then put in the fridge
> > >>so the fat forms a layer. I remove the layer then either can or
freeze.
> > >> I really like using stocks for cooking rices instead of using water
so
> > >>I tend to have a lot of them.
> > >
> > >
> > > When I make meat or bone stock, I strain it then place it in the
> > > refrigerator to cool for a few hours. The fat floats to the top and
> > > _hardens_. I then just lift it off in one big cake and either use it
for
> > > cooking or feed it to the chickens if I have enough on hand already.
> > >
> > > I grilled duck the other day so I have some nice "rendered" duck fat
in
> > > a container at the moment. :-) I plan to make some pate' with it.
> > >
> > > Cheers!
> > Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A store
> > bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster years ago
> > and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks in return
> > for produce last year. I roasted them and they were horrible. The same
> > guy wants to barter this year but my experience with wild ducks is not
> > very good so maybe I will just give him the produce and forget about the
> > ducks. I would like to know how to cook them though!
>
> Wild (mature) duck tends to be tough!
> Braising takes care of that, or slow roasting...
>
> Same as beef.
>
> Duck soup works too as long as you skim off the fat.
>
> Grocery store grilled or roasted duck, to me, is fantastic.
> The trick for roasting is to prick the skin all over with a fork for fat
> drainage, and roast it on a raised rack breast up. The orange coating
> works well when done this way!
>
> Hot and fast for young birds, slower and longer for older or wild birds.
> Lots of herbals for wild birds as well as they tend to be gamey or even
> fishy. Rosemary, thyme, dittany, basil, onion and garlic, and white
> pepper.
> --
> Om.
>

Yeah, I was going to suggest a low and slow form of cooking as well. We've
done ducks on our WSM that have come out wonderfully! Nice and moist and
perfect smokey flavor. When we do them this way, they never even make it to
the table. After sitting on the countertop a bit, my husband and I greedily
stand over the bird in mock contest form and pick the bones clean. Takes
all of about 25 minutes. It's so yummy!

kili

"S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
...
> One time on Usenet, "pjjehg" > said:
> > "S'mee in WA" wrote ...
>
> > > I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> > > the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> > > I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
> >
> > I toss it in with the bones when I make broth/soup. You always skin the
fat
> > anyway.
>
> Thanks, Pam -- I rarely make homemade soup, but I'm remembering
> my mother's chicken soup fondly, so maybe I'll try it...
>
>

But it doesn't just have to be chicken soup that the stock ends up in!
Gosh, I add stock to rice, I add it to potatoes, I use it to make gravy, I
throw a chunk of frozen stock in stir-fry. I *do* make chicken soup, but I
also use the broth in cream of mushroom, cream of asparagus, cream of
broccoli. I'll add a little of it to a roux, I'll steam veggies in it, the
uses are endless! I can't keep the stuff in the house. It also smells
wonderful when you cook stock; I love making it and having it sit for a
couple hours before my husband comes home so when he walks through the door
the enticing aroma immediately brings a smile to his face.

For me, making stock is a full day process. I start early in the morning by
boiling the bones down with carrots, onion, celery, garlic cloves, salt,
pepper, sage, thyme and maybe a little oregano. When the bones get soft, I
let the stock cool for quite a while before I strain it in a collander,
catching all the bones and mushy veggies. Then I put it in the fridge to
solidify, making skimming the fat off much easier.

If I'm making soup, I don't throw out the strained goodies; I pick the
remaining meat off the bones and add it to my stock. In any case, the
remaining meat you get off the bones can always be used for chicken tacos or
what have you.

kili

In article > ,
"kilikini" > wrote:

> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In article >,
> > ~patches~ > wrote:
> >
> > > OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> > >
> > > > In article >,
> > > > ~patches~ > wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >>kilikini wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>>"S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>>I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> > > >>>>the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> > > >>>>I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>May sound gross, but I put my chicken skin in with the bones when I
> make
> > > >>>chicken stock. It provides lots of flavor and as long as I skim off
> all
> > > >>>the
> > > >>>fat, who cares?
> > > >>>
> > > >>>kili
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>
> > > >>Yep that's what I do. An easy way to skim off the fat it to toss in a
> > > >>few ice cubes then remove the fat and ice cubes all at once. I don't
> > > >>like watering down my stocks so I let them cool then put in the fridge
> > > >>so the fat forms a layer. I remove the layer then either can or
> freeze.
> > > >> I really like using stocks for cooking rices instead of using water
> so
> > > >>I tend to have a lot of them.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > When I make meat or bone stock, I strain it then place it in the
> > > > refrigerator to cool for a few hours. The fat floats to the top and
> > > > _hardens_. I then just lift it off in one big cake and either use it
> for
> > > > cooking or feed it to the chickens if I have enough on hand already.
> > > >
> > > > I grilled duck the other day so I have some nice "rendered" duck fat
> in
> > > > a container at the moment. :-) I plan to make some pate' with it.
> > > >
> > > > Cheers!
> > > Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A store
> > > bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster years ago
> > > and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks in return
> > > for produce last year. I roasted them and they were horrible. The same
> > > guy wants to barter this year but my experience with wild ducks is not
> > > very good so maybe I will just give him the produce and forget about the
> > > ducks. I would like to know how to cook them though!
> >
> > Wild (mature) duck tends to be tough!
> > Braising takes care of that, or slow roasting...
> >
> > Same as beef.
> >
> > Duck soup works too as long as you skim off the fat.
> >
> > Grocery store grilled or roasted duck, to me, is fantastic.
> > The trick for roasting is to prick the skin all over with a fork for fat
> > drainage, and roast it on a raised rack breast up. The orange coating
> > works well when done this way!
> >
> > Hot and fast for young birds, slower and longer for older or wild birds.
> > Lots of herbals for wild birds as well as they tend to be gamey or even
> > fishy. Rosemary, thyme, dittany, basil, onion and garlic, and white
> > pepper.
> > --
> > Om.
> >
>
> Yeah, I was going to suggest a low and slow form of cooking as well. We've
> done ducks on our WSM that have come out wonderfully! Nice and moist and
> perfect smokey flavor. When we do them this way, they never even make it to
> the table. After sitting on the countertop a bit, my husband and I greedily
> stand over the bird in mock contest form and pick the bones clean. Takes
> all of about 25 minutes. It's so yummy!
>
> kili
>
>

Duck is fantastic if done right. ;-)
That duckling I bought at the oriental market and grilled the other day
was excellent. Not all that tender, but I have good teeth.

Roasting is better!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

kilikini wrote:
> "S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
> ...
> > One time on Usenet, "pjjehg" > said:
> > > "S'mee in WA" wrote ...
> >
> > > > I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> > > > the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> > > > I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
> > >
> > > I toss it in with the bones when I make broth/soup. You always skin the
> fat
> > > anyway.
> >
> > Thanks, Pam -- I rarely make homemade soup, but I'm remembering
> > my mother's chicken soup fondly, so maybe I'll try it...
> >
> >
>
> But it doesn't just have to be chicken soup that the stock ends up in!
> Gosh, I add stock to rice, I add it to potatoes, I use it to make gravy, I
> throw a chunk of frozen stock in stir-fry. I *do* make chicken soup, but I
> also use the broth in cream of mushroom, cream of asparagus, cream of
> broccoli. I'll add a little of it to a roux, I'll steam veggies in it, the
> uses are endless! I can't keep the stuff in the house. It also smells
> wonderful when you cook stock; I love making it and having it sit for a
> couple hours before my husband comes home so when he walks through the door
> the enticing aroma immediately brings a smile to his face.
>
> For me, making stock is a full day process. I start early in the morning by
> boiling the bones down with carrots, onion, celery, garlic cloves, salt,
> pepper, sage, thyme and maybe a little oregano. When the bones get soft, I
> let the stock cool for quite a while before I strain it in a collander,
> catching all the bones and mushy veggies. Then I put it in the fridge to
> solidify, making skimming the fat off much easier.
>
> If I'm making soup, I don't throw out the strained goodies; I pick the
> remaining meat off the bones and add it to my stock. In any case, the
> remaining meat you get off the bones can always be used for chicken tacos or
> what have you.
>
> kili

I make chicken stock a couple of times a year, make it into ice cubes
and save them in a plastic bag for use for the next 6 months or so in
all kinds of recipes. I also have beef stock and fish stock. They add a
delighful depth to the flavor of so many dishes.
The last 2 Thanksgivings I cooked duck, from the meat market, instead
of turky. My three sons raved about it! And I made duck stock from the
bones and leftover fat (there wasn't a gram of leftover meat!) that was
delicious!

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

> In article >,
> ~patches~ > wrote:
>
>
>>OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>>
>>
>>>In article >,
>>> ~patches~ > wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>kilikini wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>"S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
...
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
>>>>>>the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
>>>>>>I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>May sound gross, but I put my chicken skin in with the bones when I make
>>>>>chicken stock. It provides lots of flavor and as long as I skim off all
>>>>>the
>>>>>fat, who cares?
>>>>>
>>>>>kili
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Yep that's what I do. An easy way to skim off the fat it to toss in a
>>>>few ice cubes then remove the fat and ice cubes all at once. I don't
>>>>like watering down my stocks so I let them cool then put in the fridge
>>>>so the fat forms a layer. I remove the layer then either can or freeze.
>>>> I really like using stocks for cooking rices instead of using water so
>>>>I tend to have a lot of them.
>>>
>>>
>>>When I make meat or bone stock, I strain it then place it in the
>>>refrigerator to cool for a few hours. The fat floats to the top and
>>>_hardens_. I then just lift it off in one big cake and either use it for
>>>cooking or feed it to the chickens if I have enough on hand already.
>>>
>>>I grilled duck the other day so I have some nice "rendered" duck fat in
>>>a container at the moment. :-) I plan to make some pate' with it.
>>>
>>>Cheers!
>>
>>Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A store
>>bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster years ago
>>and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks in return
>>for produce last year. I roasted them and they were horrible. The same
>>guy wants to barter this year but my experience with wild ducks is not
>>very good so maybe I will just give him the produce and forget about the
>>ducks. I would like to know how to cook them though!
>
>
> Wild (mature) duck tends to be tough!
> Braising takes care of that, or slow roasting...
>
> Same as beef.
>
> Duck soup works too as long as you skim off the fat.
>
> Grocery store grilled or roasted duck, to me, is fantastic.
> The trick for roasting is to prick the skin all over with a fork for fat
> drainage, and roast it on a raised rack breast up. The orange coating
> works well when done this way!
>
> Hot and fast for young birds, slower and longer for older or wild birds.
> Lots of herbals for wild birds as well as they tend to be gamey or even
> fishy. Rosemary, thyme, dittany, basil, onion and garlic, and white
> pepper.

Thanks for the tips. I will give it a try this year if he wants to
barter. I am a good cook but just couldn't get it right so maybe with
your tips I can finally do it.

"S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
...
> I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
>
>

Depends. Is the chicken cooked or raw when the skin is removed?
I make a fresh ham with 'cracklins'. The crackins are the skin when the ham
is cooked and then cut off and seasoned with salt & pepper and baked
separately. Good stuff.
If the skin is raw, dump it or use it making chicken stock.

On Tue 27 Sep 2005 01:18:03p, S'mee in WA wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> One time on Usenet, Wayne Boatwright > said:
>> On Tue 27 Sep 2005 11:35:09a, S'mee in WA wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>>
>> > I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
>> > the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
>> > I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
>>
>> Cosmetic surgical transplant? :-)
>
> Heh!
>
>> Uh, actually, if you render it, the fat makes a very good seasoning in
>> many dishes. Also known as schmaltz.
>
> I recognize the words you're using, but I wasn't sure about the
> rendering process, so I did some checking at Epicurious.com:
>
> schmaltz
> [SHMAHLTZ, SHMOHLTZ]
> A rendered chicken fat (sometimes flavored with onions, apples and
> seasonings) that is strained and used in many dishes of Middle European
> Jewish origin much like butter -- both in cooking and as a spread for
> bread.
>
> render
> To melt animal fat over low heat so that it separates from any
> connective pieces of tissue, which, during rendering, turn brown and
> crisp and are generally referred to as CRACKLINGS. The resulting clear
> fat is then strained through a paper filter or fine CHEESECLOTH to
> remove any dark particles. The term try out is used synonymously with
> render .
>
> cracklings
> Delicious, crunchy pieces of either pork or poultry fat after it has
> been RENDERED, or the crisp, brown skin of fried or roasted pork.
> Cracklings are sold packaged in some supermarkets and specialty markets.
> "Cracklin' bread" is cornbread with bits of cracklings scattered
> throughout.
>
> Oh my, it all sounds so yummy and so bad for my cholesterol... ;-)

It's really good stuff, and a little won't kill ya. :-)

I've never heard of putting apple in it, but onion definitely. Going
further up the cholesterol ladder, schmaltz is a great addition to chopped
chicken livers!

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________

http://tinypic.com/dzijap.jpg

Popie-In-The-Bowl

S'mee in WA wrote:
> One time on Usenet, Wayne Boatwright > said:
> > On Tue 27 Sep 2005 11:35:09a, S'mee in WA wrote in rec.food.cooking:
> >
> > > I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> > > the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> > > I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
> >
> > Cosmetic surgical transplant? :-)
>
> Heh!
>
> > Uh, actually, if you render it, the fat makes a very good seasoning in many
> > dishes. Also known as schmaltz.
>
> I recognize the words you're using, but I wasn't sure about the
> rendering process, so I did some checking at Epicurious.com:
>
> schmaltz
> [SHMAHLTZ, SHMOHLTZ]
> A rendered chicken fat (sometimes flavored with onions, apples and
> seasonings) that is strained and used in many dishes of Middle European
> Jewish origin much like butter -- both in cooking and as a spread for
> bread.
>
> render
> To melt animal fat over low heat so that it separates from any
> connective pieces of tissue, which, during rendering, turn brown and
> crisp and are generally referred to as CRACKLINGS. The resulting clear
> fat is then strained through a paper filter or fine CHEESECLOTH to
> remove any dark particles. The term try out is used synonymously with
> render .
>
> cracklings
> Delicious, crunchy pieces of either pork or poultry fat after it has
> been RENDERED, or the crisp, brown skin of fried or roasted pork.
> Cracklings are sold packaged in some supermarkets and specialty markets.
> "Cracklin' bread" is cornbread with bits of cracklings scattered
> throughout.
>
> Oh my, it all sounds so yummy and so bad for my cholesterol... ;-)

If you're gonna call rendered chicken fat "schmaltz" then you gotta
call the resultant "cracklins" *gribbines*.


Gribbenes are cracklings; the crisp bits of poultry skin and browned
onion left from rendering "schmaltz" (chicken or other poultry fat; the
classic is goose fat).

Whenever you prepare chickens, pull off as much of the fat as possible
and trim the skin (such as at the cavity opening and the neck). Save
them in a bag or container in the freezer. When you've accumulated a
"critical mass" (at least a 1/2 pound; more is better), remove from the
freezer. I've found it is easier to handle when still frozen. I take a
serrated-edge knife and start shaving it down into little bits.

Finely dice onions; the more the better. I use about one large onion
for each 1/2 lb of fat. Put the onion and cut-up fat in a pan and place
on *low* heat. You're interested in *melting* the fat. Continue frying
until the onions are dark golden-brown and the skin is entirely
crisped. Turn off the heat and allow to cool (the onions will continue
browning because of the high temperature of the schmaltz).

Once it is cooled to close to room temperature, you have the choice of
transferring all to another container to set -- schmaltz, onions,
gribbenes and all -- or straining the schmaltz through a fine sieve and
enjoying the onions and gribbenes separately.


Sheldon

In article >,
~patches~ > wrote:

> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>
> > In article >,
> > ~patches~ > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>In article >,
> >>> ~patches~ > wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>kilikini wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>"S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
> ...
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> >>>>>>the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> >>>>>>I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>May sound gross, but I put my chicken skin in with the bones when I make
> >>>>>chicken stock. It provides lots of flavor and as long as I skim off all
> >>>>>the
> >>>>>fat, who cares?
> >>>>>
> >>>>>kili
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>Yep that's what I do. An easy way to skim off the fat it to toss in a
> >>>>few ice cubes then remove the fat and ice cubes all at once. I don't
> >>>>like watering down my stocks so I let them cool then put in the fridge
> >>>>so the fat forms a layer. I remove the layer then either can or freeze.
> >>>> I really like using stocks for cooking rices instead of using water so
> >>>>I tend to have a lot of them.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>When I make meat or bone stock, I strain it then place it in the
> >>>refrigerator to cool for a few hours. The fat floats to the top and
> >>>_hardens_. I then just lift it off in one big cake and either use it for
> >>>cooking or feed it to the chickens if I have enough on hand already.
> >>>
> >>>I grilled duck the other day so I have some nice "rendered" duck fat in
> >>>a container at the moment. :-) I plan to make some pate' with it.
> >>>
> >>>Cheers!
> >>
> >>Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A store
> >>bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster years ago
> >>and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks in return
> >>for produce last year. I roasted them and they were horrible. The same
> >>guy wants to barter this year but my experience with wild ducks is not
> >>very good so maybe I will just give him the produce and forget about the
> >>ducks. I would like to know how to cook them though!
> >
> >
> > Wild (mature) duck tends to be tough!
> > Braising takes care of that, or slow roasting...
> >
> > Same as beef.
> >
> > Duck soup works too as long as you skim off the fat.
> >
> > Grocery store grilled or roasted duck, to me, is fantastic.
> > The trick for roasting is to prick the skin all over with a fork for fat
> > drainage, and roast it on a raised rack breast up. The orange coating
> > works well when done this way!
> >
> > Hot and fast for young birds, slower and longer for older or wild birds.
> > Lots of herbals for wild birds as well as they tend to be gamey or even
> > fishy. Rosemary, thyme, dittany, basil, onion and garlic, and white
> > pepper.
>
> Thanks for the tips. I will give it a try this year if he wants to
> barter. I am a good cook but just couldn't get it right so maybe with
> your tips I can finally do it.

I wish you the best of luck! :-)
Duck is really delicious if done right...

What did you find bad about it?
Too greasy?
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article .com>,
"salgud" > wrote:

> kilikini wrote:
> > "S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > One time on Usenet, "pjjehg" > said:
> > > > "S'mee in WA" wrote ...
> > >
> > > > > I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> > > > > the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> > > > > I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
> > > >
> > > > I toss it in with the bones when I make broth/soup. You always skin the
> > fat
> > > > anyway.
> > >
> > > Thanks, Pam -- I rarely make homemade soup, but I'm remembering
> > > my mother's chicken soup fondly, so maybe I'll try it...
> > >
> > >
> >
> > But it doesn't just have to be chicken soup that the stock ends up in!
> > Gosh, I add stock to rice, I add it to potatoes, I use it to make gravy, I
> > throw a chunk of frozen stock in stir-fry. I *do* make chicken soup, but I
> > also use the broth in cream of mushroom, cream of asparagus, cream of
> > broccoli. I'll add a little of it to a roux, I'll steam veggies in it, the
> > uses are endless! I can't keep the stuff in the house. It also smells
> > wonderful when you cook stock; I love making it and having it sit for a
> > couple hours before my husband comes home so when he walks through the door
> > the enticing aroma immediately brings a smile to his face.
> >
> > For me, making stock is a full day process. I start early in the morning by
> > boiling the bones down with carrots, onion, celery, garlic cloves, salt,
> > pepper, sage, thyme and maybe a little oregano. When the bones get soft, I
> > let the stock cool for quite a while before I strain it in a collander,
> > catching all the bones and mushy veggies. Then I put it in the fridge to
> > solidify, making skimming the fat off much easier.
> >
> > If I'm making soup, I don't throw out the strained goodies; I pick the
> > remaining meat off the bones and add it to my stock. In any case, the
> > remaining meat you get off the bones can always be used for chicken tacos or
> > what have you.
> >
> > kili
>
> I make chicken stock a couple of times a year, make it into ice cubes
> and save them in a plastic bag for use for the next 6 months or so in
> all kinds of recipes. I also have beef stock and fish stock. They add a
> delighful depth to the flavor of so many dishes.
> The last 2 Thanksgivings I cooked duck, from the meat market, instead
> of turky. My three sons raved about it! And I made duck stock from the
> bones and leftover fat (there wasn't a gram of leftover meat!) that was
> delicious!
>

Heh! I've done ducks for Christmas and always roast one per person. :-)
There is really not all that much meat on a duck.

I've got a bag in the freezer right now with the bones from two ducks in
it. Plan is to make a duck stock from them.
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article >, "Kswck" >
wrote:

> "S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> > the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> > I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
> >
> >
>
> Depends. Is the chicken cooked or raw when the skin is removed?
> I make a fresh ham with 'cracklins'. The crackins are the skin when the ham
> is cooked and then cut off and seasoned with salt & pepper and baked
> separately. Good stuff.
> If the skin is raw, dump it or use it making chicken stock.
>
>

Fatty chicken skin can also be used to wrap really lean meat (like emu)
for roasting.

Cheers!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article >,
Wayne Boatwright > wrote:

> On Tue 27 Sep 2005 01:18:03p, S'mee in WA wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>
> > One time on Usenet, Wayne Boatwright > said:
> >> On Tue 27 Sep 2005 11:35:09a, S'mee in WA wrote in rec.food.cooking:
> >>
> >> > I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> >> > the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> >> > I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
> >>
> >> Cosmetic surgical transplant? :-)
> >
> > Heh!
> >
> >> Uh, actually, if you render it, the fat makes a very good seasoning in
> >> many dishes. Also known as schmaltz.
> >
> > I recognize the words you're using, but I wasn't sure about the
> > rendering process, so I did some checking at Epicurious.com:
> >
> > schmaltz
> > [SHMAHLTZ, SHMOHLTZ]
> > A rendered chicken fat (sometimes flavored with onions, apples and
> > seasonings) that is strained and used in many dishes of Middle European
> > Jewish origin much like butter -- both in cooking and as a spread for
> > bread.
> >
> > render
> > To melt animal fat over low heat so that it separates from any
> > connective pieces of tissue, which, during rendering, turn brown and
> > crisp and are generally referred to as CRACKLINGS. The resulting clear
> > fat is then strained through a paper filter or fine CHEESECLOTH to
> > remove any dark particles. The term try out is used synonymously with
> > render .
> >
> > cracklings
> > Delicious, crunchy pieces of either pork or poultry fat after it has
> > been RENDERED, or the crisp, brown skin of fried or roasted pork.
> > Cracklings are sold packaged in some supermarkets and specialty markets.
> > "Cracklin' bread" is cornbread with bits of cracklings scattered
> > throughout.
> >
> > Oh my, it all sounds so yummy and so bad for my cholesterol... ;-)
>
> It's really good stuff, and a little won't kill ya. :-)
>
> I've never heard of putting apple in it, but onion definitely. Going
> further up the cholesterol ladder, schmaltz is a great addition to chopped
> chicken livers!

Rendered chicken fat is amazing for pie crusts.
My mom used to do that from time to time.
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article >,
~patches~ > wrote:

> Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A store
> bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster years ago
> and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks in return
> for produce last year. I roasted them and they were horrible. The same
> guy wants to barter this year but my experience with wild ducks is not
> very good so maybe I will just give him the produce and forget about the
> ducks. I would like to know how to cook them though!

A friend got some ducks from a neighbor once and served them
at a meal I was a guest at. They were possibly the worst birds
I've ever had. I think the problem was that they were spoiled,
but there seems to be this (sub)urban myth about game and
"hanging" that leads to unfortunate results. Maybe you could
gently broach the issue with your duck guy and see if they could
be handled and stored differently for you?

On the other hand, maybe they were just Bad Ducks.

Mike Beede

Mike Beede wrote:
> In article >,
> ~patches~ > wrote:
>
> > Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A store
> > bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster years ago
> > and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks in return
> > for produce last year. I roasted them and they were horrible. The same
> > guy wants to barter this year but my experience with wild ducks is not
> > very good so maybe I will just give him the produce and forget about the
> > ducks. I would like to know how to cook them though!
>
> A friend got some ducks from a neighbor once and served them
> at a meal I was a guest at. They were possibly the worst birds
> I've ever had. I think the problem was that they were spoiled,
> but there seems to be this (sub)urban myth about game and
> "hanging" that leads to unfortunate results. Maybe you could
> gently broach the issue with your duck guy and see if they could
> be handled and stored differently for you?
>
> On the other hand, maybe they were just Bad Ducks.

Actually there are ducks, and then there are DUCKS.

Domestic ducks (Lung Guyland Duckling) are great eating... that's what
you get in restaurants, Chinese Peking Duck is Long Island Duckling.
However wild ducks are all gamey, most exceptionally gamey, especially
those from brackish waters, and all salt water ducks are clsoe to
putrid... in fact very few people can tolerate salt water ducks, they
smell exactly like spoiled fish, their fat is much more potent than cod
liver oil, makes walrus breath smell like Chanel No.5. Wild duck is
generally made into a stew (cooked long and slow), with lots of
strongly flavered herbs and spices, nuts and berries too... check out
Native American recipes. Typically duck taken off Lung Guyland ends up
in lobster traps as bait.

duck; duckling
Any of many species of wild or domestic web-footed birds that live in
or near water. As with so many things culinary, the Chinese are
credited with being the first to raise ducks for food. Today's domestic
ducks are all descendants of either of two species - the mallard or
the muscovy duck. Comprising about half the domesticated ducks in the
United States are the white-feathered, full-breasted Long Island ducks,
known for their dark, succulent flesh. These direct descendents of the
Peking duck (a variety of mallard) are all the progeny of three ducks
and a drake brought from Peking on a clipper ship in 1873. Besides Long
Island, the locations most widely known for the cultivation of superior
ducks are Peking (now known as Beijing) and Rouen, France. Since most
ducks are marketed while still quite young and tender, the words "duck"
and "duckling" are interchangeable. Broilers and fryers are less than 8
weeks old, roasters no more than 16 weeks old. Domestic ducks can weigh
between 3 and 5 1/2 pounds; the older ducks are generally larger. Fresh
duck is available from late spring through early winter, but generally
only in regions where ducks are raised. Almost 90 percent of ducks that
reach market are frozen and available year-round. The government grades
duck quality with USDA classifications A, B and C. The highest grade is
A, and is usually what is found in markets. Grade B ducks are less
meaty and well finished; grade C ducks are usually used for commercial
purposes. The grade stamp can be found within a shield on the package
wrapping or sometimes on a tag attached to the bird's wing. When buying
fresh duck, choose one with a broad, fairly plump breast; the skin
should be elastic, not saggy. For frozen birds, make sure the packaging
is tight and unbroken. Fresh duck can be stored, loosely covered, in
the coldest section of the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Remove any
giblets from the body cavity and store separately. Frozen duck should
be thawed in the refrigerator; it can take from 24 to 36 hours,
depending on the size of the bird. Do not refreeze duck once it's been
thawed. Duck can be prepared in a variety of manners including
roasting, braising, broiling, and so on. Though higher in fat than
other domestic birds, it is a good source of protein and iron. For
information about wild duck , see GAME BIRDS.

=A9 Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD
LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.=20

Sheldon

~patches~ wrote:
> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>
>> In article >,
>> ~patches~ > wrote:
>>
>>
>>> kilikini wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> "S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
>>>> ...
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
>>>>> the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before).
>>>>> Should
>>>>> I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> May sound gross, but I put my chicken skin in with the bones when
>>>> I make chicken stock. It provides lots of flavor and as long as I
>>>> skim off all the fat, who cares?
>>>>
>>>> kili
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> Yep that's what I do. An easy way to skim off the fat it to toss
>>> in a
>>> few ice cubes then remove the fat and ice cubes all at once. I
>>> don't
>>> like watering down my stocks so I let them cool then put in the
>>> fridge
>>> so the fat forms a layer. I remove the layer then either can or
>>> freeze. I really like using stocks for cooking rices instead of
>>> using water so
>>> I tend to have a lot of them.
>>
>>
>> When I make meat or bone stock, I strain it then place it in the
>> refrigerator to cool for a few hours. The fat floats to the top and
>> _hardens_. I then just lift it off in one big cake and either use it
>> for cooking or feed it to the chickens if I have enough on hand
>> already.
>>
>> I grilled duck the other day so I have some nice "rendered" duck fat
>> in
>> a container at the moment. :-) I plan to make some pate' with it.
>>
>> Cheers!
> Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A
> store bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster
> years ago
> and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks in return
> for produce last year. I roasted them and they were horrible. The
> same
> guy wants to barter this year but my experience with wild ducks is not
> very good so maybe I will just give him the produce and forget about
> the ducks. I would like to know how to cook them though!

Smoked duck is wonderful. You might try that.

Jill

S'mee in WA wrote:
>
> I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before). Should
> I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
>
> --
> Jani in WA (S'mee)
> ~ mom, VidGamer, novice cook ~

Welll, if you don't want it send it to me. I think the
skin is the best part of the chicken. If I have excess
skin for some reason (I almost never use skinless chicken)
I brown it till crisp under the broiler and then lightly
salt and pepper it and just snack on it.

Kate

In article >,
Mike Beede > wrote:

> In article >,
> ~patches~ > wrote:
>
> > Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A store
> > bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster years ago
> > and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks in return
> > for produce last year. I roasted them and they were horrible. The same
> > guy wants to barter this year but my experience with wild ducks is not
> > very good so maybe I will just give him the produce and forget about the
> > ducks. I would like to know how to cook them though!
>
> A friend got some ducks from a neighbor once and served them
> at a meal I was a guest at. They were possibly the worst birds
> I've ever had. I think the problem was that they were spoiled,
> but there seems to be this (sub)urban myth about game and
> "hanging" that leads to unfortunate results. Maybe you could
> gently broach the issue with your duck guy and see if they could
> be handled and stored differently for you?
>
> On the other hand, maybe they were just Bad Ducks.
>
> Mike Beede

Ew!
I _never_ "hang" ducks when I home process!

They get killed, plucked cleaned and frozen within 2 hours max, unless
I'm cooking them fresh.

Then I kill, pluck, gut, prepare and straight into the oven.
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article >,
"jmcquown" > wrote:

> ~patches~ wrote:
> > OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> >
> >> In article >,
> >> ~patches~ > wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>> kilikini wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> "S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
> >>>> ...
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>> I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
> >>>>> the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before).
> >>>>> Should
> >>>>> I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> May sound gross, but I put my chicken skin in with the bones when
> >>>> I make chicken stock. It provides lots of flavor and as long as I
> >>>> skim off all the fat, who cares?
> >>>>
> >>>> kili
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>> Yep that's what I do. An easy way to skim off the fat it to toss
> >>> in a
> >>> few ice cubes then remove the fat and ice cubes all at once. I
> >>> don't
> >>> like watering down my stocks so I let them cool then put in the
> >>> fridge
> >>> so the fat forms a layer. I remove the layer then either can or
> >>> freeze. I really like using stocks for cooking rices instead of
> >>> using water so
> >>> I tend to have a lot of them.
> >>
> >>
> >> When I make meat or bone stock, I strain it then place it in the
> >> refrigerator to cool for a few hours. The fat floats to the top and
> >> _hardens_. I then just lift it off in one big cake and either use it
> >> for cooking or feed it to the chickens if I have enough on hand
> >> already.
> >>
> >> I grilled duck the other day so I have some nice "rendered" duck fat
> >> in
> >> a container at the moment. :-) I plan to make some pate' with it.
> >>
> >> Cheers!
> > Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A
> > store bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster
> > years ago
> > and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks in return
> > for produce last year. I roasted them and they were horrible. The
> > same
> > guy wants to barter this year but my experience with wild ducks is not
> > very good so maybe I will just give him the produce and forget about
> > the ducks. I would like to know how to cook them though!
>
> Smoked duck is wonderful. You might try that.
>
> Jill
>
>

Good suggestion!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

> In article >,
> Mike Beede > wrote:
>
>
>>In article >,
>> ~patches~ > wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A store
>>>bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster years ago
>>>and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks in return
>>>for produce last year. I roasted them and they were horrible. The same
>>>guy wants to barter this year but my experience with wild ducks is not
>>>very good so maybe I will just give him the produce and forget about the
>>>ducks. I would like to know how to cook them though!
>>
>>A friend got some ducks from a neighbor once and served them
>>at a meal I was a guest at. They were possibly the worst birds
>>I've ever had. I think the problem was that they were spoiled,
>>but there seems to be this (sub)urban myth about game and
>>"hanging" that leads to unfortunate results. Maybe you could
>>gently broach the issue with your duck guy and see if they could
>>be handled and stored differently for you?
>>
>>On the other hand, maybe they were just Bad Ducks.
>>
>> Mike Beede
>
>
> Ew!
> I _never_ "hang" ducks when I home process!
>
> They get killed, plucked cleaned and frozen within 2 hours max, unless
> I'm cooking them fresh.
>
> Then I kill, pluck, gut, prepare and straight into the oven.

The ducks were not hanged. I've seen hanged ducks in Chinatown and the
resulting dishes are good. They were killed then his sister cleaned
them and they were cooked the same day. We found them very gamey
tasting. Maybe that isn't the word more of a very rich and heavy taste.
There wasn't much meat either. I'm rather leary as DH is going on a
hunting trip. He does not or will not hunt but he will play cards,
cook, eat, and drink so I get free venison. I'm not so sure after the
duck of last year. My neighbour has already asked me how many ducks I
want

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

> In article >,
> "jmcquown" > wrote:
>
>
>>~patches~ wrote:
>>
>>>OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>In article >,
>>>> ~patches~ > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>kilikini wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>"S'mee in WA" > wrote in message
...
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I'm planning to try something new next week that involves removing
>>>>>>>the skin from a whole chicken (which I've never done before).
>>>>>>>Should
>>>>>>>I save the skin for something else, or just pitch it?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>May sound gross, but I put my chicken skin in with the bones when
>>>>>>I make chicken stock. It provides lots of flavor and as long as I
>>>>>>skim off all the fat, who cares?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>kili
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Yep that's what I do. An easy way to skim off the fat it to toss
>>>>>in a
>>>>>few ice cubes then remove the fat and ice cubes all at once. I
>>>>>don't
>>>>>like watering down my stocks so I let them cool then put in the
>>>>>fridge
>>>>>so the fat forms a layer. I remove the layer then either can or
>>>>> freeze. I really like using stocks for cooking rices instead of
>>>>>using water so
>>>>>I tend to have a lot of them.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>When I make meat or bone stock, I strain it then place it in the
>>>>refrigerator to cool for a few hours. The fat floats to the top and
>>>>_hardens_. I then just lift it off in one big cake and either use it
>>>>for cooking or feed it to the chickens if I have enough on hand
>>>>already.
>>>>
>>>>I grilled duck the other day so I have some nice "rendered" duck fat
>>>>in
>>>>a container at the moment. :-) I plan to make some pate' with it.
>>>>
>>>>Cheers!
>>>
>>>Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A
>>>store bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster
>>>years ago
>>>and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks in return
>>>for produce last year. I roasted them and they were horrible. The
>>>same
>>>guy wants to barter this year but my experience with wild ducks is not
>>>very good so maybe I will just give him the produce and forget about
>>>the ducks. I would like to know how to cook them though!
>>
>>Smoked duck is wonderful. You might try that.
>>
>>Jill
>>
>>
>
>
> Good suggestion!
How do I smoke duck? Is it possible to do on the bbq? My attempts at
smoking this year have been dismal to say the least but I could try again.

On Wed 28 Sep 2005 09:42:05a, ~patches~ wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>
>> In article >,
>> Mike Beede > wrote:
>>
>>
>>>In article >, ~patches~
> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A
>>>>store bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster
>>>>years ago and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks
>>>>in return for produce last year. I roasted them and they were
>>>>horrible. The same guy wants to barter this year but my experience
>>>>with wild ducks is not very good so maybe I will just give him the
>>>>produce and forget about the ducks. I would like to know how to cook
>>>>them though!
>>>
>>>A friend got some ducks from a neighbor once and served them
>>>at a meal I was a guest at. They were possibly the worst birds
>>>I've ever had. I think the problem was that they were spoiled, but
>>>there seems to be this (sub)urban myth about game and "hanging" that
>>>leads to unfortunate results. Maybe you could gently broach the issue
>>>with your duck guy and see if they could be handled and stored
>>>differently for you?
>>>
>>>On the other hand, maybe they were just Bad Ducks.
>>>
>>> Mike Beede
>>
>>
>> Ew!
>> I _never_ "hang" ducks when I home process!
>>
>> They get killed, plucked cleaned and frozen within 2 hours max, unless
>> I'm cooking them fresh.
>>
>> Then I kill, pluck, gut, prepare and straight into the oven.
>
> The ducks were not hanged. I've seen hanged ducks in Chinatown and the
> resulting dishes are good. They were killed then his sister cleaned
> them and they were cooked the same day. We found them very gamey
> tasting. Maybe that isn't the word more of a very rich and heavy taste.
> There wasn't much meat either. I'm rather leary as DH is going on a
> hunting trip. He does not or will not hunt but he will play cards,
> cook, eat, and drink so I get free venison. I'm not so sure after the
> duck of last year. My neighbour has already asked me how many ducks I
> want
>

Wild duck and geese are often very gamey tasting. They eat a lot of
little fish and God knows what else. I'd much rather have farm-raised,
graiin-fed duck.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974

"~patches~" > wrote in message
...
> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>
> >>Smoked duck is wonderful. You might try that.
> >>
> >>Jill
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > Good suggestion!
> How do I smoke duck? Is it possible to do on the bbq? My attempts at
> smoking this year have been dismal to say the least but I could try again.

We use a Weber Smokey Mountain to smoke our duck, but you may be able to
achieve the same results on a grill. We try to keep the temperature of the
smoker at 250 degrees and cook the duck until internal temp reaches about
160. We like to use hickory, but oak, cherry or applewood would work nicely
as well. The key is monitoring the vents of your cooker to maintain a
steady temperature inside the cooker. And as always, it's done when it's
done. Don't rush it.

kili

In article >,
~patches~ > wrote:

> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>
> > In article >,
> > Mike Beede > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>In article >,
> >> ~patches~ > wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A store
> >>>bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster years ago
> >>>and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks in return
> >>>for produce last year. I roasted them and they were horrible. The same
> >>>guy wants to barter this year but my experience with wild ducks is not
> >>>very good so maybe I will just give him the produce and forget about the
> >>>ducks. I would like to know how to cook them though!
> >>
> >>A friend got some ducks from a neighbor once and served them
> >>at a meal I was a guest at. They were possibly the worst birds
> >>I've ever had. I think the problem was that they were spoiled,
> >>but there seems to be this (sub)urban myth about game and
> >>"hanging" that leads to unfortunate results. Maybe you could
> >>gently broach the issue with your duck guy and see if they could
> >>be handled and stored differently for you?
> >>
> >>On the other hand, maybe they were just Bad Ducks.
> >>
> >> Mike Beede
> >
> >
> > Ew!
> > I _never_ "hang" ducks when I home process!
> >
> > They get killed, plucked cleaned and frozen within 2 hours max, unless
> > I'm cooking them fresh.
> >
> > Then I kill, pluck, gut, prepare and straight into the oven.
>
> The ducks were not hanged. I've seen hanged ducks in Chinatown and the
> resulting dishes are good. They were killed then his sister cleaned
> them and they were cooked the same day. We found them very gamey
> tasting. Maybe that isn't the word more of a very rich and heavy taste.

Were they wild, or older adult birds on ponds?
That may be a consideration?
When I raise ducks for slaughter, they are processed at 3 to 4 months
per age max, and are raised on grain only. There is no gamey taste.

I also get ducks from the grocery store and they are rich, but not gamey.

> There wasn't much meat either.

No, there is not much meat on a duck which is why I prepare one per
person. ;-)

> I'm rather leary as DH is going on a
> hunting trip. He does not or will not hunt but he will play cards,
> cook, eat, and drink so I get free venison. I'm not so sure after the
> duck of last year. My neighbour has already asked me how many ducks I
> want

Just be honest.
If you really don't like them, there is no point in wasting them.

Wild ducks benefit from heavy herbing!
I'd recommend tarragon, rosemary, dittany, thyme, garlic, green onions,
and just a hint of sage but not too much! I've found sage helps a lot
with gamey meat.

Make very small slits in the skin and stick the herbs all over under the
skin, and top with a few more. Braise it to tenderize rather than
roasting.

Hope this helps? :-)
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article >,
Wayne Boatwright > wrote:

> On Wed 28 Sep 2005 09:42:05a, ~patches~ wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>
> > OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> >
> >> In article >,
> >> Mike Beede > wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>In article >, ~patches~
> > wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A
> >>>>store bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster
> >>>>years ago and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild ducks
> >>>>in return for produce last year. I roasted them and they were
> >>>>horrible. The same guy wants to barter this year but my experience
> >>>>with wild ducks is not very good so maybe I will just give him the
> >>>>produce and forget about the ducks. I would like to know how to cook
> >>>>them though!
> >>>
> >>>A friend got some ducks from a neighbor once and served them
> >>>at a meal I was a guest at. They were possibly the worst birds
> >>>I've ever had. I think the problem was that they were spoiled, but
> >>>there seems to be this (sub)urban myth about game and "hanging" that
> >>>leads to unfortunate results. Maybe you could gently broach the issue
> >>>with your duck guy and see if they could be handled and stored
> >>>differently for you?
> >>>
> >>>On the other hand, maybe they were just Bad Ducks.
> >>>
> >>> Mike Beede
> >>
> >>
> >> Ew!
> >> I _never_ "hang" ducks when I home process!
> >>
> >> They get killed, plucked cleaned and frozen within 2 hours max, unless
> >> I'm cooking them fresh.
> >>
> >> Then I kill, pluck, gut, prepare and straight into the oven.
> >
> > The ducks were not hanged. I've seen hanged ducks in Chinatown and the
> > resulting dishes are good. They were killed then his sister cleaned
> > them and they were cooked the same day. We found them very gamey
> > tasting. Maybe that isn't the word more of a very rich and heavy taste.
> > There wasn't much meat either. I'm rather leary as DH is going on a
> > hunting trip. He does not or will not hunt but he will play cards,
> > cook, eat, and drink so I get free venison. I'm not so sure after the
> > duck of last year. My neighbour has already asked me how many ducks I
> > want
> >
>
> Wild duck and geese are often very gamey tasting. They eat a lot of
> little fish and God knows what else. I'd much rather have farm-raised,
> graiin-fed duck.

Same here. ;-)
But if she is gettin' 'em for free, there ARE ways to make them
succulent and edible. Just takes some prep time.

Same goes for venison IMHO.
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

On Wed 28 Sep 2005 10:55:54a, OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> In article >,
> Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
>
>> On Wed 28 Sep 2005 09:42:05a, ~patches~ wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>>
>> > OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>> >
>> >> In article >,
>> >> Mike Beede > wrote:
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>>In article >, ~patches~
>> > wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>>Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A
>> >>>>store bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster
>> >>>>years ago and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild
ducks
>> >>>>in return for produce last year. I roasted them and they were
>> >>>>horrible. The same guy wants to barter this year but my experience
>> >>>>with wild ducks is not very good so maybe I will just give him the
>> >>>>produce and forget about the ducks. I would like to know how to
cook
>> >>>>them though!
>> >>>
>> >>>A friend got some ducks from a neighbor once and served them
>> >>>at a meal I was a guest at. They were possibly the worst birds
>> >>>I've ever had. I think the problem was that they were spoiled, but
>> >>>there seems to be this (sub)urban myth about game and "hanging" that
>> >>>leads to unfortunate results. Maybe you could gently broach the
issue
>> >>>with your duck guy and see if they could be handled and stored
>> >>>differently for you?
>> >>>
>> >>>On the other hand, maybe they were just Bad Ducks.
>> >>>
>> >>> Mike Beede
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Ew!
>> >> I _never_ "hang" ducks when I home process!
>> >>
>> >> They get killed, plucked cleaned and frozen within 2 hours max,
unless
>> >> I'm cooking them fresh.
>> >>
>> >> Then I kill, pluck, gut, prepare and straight into the oven.
>> >
>> > The ducks were not hanged. I've seen hanged ducks in Chinatown and
the
>> > resulting dishes are good. They were killed then his sister cleaned
>> > them and they were cooked the same day. We found them very gamey
>> > tasting. Maybe that isn't the word more of a very rich and heavy
taste.
>> > There wasn't much meat either. I'm rather leary as DH is going on
a
>> > hunting trip. He does not or will not hunt but he will play cards,
>> > cook, eat, and drink so I get free venison. I'm not so sure after the
>> > duck of last year. My neighbour has already asked me how many ducks I
>> > want
>> >
>>
>> Wild duck and geese are often very gamey tasting. They eat a lot of
>> little fish and God knows what else. I'd much rather have farm-raised,
>> graiin-fed duck.
>
> Same here. ;-)
> But if she is gettin' 'em for free, there ARE ways to make them
> succulent and edible. Just takes some prep time.
>
> Same goes for venison IMHO.

Undestood, but for me it's just not worth it. :-)

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974

In article >,
Wayne Boatwright > wrote:

> On Wed 28 Sep 2005 10:55:54a, OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>
> > In article >,
> > Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
> >
> >> On Wed 28 Sep 2005 09:42:05a, ~patches~ wrote in rec.food.cooking:
> >>
> >> > OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> In article >,
> >> >> Mike Beede > wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>>In article >, ~patches~
> >> > wrote:
> >> >>>
> >> >>>
> >> >>>>Yep I do similar. My experience with duck has been horrible A
> >> >>>>store bought duck turned into duck al organge (sp) was a disaster
> >> >>>>years ago and we had company to make matters worse. I got wild
> ducks
> >> >>>>in return for produce last year. I roasted them and they were
> >> >>>>horrible. The same guy wants to barter this year but my experience
> >> >>>>with wild ducks is not very good so maybe I will just give him the
> >> >>>>produce and forget about the ducks. I would like to know how to
> cook
> >> >>>>them though!
> >> >>>
> >> >>>A friend got some ducks from a neighbor once and served them
> >> >>>at a meal I was a guest at. They were possibly the worst birds
> >> >>>I've ever had. I think the problem was that they were spoiled, but
> >> >>>there seems to be this (sub)urban myth about game and "hanging" that
> >> >>>leads to unfortunate results. Maybe you could gently broach the
> issue
> >> >>>with your duck guy and see if they could be handled and stored
> >> >>>differently for you?
> >> >>>
> >> >>>On the other hand, maybe they were just Bad Ducks.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Mike Beede
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> Ew!
> >> >> I _never_ "hang" ducks when I home process!
> >> >>
> >> >> They get killed, plucked cleaned and frozen within 2 hours max,
> unless
> >> >> I'm cooking them fresh.
> >> >>
> >> >> Then I kill, pluck, gut, prepare and straight into the oven.
> >> >
> >> > The ducks were not hanged. I've seen hanged ducks in Chinatown and
> the
> >> > resulting dishes are good. They were killed then his sister cleaned
> >> > them and they were cooked the same day. We found them very gamey
> >> > tasting. Maybe that isn't the word more of a very rich and heavy
> taste.
> >> > There wasn't much meat either. I'm rather leary as DH is going on
> a
> >> > hunting trip. He does not or will not hunt but he will play cards,
> >> > cook, eat, and drink so I get free venison. I'm not so sure after the
> >> > duck of last year. My neighbour has already asked me how many ducks I
> >> > want
> >> >
> >>
> >> Wild duck and geese are often very gamey tasting. They eat a lot of
> >> little fish and God knows what else. I'd much rather have farm-raised,
> >> graiin-fed duck.
> >
> > Same here. ;-)
> > But if she is gettin' 'em for free, there ARE ways to make them
> > succulent and edible. Just takes some prep time.
> >
> > Same goes for venison IMHO.
>
> Undestood, but for me it's just not worth it. :-)

I understand......

I just really LOVE duck!
If you want to try it, just once, get a grocery store duckling.
There is a WORLD of difference.
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson