Advertising campaign for Ducks

[Le Canard de Barbarie]

I read that the average american consumes 80 pounds of chicken a year and maybe 0.35 pounds of duck. When I've talked with people up here in the Michigan Upper Peninsula I've heard the following comments:

1) I've never had a duck dinner that I liked.
2) My mom told us she would never cook duck, and when we brought one home from hunting we had to throw it out.
3) Anybody who would eat duck would suck !@$#.
4) They don't sell duck up here.
5) All we eat is venison and fish.

So, what I've been doing lately is making people free duck dinners to go. I saute a breast and leg, along with cubed potatoes and vegetables fried in duck fat, put it on a plastic plate convered in tin foil, and drop it off to a hestitant customer. Seems to be working, because word at the local bars is that people are taking a more positive attitude towards it. Now they say duck is good.

Since I sell my duck at $2 per pound dressed, I expect an increase in sales for next year.

Any other duck producers facing negative public opinion?

 

[3KillerBs]

Have you tried duck with sourkraut?

I think its just fabulous that way. Though it has to be very, very much on sale for me to buy it since I need 2-3 ducks to feed a family of 6 decently. Ducks and geese are ridiculously bony compared to Cornish X and turkeys.

 

[ziggywiggy]

Hope I'm not being rude by asking a question not related to the post, but I have an opportunity to get 5 ducks and a gannder for free.
Personally I love duck. Can I skin them instead of pluck them? I know the goose is going to be a bit of a challenge. Any suggestions or links on cleaning them.

 

[jaku]

That's surprising about the UP- I would have thought there would be more duck eaters up there. As for me, chalk me up under #1 if you make it down this way! I think I'm going to try a couple of Pekins for the fun of it in the spring. Any reason I couldn't throw 2 of them in a tractor with a few turkeys?

 

[TechEdFireman]

I range my Pekins everyday right now, the only problem I see with tractoring them is that maybe 1-2 a week you would have to take them out and let them have some "playtime" in some water to clean themselves up and get the oil moved around. I know mine look pretty bad after a few days w/o any access to water.

 

[purr]

my DD loves duck she said she sees mine as little roasts running around the yard

 

[Le Canard de Barbarie]

Quote:
I heard that same reasoning tonight from someone else. Processing costs will probably prohibit cheap duck in the marketplace, and thus relegate duck or goose to special occasions for the average american family.

 

[Le Canard de Barbarie]

Quote:
You can skin them easily enough. Steve at Sands Poultry skins all his ducks I believe. Cleaning them is just like a chicken, and you can use the same procedures found in the sticky.

 

[3KillerBs]

Quote:
I heard that same reasoning tonight from someone else. Processing costs will probably prohibit cheap duck in the marketplace, and thus relegate duck or goose to special occasions for the average american family.

Yes, I'm afraid so.

I'm on a tight budget and until duck becomes popular enough for the industry to develop the duck equivalent of the Cornish X or BB White so that the meat-to-bone ration is worth the price duck with sauerkraut will be a rare treat for us.

 

[hildymarie]

Most people I know who have had duck have had wild duck. The things that were not bled right at death, dragged back by a dog and just sat for hours before being cleaned. If that is what they ate, no wonder they dont like duck. Not to mention having to navigate thru all that shot.
I never tried duck and cant afford to buy it, not sure I would want commercially raised stuff anyway. If you can educate people about well raised duck, I think you will do very well.
Actually coem to think of it, I have tried it but it was in a restaurant and I thought it was dry and not very tasty. Prolly the way it was prepared.