Eating Muscovy?

[Tater50]

Are they good to eat & if so, what's a good recipe & proper way to cook?

Thanks Tater

 

[happyhensny]

I have never had Muscovy, but a friend raises those and Cayguas and sells them as "heritage meat duck" for $7.50/lb. Must be tasty as she always sells out!

 

[chicksbestfriend]

My personal preference to eating duck is the Muscovy as they are very lean. I raise the Muscovies for that reason. Here are several recipes that I use for preparing the duck. I alternate between roasting and smoking them.

For roasting:

I make up a brine of
2 cups Kosher salt
3 cups sugar
1/4 cup Molasses
2 TBSP black pepper
2 TBSP Thyme
2 TBSP Rosemary
1 TBSP basil
2 TBSP garlic
1/2 of lare onion, minced
approx 8 cups of water, enough to cover the duck.

Soak the duck overnight.
place in covered roaster and bake at 325 for 3 hours.

With the drippings in the roast pan, I make a gravy using enough corn starch and water mixed to thicken the base, adding salt and pepper to taste.

For smoking:
1 1/4 cup Kosher salt
3 TBSP minced garlic
1 TBSP black pepper
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup of dark brown sugar
8 cups of water

Soak over night. Place in smoker, I use the Jack Daniels and mosquite flavor woodchips and kiawe wood in the smoker. Smoke for 4-5 hour not letting the temp. get below 180 degrees or above 220 degreees.

 

[pascopol]

Generally speaking Muskovy meat is lean and gamey, should be treated in preparation more like deer or other wild animals meat than a bird meat.

If prepared and cooked correctly it is a gourmet treat, that,s why it commands such a high price.

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote:
I have a previously frozen, now thawed, muscovy in my fridge that I'd like to make for my DH's birthday dinner tomorrow. It was brined before freezing. Could I put the duck in the marinade first thing (6:30) in the morning and pull it out just before roasting at 2 pm, or should I marinate from tonight until 2 pm?

Thanks!!

 

[NotAFarm]

................ and Tater,

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I always like to find posts on preparing duck.
We haven't had Muscovy yet but probably fall after we hatch some from Muscovy/Pekin cross. We actually want to cross Muscovy and several other breeds to find a tasty large bird. Everyone has their preferences on what we should breed for the best taste so this will be a fun experiment.

 

[bwmichaud]

I think the Muscovy is the best tasting meat there is. I cut the breast off and cook them in a cast iron pan, over medium heat, skin side down for 4 minutes and then another 3 minutes skin side up. I then throw it in the oven at 350 for a couple minutes until it's rare-medium rare. (whatever you do, do not cook them past medium or they'll get tough and chewy) These times are for a drake where the breast weighs nearly a pound. For a duck whose breast usually weighs about a half pound, you can usuall skip the oven entirely. I usually put a dry rub on it before cooking. I think the marinades take away from the delicious flavor of the meat. When you make this, keep in mind that it's going to be a lot more like eating beef than chicken. Most people think that because it's a bird, it's going to be like chicken. Nothing could be farther from the truth. For the legs and wings, I braise them with garlic and onion in a duck stock made from the carcass. I usually add some porter to it as well. At the end of cooking, I'll throw some basmati rice in to soak up all of the juices. I also sometimes braise them with carrots, onion and celery with chinese 5 spice. I take any extra skin and render it in the oven and pour the fat through a coffee filter into a small jar. I use the fat for cooking eggs and potatoes.

 

[Sierra pachie bars]

I agree Muscovy is by far best tasting meat. I enjoy them so much ad pets I do not really raise them to eat. Although we have eaten a few extra males. They are very good eating indeed.

 

[MakNat]

Scoves are very yummy and very good company. Needless to say, I have more of them as pets than in my freezer.