Raising & Processing Muskovy Ducks

[Red Maple Farms]

Quote:
My muscovies have been laying at about 40% since April, where as my pekins are laying at 75%.

Personally, I don't like muscovies as an egg layer. They go broody too easily which ceases egg production, and will even try to hatch a single ceramic egg. However, they are convenient for hatching out other birds eggs, such as pekins. Mechanical incubators can be a pain.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

We pretty much just skin them now, the leg 1/4's and gibletts go to sausage and you can cook the breasts many different ways, stir fry, baked, grilled is really good. Whole ducks take up alot of freezer space. We do them more in the colder weather.

Like Red Maple said they aren't the best of layers, our runners out lay them hands down but the Muscovies do pretty good for us. Muscovy eggs are hard to incubate the humidity has to be just right for them to hatch so it's a good thing they are good sitters and mothers.

Steve

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
I am hoping to start raising muscovies in the very near future. Do you care to share your sausage recipe? Does it taste similar to beef or venison sausage?

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
I am hoping to start raising muscovies in the very near future. Do you care to share your sausage recipe? Does it taste similar to beef or venison sausage?

It's on here somewhere let me find it.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

duck sausage

Here is the recipe we use for duck sausage. For the meat we use the leg 1/4's and giblets, When you process the duck save any fat from the inside and add to the meat, that and the giblets gives enough fat so it won't be dry. Some people do add pork fat but I like just the duck. Grind the meat thru a 3/4 inch plate add the spices, wine, onion, mix well and hold overnight in the fridge. The next day grind again with a 3/8 plate and stuff. It's an old German sausage makers method, Grind - mix- grind.

recipe as follows for 10 pounds of meat

10 pounds duck
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 Tablespoon white pepper
2 Tablespoon salt
2 teaspoon mustard seed
1 tespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sage
1/2 cup finely mixed onion

I also added some allspice, and red pepper for some extra zing.


Here is a great recipe for duck breast

Breast of duck with blackberry demi-glace

Ingredients

6 duck breasts
1/2 pint fresh blackberries
1/2 cup port wine
1 tbsp cane syrup
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp minced garlic
10 black peppercorns
6 fresh basil leaves, torn
4 sprigs fresh thyme
6 fresh sage leaves, torn
1/4 cup port wine
1 tbsp minced purple shallots
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1 cup demi glace
salt & pepper to taste
louisana hot sauce to taste

In a large mixing bowl combine duck, 1/2 cup port, syrup, bay leaf, garlic, peppercorns, basil, thyme, sage, salt & hot sauce. add duck and toss to coat well with marinade. let sit at room temp for at least 4 hours. in a large cast iron pan heat oil (we use olive or peanut) saute' duck breasts until light brown until internal temp gets to 140F, medium rare. Don't over cook or they will be tough. remove an keep warm.
Pour of all but one tablespoon of drippings, saute' shallots and garlic 2 minutes, add blackberries and remaining wine and reduce by half, pour in demi glace and reduce by 1/4. season with salt & pepper. to serve slice each breast and top with a generous portion of blackberry sauce

Demi glace 1 quart
2 quarts beef, veal, or game stock
1/2 cup white butter roux
1 ounce tomato sauce

divide stock into two saucepans and bring to a low boil. in one add the roux and wisk. as it thickens at tomato sauce and the other pan of stock slowly and cook down until you have a quart.

We serve with wild rice. Also, we found the port wine to be a little to sweet to our taste, we liked it better with a light blush type wine.

 

[PunkinPeep]

That sounds wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing! I will save this page so i can use it in the future.

 

[Funky Feathers]

More pics of my Muscovy adventures:

~BLAM!~

 

[Bucky182]

Can you Pluck a Duck in a Whizbang plucker? Now say that 10 times real fast!

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:

TEE hee!

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

wow steve, thanks again for another great share. Your pics of the sausage prompted me to speak with my german husband about try our hand at sausage making this morning and he was super enthusiastic, then I came on here and a great recipe just waiting for me! Guess I'm out to shop for a meat grinder, any recomendations?