So discouraged -Muscovy meat

[Triplecross]

I butchered our extra Muscovy drakes and skinned them. I let the meat rest in the frig for 48 hours. The drakes were 6 months old and I was a little disappointed in how small the breasts were; I read to butcher them early (4-6 months old) and that Muscovies have huge breasts of meat. Each duck was about 1.5 pound of meat in breast and thighs.

So I cooked the first duck's breasts and thighs with a light coating of shake -n-bake in the oven for 18 minutes at 375 degrees. The meat was very tough! I am not a picky eater and can usually chow things with a sense of pride because I made it. It was not so with the breasts. It like very chewy steak that was overcooked.

Should I have cooked the meat with less temperature or less time? I still have the other duck, now frozen but don't know what to do.

 

[AxisOfBeagles]

I haven't raised Muscovy, but I have raised and eaten Rouen. For duck breast, I don't bake - I oan sear a few minutes on each side and then lt them stand under a lid for a few minutes - should come out medium rare. All I prep the with is a little olive oil and some fresh herbs - sage or rosemary usually. The breasts should come out medium to medium rare and be tender and tasty.

I've done the same to great success with wild duck.


For my Rouen, they were all of 6 months before I harvested.

 

[jdywntr]

I raise Muscovy. 6 months is a great age to butcher, you can do younger but they are not at their full potential (even at 6 months they aren't).

You may just have a flock that isn't as large. 1.5 lbs in breast and thigh is small at that age. They do grow slower though. Did you free range or confine them? Supplemental feeding or forage?

When I cook breast meat, I sear it and if its large (1.5 lb breast) I finish it in the oven. 400 for 20 minutes for an adult drake breast. It shouldn't be cooked past medium.

Try it again, not baked and see what you think.

 

[downrangechick]

I am picking some of these up today for future meets. At what age is the best for butcher?

 

[sandspoultry]

Muscovies are best cooked low and slow or hot and fast. Like the others have said for the breasts sear them and serve med rare - they would make great shoe leather if overcooked. They also make a great stir fry, slice the meat thin and quick fry in a wok then take the meat out and add broccoli and snow peas. That's good eating there. For the rest of the duck I started making duck sausage. I debone the legs and thighs, giblets and any fat from inside the body cavity, plus any meat you can get off the wings and back. That all goes for sausage.

 

[petrel]

I've never eaten a domestic duck, but I've been eating wild ducks and geese for over 40 years. As mentioned above, More temp for less time or less temp for more time. Never cook beyond medium rare unless stewing. Also a little aging prior to cooking can't hurt. In the old days, they preferred fowl that had been aged a few days.

Try this recipe. It's one of my favorites:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/mighty-duck-recipe/index.html