It is advisable for everyone to know how to properly pluck a duck at home, as you can not only want to buy a bird in this form, but also get such a present. In order not to get confused, you should read this article.

How to pluck a duck

Today, there are several different ways to clean the duck from feathers. Only personal experience will help you choose the right one for yourself. We suggest learning how to pluck a bird in different ways.

Did you know? On duck legs there are no feathers and blood vessels, on this basis, birds move without problems on snow and ice without feeling cold.

Dry way

This method is the simplest and most affordable. Knowing certain nuances will make the process as easy as possible. Interestingly, this is the method used by hunters in the field.

Consider how to remove duck feathers using this method:

1. Place the bird on a clean surface and begin to pull out the largest feathers. First process the wings, and then proceed to the tail. It is important to do this exclusively in the direction of their growth, so as not to damage the skin.
2. Then move on to the other parts. Leave the chest and neck at the end, as there is the finest plumage.
3. Remove shallow fluff. Given that it is extremely difficult to do it manually, use one of the following methods: cut them with a blunt knife or singe them.
4. At the end of the whole, wash the duck thoroughly in water and remove any soot residues.

Scalding

The second popular way is hot. Choose this method, it is necessary when, immediately after cleaning, the carcass will be cooked so that the meat does not foul after heating. Scalping plucking is carried out 4 hours after slaughter.

Important! The most important thing when plucking is not to tear the skin, which is very delicate in the duck. Even the smallest hole will lead to the fact that it will begin to break apart, and this will significantly complicate the procedure.

The procedure takes place in the following sequence:

1. Take a large container, fill with liquid and heat to 80 ºС. It is better that the liquid does not boil. If this happens, let it cool slightly so that the skin does not break.
2. Dip the bird in water for about 60 seconds.
3. Then place on a clean surface and pinch. Unlike the previous method, you need to do this against growth.
4. The remaining manipulations are completely identical to the previous method.

The disadvantage of this method is that the meat acquires a red tint.

Video: how to pluck a duck

With a bag and iron

Not a very popular method, however, there are people who use it to get rid of feathers. For the procedures you will need:

• fabric bag;
• capacity;
• iron.

Pinching is carried out in the following way:

1. Place the bag in hot water for 15 minutes. Then take it out and wring it out carefully.
2. Place the carcass in a bag, tie it tightly and lower it for 5 minutes in a basin with well-heated water.
3. Heat the iron and pull out the bag with the carcass, start ironing it. This must be done carefully to facilitate subsequent plucking.
4. Pull out the bird and remove the feathers.

Video: plucking a duck with an iron

How to clean a duck from internal organs

After cleansing from the feathers, you can start cutting, namely to remove the internal organs. Before gutting, the bird is removed:

• wings on the first joint;
• legs 2 cm below the heel joint;
• neck.

Then make an incision in the abdomen. The neck is removed carefully, it is important to leave some part on the side of the sternum, so that when baking with the filling, the hole can be chopped off. Gutted through a preliminary incision, removing all organs besides the intestines. The rest is removed through the anus. At the end, the carcass is thoroughly washed in cool water.

How to cut a duck into portions

We offer you to get acquainted with a detailed description of a simple but common way of cutting a carcass of a duck into pieces.

Important! After removing the feathers, the wild duck is soaked for several hours in water. This is done to get rid of the swamp smell. It is important to change the water several times during this time.

What is required

To do this, the following kitchen tools will be needed:

• board;
• sharp knife;
• a bowl.

Step-by-step instructions for cutting

Cutting includes the following actions:

1. Remove the neck.
2. Cut off the wings by making an incision at the joint.
3. Make a cut slightly to the left of the middle. Guide the blade of the knife along the sternum, thus separating the breast.
4. Turn 180º and cut again near the main bone of the chest.
5. Cut off the legs by making an incision in the area of ​​the joint, pressing the blade to the bones of the body.

Video: how to cut a duck into portions

Meat storage conditions

Only meat of good quality can be stored. To maintain juiciness and freshness, you must adhere to such rules:

• grate the meat with coarse salt;
• better stored on a separate shelf, without other products;
• an ideal way of storage - an ice crust;
• You can only store a completely gutted duck.

It is recommended to save meat in the freezer up to six months.

Did you know? Despite the fact that visually ducks have a short neck, they have much more cervical vertebrae than giraffes.

Useful Tips

To facilitate the plucking process, it is recommended to know some recommendations:

1. To cool the fat under the skin and thus maintain the integrity of the skin, removing feathers is best done at least 3 hours after its slaughter.
2. Large feathers are torn out only in the direction of their growth.
3. To fluff during plucking does not fly apart, it is pre-sprayed with water.
4. Slaughter of a bird is best done at a time when it does not molt.

This knowledge will help quickly, and most importantly, not only to pluck in quality, but also to cut the duck carcass at home. It is important to adhere to the above rules and then you should not have any problems.