Duck Meat

Duck Meat on the Dinner Plate: Exploring the Journey from Farm to Fork

Duck meat is a healthy and tasty alternative to other poultry, such as chicken. Duck meat is usually cooked in the same ways as chicken; it’s perfect for grilling, roasting, sautéing, or even slow cooking. But how does duck meat make its way from farm to dinner plate?

The Farming Method

Modern-day duck farming is quite a complex process, with many different steps. Ducks are typically raised on either commercial farms or on family farms. On larger commercial farms, ducks spend their entire life solely within the confines of the farm. On family farms, they are raised separately from chickens and other animals, although they can still share some facilities, such as hay storage, feeders and poultry housing.

On both types of farm, the ducks are given plenty of space, supervised continually and given access to a pond or pool for swimming. The appropriate type of duck breed is also chosen according to the intended purpose of the meat, such as for roasting, grilling, steaming or other recipes.

Feeding the Ducks

The feed for ducks is much the same as feeds for other poultry and livestock. Typically, a mixture of corn, wheat, peas and other grains, as well as vitamins, minerals and additives, are combined together to form the complete diet for ducks.

Most of the feed for ducks is grown locally on the farm, although some farms may purchase additional feed from local mills and nutritional companies. This combination of grains is usually served from large feeders, located in both the farm pens and the pond.

Harvesting the Ducks

Before harvesting, the ducks are examined by a veterinarian or a field specialist who checks their overall health. The ducks must be healthy and disease-free before they can continue to the next step.

Once they have been deemed suitable, the ducks are then ready for slaughter and harvesting. Ducks are typically processed on a farm using a manually operated processing line, or, if the production is more industrial, a mechanized machine might be used instead.

The Process of Slaughtering Ducks

The process of slaughtering ducks is much like that of other poultry. The ducks are initially stunned and then hung upside down on a conveyor. They are then bled from their jugular veins, with no more than 0.7 liters of blood providing the full carcass yield.

After the initial bleeding, the feathers are removed and the ducks are washed and rinsed before entering the evisceration phase. This involves the removal of all organs, except the gizzard and sora, which remain intact. Once the organs are removed and weighed, the carcases then enter the cooling phase, where they are cooled at 4?.

Once cooling is complete, they are weighed again and graded by quality criteria, such as the breed, size, fat levels and other general body features. The harvested ducks then enter the packaging phase, which involves binding the ducks and sealing them environmentally-friendly plastic packets for shipping.

Shipping the Ducks

Once the ducks are packaged and weighed, they will be shipped off to their destination, usually to local retailers, restaurants or other similar entities. Ducks are usually shipped by road in special refrigerated trucks, as the meat must remain cold at all times to ensure its quality.

Once the ducks arrive at their destination, they will usually go through another inspection at the receiver’s end, with any damaged or low-quality ducks being discarded. At this point, the ducks are now ready to be sold as either whole carcasses or duck parts/cuts.

Preparing and Cooking the Ducks

Once the animals have been purchased, they are normally gutted and prepared by the retailers, such as supermarkets. This involves removing the head, feathers and intestines, prior to washing and seasoning of the duck.

The ducks can then be cooked in a variety of ways, depending on the recipe and exact recipe desired. Generally, duck meat is best cooked whole, as this helps to retain its moisture and flavor, but it can also be cooked as part of other dishes such as soups, stews and casseroles.

Conclusion

When it comes to getting duck meat from farm to plate, there’s a lot of complexity involved. From the farming and feeding of the ducks, to the slaughter and packaging process, to the shipping, inspecting and cooking of the meat, no two journeys from farm to plate are the same. However, with the right knowledge and understanding of the process, customers can be sure that their duck is always of the highest quality and on its way to their dinner plate.