Friday 22 April 2016

Yucky Ducky

I've been wanting to try duck for ages, I'm a big fan of Masterchef, we're half way through the new series, and it's a regular dish on many of the contestant's menus. I think it always looks very appetising. When Mick popped in to the supermarket on Wednesday to pick up a few bits, he saw this duck crown reduced to £3.50 and knowing that I wanted to give duck a go, brought it home with him.


I cooked it last night, it was very easy as you just pop it in the oven in the bag it comes in for an hour and a half and then leave to rest. After eating one slice, I couldn't manage another mouthful. I'm really not very fussy when it comes to meat, our whole family are big meat eaters and I enjoy things such as liver and kidneys which many people won't touch, but I just don't like the flavour of duck at all. It's very hard to describe other than saying it's very rich. Eleanor didn't like it either and left hers too. Mick did eat what was on his plate but wasn't keen. If we'd been eating beef he'd have polished off the leftovers from the other two plates but he didn't bother. Needless to say, Archie had a lovely meal last night.

I think I'm better off sticking with what I know, and how's this for a bargain? Four turkey breast steaks for the grand sum of 4p. Another bargain which Mick picked up a couple of weeks ago.


I've trained him well.

54 comments:

  1. What a shame you didn't like the duck - but at least you tried it, so now you know. I love duck - especially if it has been cooked until the skin is crispy!

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    1. It's a wonder I haven't tried duck before now as I've wanted to for such a long time, what a let down. I should have mentioned in my post that the skin was delicious though, lovely and crispy, so all was not lost.

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  2. Hi Jo, we bought two ducks reduced to just over £2.00 after Christmas, we ate it but decided we were not that keen, so won't be buying it again. I have never seen a meat bargain for 4p well done you xx

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    1. I'm glad I'm not the only one who isn't keen on duck. I couldn't believe it when Mick brought home turkey breast steaks which cost just 4p, I wish I could find more bargains like those.

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  3. I am sorry you didn't like the duck. I hope it wasn't off? Having said that, duck has quite a strong flavour and I think we are maybe not so used to meat having strong flavours anymore. Chicken and turkey are particularly bland, and most supermarket pork is, too. Maybe some experimentation is necessary. A recipe with a sauce maybe. Duck goes well with orange flavour I think. Good luck with the turkey, it is a real bargain! x

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    1. It didn't taste off, just very rich and not at all to my liking. It's actually put me off experimenting further, I shall just put it down to one of those foods that I don't like, there aren't that many of them.

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  4. I think for me duck is only lovely when really overcooked and the skin becomes crispy and you can shred it. Add some julienne of cucumber and spring add a little hoisin sauce or plum sauce stuff into Chinese pancakes or even a lovely crisp baguette and it delicious.
    I never find any bargains. Have a lovely weekend

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    1. The skin was crispy and that was actually very nice, it was just the actual meat that I didn't like. Your suggestions sound interesting but I can say that there was a sufficient dislike to not buy it again.

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  5. I've had duck once or twice and found it very greasy, it's definitely not something I'd go looking for.

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    1. I've heard people say that they find duck greasy but I didn't, it was just the taste I disliked. It's not something I'll go looking for again either.

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  6. I am not a fan either, but the rest of the family love it so I do cook it on occasion. I can not get over the price of the turkey now that is what I call a bargain. Impressive find.

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    1. You're good cooking duck for the family even though you're not keen on it yourself. I've never seen meat reduced to that price before, I wonder if it was priced up wrong.

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  7. I like duck although we seldom have it as it's a fatty bird. Of course, you can get rid of much of the fat if you prick the bird all over with a fork, stabbing it relentlessly, and then cooking it on a grid in the roasting tin. Now you've mentioned it, I want some!!!
    Margaret P

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    1. I often fancy things once I see them. I really shouldn't watch Massterchef on an evening as it makes me hungry, ideally I should watch it just before dinner's ready.

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  8. Duck in plum sauce is about my limit. Great bargains there. You have trained him well.

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    1. Mick always seems to find better bargains than I do, I think it's him who needs to train me.

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  9. I'm sorry that you were disappointed with the duck. Perhaps you could just but a single breast and try cooking it from scratch, rather than in a bag? Malcolm is extremely miffed that Mick has bettered any of his best ever reduced buys!!

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    1. I don't think the bag was the problem, it was actually the taste of the meat, not to my liking at all. Mick's good at finding deals, I doubt he'll match this one again though.

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  10. I've only had duck once and, like you, didn't enjoy it at all. I bet Archie was a happy bunny/dog! :oD

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    1. Archie was thrilled to bits that we didn't like the duck, he did very well out of it. He'd already had his own dinner so this was an extra treat.

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  11. I've only ever had duck a "long" time ago and don't I was all that keen, but do like all other poultry. I think some of our tastes come from what we ate when we were young and as we age our tastes are for less rich meals. Good for you giving it a go. Have a great weekend and take care.

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    1. I've only eaten poultry like chicken and turkey, I've never tried any other game birds like pheasant or grouse and I don't really fancy trying them now after my duck experience. I'm glad I tried it though, I'd been wanting to for a long time.

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  12. There are very few veg that I won't eat - in fact I can only think of one (beets), but when it comes to meat, I'm quite picky. Chicken, turkey, beef and pork - that's it. No lamb, mutton, venison, etc. And even on the poultry, I only enjoy the white meat, finding the dark too strong. That's probably why I haven't tried duck - I would likely think of it as much too strongly flavoured.

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    1. If you don't like the dark meat on poultry you definitely wouldn't like duck, it's very strongly flavoured. I love lamb but we don't eat it often as it's quite expensive and only half the family like it. Saying that, I've got some in the freezer so I'll cook that when Mick and I are dining alone.

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  13. I like duck & goose. I'm sorry you didn't like it but thrilled it didn't cost you much. Wow the 4p turkey fillets were a good find. Well done Mick xx

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    1. Goose is something else I haven't tried but I think I'll stay well clear after my duck experience. I don't think I've ever had such a good bargain as these turkey breast fillets.

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  14. We do duck like in Chinese restaurants, rub all the spices in , leave them to soak in , put the bird on a rack so the ample fat and juices run away..... I don't like it the way you cooked it either but the recipe I use makes it crispy . If you like I will try to find the link we use and e mail it to you. Maria xxx

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    1. It sounds as though it may taste totally different cooked Chinese style but I'm wary of buying it again now. Perhaps I'll have to try it when we next have a take away.

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  15. I agree duck can be rich rather like pheasant, I never used to hang the pheasants as you are supposed to, just plucked or skinned and drawn. Whilst I quite like duck, for some reason it doesn´t like me. Brilliant bargains though. xcx

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    1. It's a shame when you enjoy something but you can't eat it because it doesn't agree with you. I can't think of any food I have to avoid, I'm lucky that way. We've been lucky with the bargains we've found just lately but I don't think we'll beat the turkey breast steaks.

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  16. Living in Somerset, we were brought up on game, which is the taste which duck falls into, maybe with a sauce it might have found it better, I find duck is better in smaller quantities. I really must go shopping with your hubby.

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    1. I think I'd have definitely found it better with a sauce, something to drown out the strong taste. Mick does most of the shopping in our house, I think you can see why.

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  17. Wow those steaks are a bargin! I remember my mum wanting to cook duck one Christmas for some reason but my Dad suggested we try it beforehand to see if we all liked it, and we didn't! Just as well we did could have been an interesting meal otherwise! It does have a really strong taste doesn't it.

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    1. It's funny you should say that, I've often wondered about cooking something a bit different for Christmas, it just goes to show that you definitely need a test run beforehand. It's got a very strong taste which I didn't find pleasant at all.

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  18. I think Mick picks up some wonderful bargains ...

    Duck is very rich isn't it and I think most who eat and enjoy duck find that smaller quantities are what is needed. A nice sauce can also help - but at least you all tried it!

    Turkey steaks look great.

    Many friends also use turkey mince in their recipes, which I must admit is not something I always do!

    Have a lovely weekend

    All the best Jan

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    1. He does, he's a very good shopper so I leave a lot of it to him, he's happy to shop around for offers too whereas I don't have the patience. I'm glad we tried the duck even though it's something I won't bother with again, at least we now know. I've never used turkey mince but we do like turkey so the steaks will make a nice meal.

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  19. I don't like duck either. Lucky Archie. Those turkey breast steaks were a real bargain. Flighty xx

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    1. I think duck is one of those things where you either like it or you don't, there isn't an in between. Archie certainly likes it, he polished off the lot in double quick time.

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  20. Having lived for a few years surrounded by live, quacking, waddling around the kitchen ducks and geese I couldn't face the prospect of eating one. And the rusties might be a bit tough too! It's always worth trying something new, we'd get bored if we always stuck to same old, but it doesn't always work. At least you know now.

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    1. I can see why you wouldn't want to eat duck. I don't know how people can rear animals for the table, I'm a meat eater and under no illusion where the meat I eat comes from, but I would get too attached to the animals myself. I'm glad that someone can do it though.

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  21. I've only ever tried duck once and really can't remember if i enjoyed it or not, i suppose for that bargain price it was worth a try. I always look for the reductions in our local Tesco but am never that lucky, certainly never had anything like the 4p turkey steaks!!! I did notice today that they are selling bags of frozen sprouts with chestnuts (left over from Christmas stock no doubt) for 50p.
    My bargain of the day today was bread, 2 small kingsmill wholemeal loaves for £1 and a Warburtons toastie loaf for 50p - not reduced, just special offers in Iceland :-)
    Have a good weekend

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    1. I've been wanting to try duck for a long time so I'm glad that I have even though I won't be bothering with it again. I love sprouts but the rest of the family won't eat them so I only have them occasionally but frozen ones would be good to have in, I shall have to look and see if there's any in our Tescos when I go. Iceland seem to do some good deals, it's not somewhere I go often as it isn't near by but my mum and dad used to go quite regularly before they stopped being able to get out and about and they always bought their bread from there because it was so much cheaper than anywhere else.

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  22. Hi Jo,

    Duck is rich and remember the very first time I went to stay at my husbands parents home. We dined out at a restaurant and I had the Duck a la orange. Next day I was sick, as it was just too rich.
    We have been watching the UK Celebrity Masterchef over here and really enjoy it.
    Have a lovely Sunday
    hugs
    Carolyn

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    1. Oh dear, that doesn't sound like a very good experience at all. I'm sure it could upset a lot of people's stomachs though, as you say, it's very rich. I really enjoy Masterchef, there's some fabulous cooks, I just wish I were one of them.

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  23. 4p? I don't think you could get more of a bargain than that!

    I love duck, but it really has to be done right (as I was put off once). I guess it's one of those meats which you either love or hate.

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    1. They might as well have given it away, I couldn't believe they'd reduce meat down to 4p. I can see now why duck isn't more popular, I think you're right, you either love it or hate it.

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  24. I am not a big meat eater in general, and I am not a fan of duck either, but like you I couldn't say why. It is very rich though isn't it. Hope you enjoyed the turkey! xx

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    1. We're big meat eaters so it was a bit of a surprise that none of us were keen on the duck. We haven't eaten the turkey yet, we put it in the freezer but it will probably come out this week.

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  25. 4p! That really is the bargain of the century!
    It was certainly a good price on the duck too and an ideal time to give it a try.
    Lisa x

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    1. I know, I couldn't believe it when Mick came home with it. I'm glad the duck only cost what it did, at least I'll know in future to leave it on the shelf.

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  26. I had a wonderful Thai duck curry in Brighton on Saturday night really good perhaps you need stronger flavours to go with it as it is a strong meat. It's a shame you won't be trying it again however the turkey will more than make up for the duck lol

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    1. Perhaps, as you say, the meat was too bland and I should have put some other flavours with it. I might be brave enough to try it again at some point in the future but I'll stick to what I know for now.

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  27. I'm glad Archie had his feast.xxx

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    1. Archie thought all his birthdays had come at once, he thoroughly enjoyed the duck.

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