A common misconception when it comes to duck meat is how its health benefits line up. With a visible layer of fat usually under the skin of duck breast, it can be easy to think it may be fattier, but more fat does not necessarily mean a bad thing. The fat in Duck Breast can be easily rendered out during the cooking process and used in other snacks and goodies in place of oils when cooking.
What makes Duck Fat unique is that it is lower in saturated fat and higher in “healthy” unsaturated fats compared to fat that is in beef and pork. Duck fat consists of about 65% unsaturated fat, both mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Fatty acids like linoleic and oleic acid found in unsaturated fats offer beneficial anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, much like olive oil.
To render out the fat you must score the skin. This allows for the fat to slowly be rendered out and it lets the skin crisp up. Once the fat is rendered out, you can use it in appetizers or sides for dinner. If you do not have any use for it at the moment, put it in a freezer safe sealed container and place it in the freezer for when you need it next! If you are looking for something to cook up with this liquid gold, we have recipes for every occasion.
Duck Fat Recipes
If you are wanting something for a main course and you want to use different cuts of duck, the Duck Confit French Onion Soup utilizes Duck Confit as well as Duck Fat to make a wonderful dinner. Add in a baguette and gruyere cheese for the final touches and enjoy this delicious duck dish!
The Kimchi Duck Fried Rice recipe also uses not only Duck Fat but also Ground Duck as the protein of choice. The Ground Duck is marinated in a delicious blend of lime and Gochujang then seared in a wok with Duck Fat being used in preparing the rice and vegetables.
Duck Fat is a gold mine for snacks and shareable recipes. Duck Fat Fries are a fan favorite and are as simple as tossing the fries in an air fryer with 2 tbsp. of Duck Fat for about 15 minutes and you will never want fries any other way! Another easy shareable dish is the Duck Fat Parm Potatoes recipe! Melt the Duck Fat and add in seasoning, to your liking, and mix in the parmesan for a quick and easy snack that everyone will love!
With summertime in full swing, the grill is a great way to prepare duck. Use Duck Fat to make the tastiest corn on the cob and shrimp on the grill. The Indiana Mixed Grill has it all!
Duck Fat can be used in a variety of dishes and is a great ingredient that can be used in your kitchen constantly. It’s health benefits make it the perfect substitute for commonly used oils and roasting agents. Find more Duck Fat Recipes here!