Dressing fowl

[WEEZER]

Just wanted to take a survey:
Do you pluck or breast out your ducks and geese?
I usually just breast them out because I'd have to buy a new freezer otherwise.
BTW what is with those bugs that are found in the feathers? Can those bugs be killed?And do they carry any type of diseases like those deer ticks?
Thank~Rick

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Weezer,
I usually fillet my ducks. I bought a cake of "plucking wax" from Herters, but have never had a big enough bag to warrent melting it down and dipping them. The bugs you are refering to are bird lice. To the best of my knowledge, they are pretty begnin, and won't cause you any harm, and I know of no disease that they carry that will affect humans. Nor will they jump on you and infest your head, either. They are fowl specific. I agree, they are pretty unnerving when you see them....makes me want to scratch just thinking about it. I have also seen them on woodcock and pheasants. Take care, and don't let the beg bugs bite (sorry, couldn't resist)
Mr. 16 gauge

I Just brest them out, it's fast and easy.

[YpsiDave]

I also just breast them out. A lot of work for a little bit of meat. Plus with about 1 duck per year it makes it all pretty easy for me.

[RealDcoy]

I think bresting out the bird is easier too, but I would like to roast them whole.

Has anybody used one of those "duck pluckers" with the rubber fingers that mount on a drill or are permanently fixed on a motor?

[dtbazley]

I've watched them used at a duck farm near me and those amish women get a duck plucked so fast and clean you wouldn't bleave it. Only problem is wild ducks don't taste like tame ones and I've never had a roasted wild duck I liked. I breast them and my wive normaly coooks them in a crock pot in gravey. Had goose cooked thak way for a noon sandwitch today


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[dtbazley]

[/B][/QUOTE]damn I type gooook



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[primo]

the mechcanical pluckers work great.if i had my choice i pluck,you dont loose moisture during cooking when the skin remains.the problem with cooking bags or crock pot ,you end up smothering any taste of duck.if i ever breast the bird it is made into a duck pate.

[drjim]

I get the innards out as soon as possible in the blind to get the cooling down the in the evening I dry pluck the bird and use the wax to get all the pins and down out. Takes about 10 min per bird. I much prefer the moister taste of the roast whole duck vs. the breast any way you do it.
To each his own.

The wax I have always used is the paraffin blocks you get at the grocery store for sealing jam and jelly. Never knew the was special duck wax!
JC

[yoda]

I'm a breast man, nothing but the breasts :)

[Dutchman]

I'm with Yoda there!!!!Are We still talkin about geese?