Steel 4s @ ~1500. No complaints.

Dear Kamo Gari:

Duck or goose heart?

Did you load them yourself?

Whose shot did you use?

Which wad?

How may ounces of shot in your load?

I'm just beginning to load steel and am experimenting with BPI and Reloading Specialities shot.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

Yale,

Duck, and no. Plain Jane factory loads; these were from Estate. 1 1/8 oz of 4s in 3". Both hearts were pierced on two sides. Birds were shot at ~35-40 yards.

Good on you for rolling your own, but I just can't be bothered.

Cheers,

KG

Dear KG:

Thanks for the information.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

Do you Yankees know how good those hearts and gizzards are to eat? I could just about throw the breast away and just eat hearts and gizzards.

quote:

Originally posted by daniel77:
Do you Yankees know how good those hearts and gizzards are to eat? I could just about throw the breast away and just eat hearts and gizzards.

Tsk, tsk. I'm insulted. You didn't think I pulled the hearts out just to check for ballstics after breasting, did you? Once I get to around 3 dozen hearts and gizzards, it's time to make some stuffing. I'm not from the south, but don't be fooled into believing that we Yankees don't know how to cook, son!

Yale, no problem and you're welcome.

KG

Yo Daniel77:

I'm a Philly born Yankee, but my mom grew up on a farm where my grandfather raised chickens among other things near Pennsburg, Pennsylvania.

I, too used to help her make stuffing, using hearts and what not.

Nevertheless, you cajun boys really know how to make great chicken! But you might be edged out a bit by the jerked chicken I used to eat, while working in Jamaica.

Hey, do you have a good duck recipe, that you would be willing to share? Hotter the better.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

Recipe for what

BarBQue'd .... Yes
Gumbo'd .... Yes
Roasted .... Not my favorite, but yes
Fried? .... Yes

Ask and I shall accommodate. I remember a thread on best duck recipes, so you might try a search.

If you are making a gumbo, and like spicier food, I do have an old family trick for adding a bit of spice. On one of those rainy, can't get anything done days, go get a pile of your preferred onion, bell pepper, and your choice of the hotter peppers. We mostly use jalapeno or cayenne. Remember with the hot peppers that most of the heat is in the seeds. It is also a good idea to wear latex gloves when doing this or your hands will burn. If you really like spicy food, and so does everyone else who is going to eat, then you can leave in the seeds, or some of them. I do the onions/bell peppers/hot peppers separately so I can add just how much of each I want.

Prepare the onions/bell peppers/hot peppers by washing and cutting off the undesirable parts (skin, stem, pithy bitter interior of bell pepper, seeds, etc.) Onions, bell peppers, and celery are referred to as the holy trinity of cooking because South Louisiana is predominantly Catholic, and these three ingredients are the basis for 90% of Cajun food. Celery doesn't freeze well, so we cut that up fresh.
Have a food processor ready or some time and a sharp knife. Dice or chop the ingredients to your desired texture.

Here comes the smart part. Take several ice cube trays and stuff them with onions or peppers and put in the freezer. The next day they will be frozen solid and you can break them into pre-diced ready to go cubes. We put the cubes into gallon Ziploc bags and back into the freezer. Do not try and make ice with the trays after doing this, unless you like onion flavored beverages.

Now, whenever you want a gumbo or whatever, you just go to the freezer and take out three or four cubes of onions and three or four cubes of bell peppers and sautee for a great meal. One or two cubes of hot peppers is plenty for a large gumbo. I suggest you start with one and see how hot that is for you. You asked about spice and this is the key part. Different peppers vary greatly in the amount of heat they have. The same peppers, even from the same plants can also vary greatly depending on the stress level of the plants. This is why sometimes you can eat a jalapeno and it is great and the next time you eat one it burns you up. If the jalapeno plants hit a dry spell or get a frost or any type of stress, they will get exponentially hotter. Obviously different varieties and types will also vary in heat. Doing it this way allows you to get a feel for how hot your batch is and stick with that feel for a year, rather than deal with variations from a store. You can also cut cubes in half or whatever depending on how big of a meal you are making. The onions and peppers will keep for a very long time (year+) like this and stay fresh tasting. They can go frozen directly into the pot and thaw out easily and start wilting and browning.

Get all the crying over in one day and cook for a year. Sorry if I was too long winded, but this does work really well, and saves a lot of time when you come home from work and are trying to get supper started. It is also easy to transport to the camp to make cooking there easier.

I've never had a stuffing as ya'll have said, so we could trade.


BBQ Duck breast

I start with whole breasts. I prefer ducks that aren't real badly shot up for this. The ones with a lot of pellets to the breast are relegated to gumbo. I don't use the gizzards and heart in this one either. Remove the tenderloins as well, and separate for another meal, or different use, as they are too small for this. If it is a large duck like a mallard, cut the breast narrow-ways, through the center so that you have made the semi-rectangular breast into two squares (upper breast and lower breast). If it is a goose, cut into several pieces. Use your judgment as to size, but big chunks don't cook thoroughly, or burn on the outside, and small chunks dry out too easily. Teal remain whole, and teal breast sized pieces are ideal. Next, I cut a length-ways pouch in the breast. This is done like you are going to butterfly, but only make a pouch, and keep the entrance only big enough to fit one or two finger into. The pouch will receive a spoonful of cream cheese during BBQ, but I prefer to cut at this time so it can fill with marinade. For a marinade, you can use whatever you like. Buttermilk and/or reg. milk, do a real good job of removing the gamy taste for those who find duck (or any other game) too strong. This is the only case in which I use a milk based marinade, and I only soak in them for an hour or so. Italian dressing, and/or orange juice are my favorites. To them, I may add Worchestershire sauce, Tabasco, Cajun Power Garlic sauce, or any other flavor/sauce to the marinade, and do add some basic seasoning like Tony Chacheres or Zatarains. I also sometimes combine the Italian dressing and orange juice, or you can subst. apple juice, or just experiment. I've seen people use the packets of make your own type ranch dressing and beer or whiskey. Experiment with what you think you may like. All of these marinades work equally well when frying ducks or geese, as well. In any case, the marinade should cover the breast chunks completely and should be used from an hour to a day. Longer the better.

After marinading the meat, I add the spoonful of cream cheese to the pouch and wrap with bacon. If you like a bit of spice, add a slice of jalapeno on top of the bacon before the toothpick is added. Do Not cook directly over the flames or a hot fire, as the duck will burn and dry out quickly. Should take 10 minutes or so. Enjoy.

This is my absolute favorite way to eat duck. I do these in an appetizer capacity, but a few people can make a lot of ducks disappear this way. If someone doesn't like duck because it's too strong, have them try it like this. The cream cheese makes it melt in your mouth, and doesn't taste real cream cheesy or gamy when done. This entire process, minus the time actually marinating, should take about 3-4 beers. Good luck.

Sorry if that took too long. The cat started having kittens at 3am so I've been up a while.

Dear Daniel77:

You are the man, thank you for the recipes.

I am seriously into hot food, and have been for most of my life.

My stepson is a head chef, so we'll take your recipes, and go to town as soon as I shoot some ducks.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

quote:

Originally posted by daniel77:
I've never had a stuffing as ya'll have said, so we could trade.


BBQ Duck breast

I start with whole breasts. I prefer ducks that aren't real badly shot up for this. The ones with a lot of pellets to the breast are relegated to gumbo. I don't use the gizzards and heart in this one either. Remove the tenderloins as well, and separate for another meal, or different use, as they are too small for this. If it is a large duck like a mallard, cut the breast narrow-ways, through the center so that you have made the semi-rectangular breast into two squares (upper breast and lower breast). If it is a goose, cut into several pieces. Use your judgment as to size, but big chunks don't cook thoroughly, or burn on the outside, and small chunks dry out too easily. Teal remain whole, and teal breast sized pieces are ideal. Next, I cut a length-ways pouch in the breast. This is done like you are going to butterfly, but only make a pouch, and keep the entrance only big enough to fit one or two finger into. The pouch will receive a spoonful of cream cheese during BBQ, but I prefer to cut at this time so it can fill with marinade. For a marinade, you can use whatever you like. Buttermilk and/or reg. milk, do a real good job of removing the gamy taste for those who find duck (or any other game) too strong. This is the only case in which I use a milk based marinade, and I only soak in them for an hour or so. Italian dressing, and/or orange juice are my favorites. To them, I may add Worchestershire sauce, Tabasco, Cajun Power Garlic sauce, or any other flavor/sauce to the marinade, and do add some basic seasoning like Tony Chacheres or Zatarains. I also sometimes combine the Italian dressing and orange juice, or you can subst. apple juice, or just experiment. I've seen people use the packets of make your own type ranch dressing and beer or whiskey. Experiment with what you think you may like. All of these marinades work equally well when frying ducks or geese, as well. In any case, the marinade should cover the breast chunks completely and should be used from an hour to a day. Longer the better.

After marinading the meat, I add the spoonful of cream cheese to the pouch and wrap with bacon. If you like a bit of spice, add a slice of jalapeno on top of the bacon before the toothpick is added. Do Not cook directly over the flames or a hot fire, as the duck will burn and dry out quickly. Should take 10 minutes or so. Enjoy.

This is my absolute favorite way to eat duck. I do these in an appetizer capacity, but a few people can make a lot of ducks disappear this way. If someone doesn't like duck because it's too strong, have them try it like this. The cream cheese makes it melt in your mouth, and doesn't taste real cream cheesy or gamy when done. This entire process, minus the time actually marinating, should take about 3-4 beers. Good luck.

What you desribe are what my buds and I call duck 'poppers'. The only real variation of the recipe are slight differences in the marinade, and I prefer a thick slice of bermuda onion instead of cream cheese.

A couple dozen of them pushed around on a grill for 8-10 minutes are easily devoured in half that time by 3-4 duck hunters after a morning's hunt. Beer is also often added (to the marinade as well as the hunters post hunt).

I'll be happy to share a recipe for giblet stuffing when I have a bit more time. Easy and wonderful, and can be made with either a bread or rice base. Both are fantastic.

Cheers,

KG

Here's something for lagniappe (daniel77 knows what that means)...try shredding the duck breast meat itself and use that in the stuffing/dressing. It's one of my three favorite ways. Hearts and gizzards are another, but I have to admit that for me, oyster dressing is just plain impossible to beat..

Ladies and Gentlemen:

As you can see, I don't know squat about waterfowl cooking.

But I do know a little about doves on the grill:

1. Marinate your dove breast (who keeps the rest?) in a medium, dark beer or ale like Bass for at least two hours;
2. Wrap each breast in a nice thick slice of bacon and place them in a tray;
3. Pour barbeque sauce over the breasts(I like Biffle's hot BBQ sauce from Concordia, Missouri - can get it on line, and I am the reason for their online sales if I do say so myself - long story);
4. Pop them on a cured cast iron grill over coals that have been burning for at least an hour meaning no real flames anymore;
5. Cook and spin over once or twice for about 20 minutes (not too long, you don't want to dry them out), and
6. Serve with a bit of extra sauce and of course a whole lot of left over beer!

They taste like tenderloin tip steak with a bit of bacon flavor.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

Being,by birth () a natural born skunk at a lawn party - I have to interrupt this cooking party - Are you guys seriously suggesting that wild ducks(I don't care if they are canvasbacks which my father said were best)taste better than our Long Island (NY)ducks,cooked properly by women (who else, I'm a sexist). I shot wild mallards and blacks in Canada -and wouldn't have dreamt of eating them -except as carefully cooked up by those women -and served with sauces and gravies. You guys just don't want to face it - a duck is nothing but a glorified chicken -and chickens ain't so hot. I preferred to eat deer and moose. But, of course, that's me. Gee! No wonder that duck hunting is for a small group of people (notice that I don't say "peculiar sect") who like to torment themselves by getting out in pre dawn hours in freezing temperatures and 40 mph winds {after the sun comes up -if it does)! (Just kidding)

First off, if I could get my wife to come and cook at the camp, life would probably be too good and God would strike me down right there. My wife is a damned picky eater and I've yet to get her to eat any wild game at all.
Secondly, wild ducks are a whole different ballgame from chicken. Most of those that I know of who don't like ducks find it too strong and gamy tasting.
I'll second that us duck hunters are a peculiar sect. We are generally wet and cold and I've hiked and paddled miles for the chance to go and shoot a few birds. Add to these the costs, and I can surely see someone questioning our sanity. All it takes though, is a good look at those birds locked up and comin' in, or a good dog on a good retrieve. If you ain't hooked after that, then you just aren't a duck hunter. I ain't gonna quit.

How about a recipe for stuffing/dressing (I'd like the oyster one too)? You boys have tempted me and I've responded. Ante up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...DmDQ&feature=channel

If you guys want some great waterfowl or other game recipes, check out this website www.huntfishcook.com Scott Leysath is a friend of mine, and the chef who owns this website. He has a wide variety of fantastic wild game recipes. Give it a look, you'll be glad you did!

daniel77:

I enjoyed reading your post - and also want to confess to a measure of hypocrisy on my part. I have taunted duck hunters for what they will endure for a shot. I never have mentioned my own getting up at 4AM in the morning to get out to a deer stand well before dawn - so I can slowly freeze throughout the day. (You duck hunters,at least, seem to get shots in the morning and even in the late afternoon - or, at least, you can quit in the late morning and come back in mid afternoon. I sat out on deer stands all day long -with a sandwich. Heck! Unlike you duck hunters I was qualified for the Special Forces before I was 17!