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Cutting up a Duck

Appears in
Glorious French Food

By James Peterson

Published 2002

  • About

To cut up a Pekin (Long Island) duckling into 2 single breasts, 2 legs, and miscellaneous parts, begin by cutting off any loose chunks of fat or flaps of fatty skin (save the fat for making confit). Position the duck so that the legs are facing you. Pull one of the legs forward and, with a paring or boning knife, cut through the skin between the thigh and the breast with the knife closest to and pointing toward the inside of the thigh so you don’t accidentally cut skin off the breast and expose the meat. Leave enough skin on the breast so that the meat is completely covered. Continue cutting through the skin where it meets the thigh and then fold open the leg, away from the body Slide the knife along the back where it joins the inside of the thigh and through the joint that connects the thigh to the body. Pull the leg completely away and repeat on the other side. Cut off the wings where they join the rest of the duck. When you’ve removed both legs and the wings, slide a small knife along one side of the breastbone, keeping the knife against the bone so you don’t cut into any meat. Slide the knife under the breast meat, folding the breast meat back as you go. Cut one side of the breast completely away from the duck and repeat on the other side. Trim off the fatty skin that surrounds the breasts and legs, but be sure to leave the layer of skin covering the meat. You can save the fat for rendering and the carcass for making broth.

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