Tiercel 6,986 Posted October 27, 2016 Report Share Posted October 27, 2016 A mate of mine called at the house this evening to drop these off. A pair of Widgeon and a pair of Pintail. MMMMMM a good weekends eating coming up. TC 10 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Yokel Matt 918 Posted October 27, 2016 Report Share Posted October 27, 2016 Love widgeon... one of the few wild bids I'd bother plucking. Enjoy! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
socks 32,253 Posted October 27, 2016 Report Share Posted October 27, 2016 I wish I had a good mate sob ....... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gnipper 5,945 Posted October 27, 2016 Report Share Posted October 27, 2016 Love widgeon... one of the few wild bids I'd bother plucking. Enjoy! You'd be popular round here, the wildfowling lads can't give them away. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gamerooster 1,179 Posted October 27, 2016 Report Share Posted October 27, 2016 How long do you hang them for? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tiercel 6,986 Posted October 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2016 How long do you hang them for? This time of year and with the temperatures we are getting in the days not long two days max. They are hanging in the shed now but will be cleaned tomorrow and straight in the fridge. I will breast the Widgeon and pluck the pintail, although the pintails are youngsters so if there are too many stubs of feathers I will skin them and cover them in bacon when I roast them Sunday. TC 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gamerooster 1,179 Posted October 28, 2016 Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 Was just asking as I plan to get myself and the family a couple of birds for xmas, saves the usual turkey! I've done ducks and geese for xmas in the past and we've bled them, but obviously this isn't a option with wild birds.... does not bleeding them alter the taste or how long they keep for? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
neil cooney 10,415 Posted October 28, 2016 Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 Never had Pintail (nor shot one) but have to agree with those who say Widgeon are the nicest duck to eat. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tiercel 6,986 Posted October 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 Never had Pintail (nor shot one) but have to agree with those who say Widgeon are the nicest duck to eat. If Widgeon have been on the zostra it can be a bit hit or miss, once they get on the frosted grass they are superb. My favourite has to be Teal for consistency of flavour. TC 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tiercel 6,986 Posted October 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2016 (edited) Did not have the time yesterday to do the ducks, but managed it today. When i came do do them a couple were a bit heavy in the shot department, so I breasted them all. I decided to braise them in the slow cooker as I had never tried them like that before The recipe I used was one that I used for braised liver last week just substituting the duck for liver. The ingredients, the mushrooms are missing as I only put them in as an after thought. After chopping the bacon into lardons I fried them till they were crisp, then floured the sliced duck breast fried them till they were browned and added everything together in the slow cooker, then added the gravy made from plain flour and goose fat with a pint of stock added. Five hours later and the finished article. And very nice it was. TC Edited October 29, 2016 by Tiercel 10 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rabid 1,936 Posted October 29, 2016 Report Share Posted October 29, 2016 That looks superb TC, wouldn't mind the recipe off you if I may Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jok 3,035 Posted October 29, 2016 Report Share Posted October 29, 2016 Just returned from Scotland. 10 rabbits and 10 brace of birds hanging, awaiting my attention. Nice, Jok. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tiercel 6,986 Posted October 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2016 (edited) That looks superb TC, wouldn't mind the recipe off you if I may I can give you a recipe for what it's worth, I am a make it up as you go along type of cook so have no set recipe's as such. Sometimes they come out great, others, well least said the better I think. This is my adaptation of a slow cooker recipe of bacon and liver casserole I have just substituted the duck for the liver. You can add what ever you like, I just used 1 leek 2 onions 4 large mushrooms two smoked bacon chops cut in to lardons and the 4 wild duck breasts. I put the chopped leeks, onions and mushrooms in to the slow cooker, fry the bacon lardons until they are crisp add to the slow cooker. Then fry the seasoned floured sliced duck breast in the fat from the bacon until they have browned and add. If there is any fat left in the fry pan if not add some duck fat, add the rest of the dredging flour and make a rue from the fat and flour, pour the pint of stock in to the rue in the pan to make the gravy add the gravy to the slow cooker and wait 5 hrs. TC Edited October 29, 2016 by Tiercel 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Squeamish5 309 Posted October 29, 2016 Report Share Posted October 29, 2016 just out of interest, was the slow cooker any advantage? (Tried using one a coupla times and just couldn't make it work for me) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
terryd 8,024 Posted October 29, 2016 Report Share Posted October 29, 2016 Looks delicious Allan I love that sort of cooking as far as slow cookers Squeamish personal I find things cook well in plenty of liquid if you want tender and well cooked. Also the high and low are the same I learned. Just high reaches that temp quicker. Flavours tend to more deep and condensed but some times that isnt a good thing if you have added too much of the wrong thing 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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