How to pluck a duck properly at home, 7 quick and easy ways
Many farmers and hunters know how to quickly pluck a duck, but not everyone knows that it is not easy to perform the procedure with high quality. There are a variety of carcass handling methods, each with its own characteristics. You can choose how to pluck based on the availability of some tools and resources, and your own preferences.
Carcass preparation
First of all, you need to understand that there are criteria by which you should choose a period for slaughtering a duck. You need to focus on age. The best time for slaughtering poultry is 60-70 days. By this time, the ducks are fully fledged, but the flight feathers are not yet fully formed.
When they grow to a certain size, it is convenient to remove them. But you can't wait any longer, because it will be difficult to pluck. In addition, hemp will remain on the skin, and this will worsen the appearance and taste of the meat.
Scalding procedure
It is important to correctly slaughter. This is the basis for the subsequent fast and quality processing. The bird does not need to be fed before slaughter. The duck is deprived of food for 12 hours and kept separate from the herd. The bird is killed with a blow to the head, and then the throat is cut with a sharp knife. The blood should drain within 10 minutes, after which the carcass is considered ready for further action.
It is recommended to put the carcass in a cold room. A place where the temperature does not exceed 5 ° C, such as a refrigerator or cellar, is suitable. This will allow the fat to solidify and the meat to acquire its characteristic flavor. After that, the carcass of the bird can be gutted and plucked.
Required tools
For the evisceration procedure, the following tools and items are required:
- paper, cloth or film to cover indoor floors;
- bags, as well as boxes, for sorting feathers of different structure during processing, including under the fluff;
- running water;
- boiling water for the hot method;
- large pan;
- knife, scissors, tweezers or wire cutters.
Some methods require wax, iron. Regardless of the plucking method, prepare a clean cloth and a container of water.
Plucking methods
This is how duck carcasses look after feather removal
There are many ways to pluck carcasses. However, it is important to choose a simple and effective one. You need to take care of the safety of the skin, otherwise it will be difficult to process.
Dry
The dry method is considered the simplest and most affordable. It is not for nothing that hunters have used it since ancient times, plucking the still warm, just shot game. First you need to prepare the place by covering the floors.Carcass cleaning begins with the largest feathers, gradually moving to small ones. The procedure should be carried out in the direction of feather growth.
The neck and chest are plucked last. The smallest and finest feathers are located there. Next, you need to cleanse the skin from fluff. This is done in two ways - with a knife and flour, or by lightly singing. During the procedure, it is necessary to ensure that subcutaneous fat does not leak out.
After scalding
Chipping after scalding
The scalding method can be used a couple of hours after slaughter. One of the rules is not to use boiling water for scalding. It often breaks the skin on the carcass, and further plucking will be impossible. You need to prepare in advance:
- spacious saucepan;
- teapot;
- knife and tweezers;
- bags for feathers, fluff or boxes.
Place the carcass in a container of a suitable size. Heat the water in the kettle to 80 ° C. To pour over the duck, falling on the skin, for this, the feathers must be raised. As a result, the carcass must be completely covered with hot water.
Leave the indowka for 15-20 minutes, then take it out and pluck it, moving your hand against the growth of feathers. In the process, you need to ensure that the thin skin does not tear. Residual fluff can be scorched.
With a bag and an iron
To pluck a duck using this method, in addition to a bag and an iron, you will need a bowl of hot water. The processing algorithm is as follows:
- Soak a woven bag in hot water for 10 minutes, then wring out.
- Put the carcass in a bag and tie tightly.
- Submerge it in a hot water tank for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the iron to the highest possible temperature.
- Iron the carcass through a wet bag.
- Take out the duck and pinch the feather in the direction of growth.
During execution, it is important to ensure that the carcass is completely heat-treated with an iron.
Scorching
You can burn a bird with a burner
The singe method is used when it is impossible to remove the entire feathers. In this case, you need to clean the carcass from the feather, and scorch the remains of the plumage. A gas burner, dry fuel or other fire source is suitable for this. During singeing, stretch the weft, straightening the folds for better feather removal. It is not necessary to bring the carcass close to the fire - the feather and down should only be slightly charred. It is important to perform the treatment quickly so that the skin does not burn and fat does not leak out.
With wax
This option is used by hunters to remove the feather, but it is also suitable for the home. You need to stock up on a small piece of paraffin in advance. First, the wings are removed, then the feathers are pulled from the tail. Next, you should clean the largest feathers on the body.
Melt the wax in a saucepan. Place the duck there. The wax should completely envelop it. Then transfer it to a container of cold water so that the wax is fixed on the skin of the bird. Pull out the duck, squeeze it with your hands so that the wax breaks. Carefully remove paraffin and feather residues from the carcass. The advantage of this method is that no further singeing is required.
With a nozzle
Mechanical method of plucking
In addition to manual methods, there are also mechanical ones. They can be used at home using a variety of tools. Often the bird is plucked with a drill and nozzles with thorny fingers. However, it is noted that the processing quality suffers greatly because the plucking speed of the feathering machine is high. Removing a feather without stumps will not work.
Pinching in the field
The method is used by many hunters who need to carry out the procedure quickly and manually. Feathers do not need to be plucked, they are cut with the skin.It takes a minimum of time. But cooked duck won't have the crispy crust that game lovers like.
Do I need to keep fluff
Natural duck down is of great value, so it is important to keep it intact. Feather and down are used for down jackets, blankets are sewn from it, but more often they are collected on a pillow. You can get rid of dirt and grease on feathers with washing powder by soaking them in water.
The pen can be saved for later use
After just 10 minutes, the nib can be washed and dried by placing it in a woven bag and hanging it in a well-ventilated area. Shake the contents periodically. Quality material has a long service life, it can be used up to 10 years.
