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How to efficiently pluck duck feathers, eliminate odor, and save time

To clean duck feathers, particularly down feathers, follow the instructions below.

9 March, 2024

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How to choose good duck

Choosing a duck is an important step. If you choose a good duck, the cooking process will be easier and the dish will be more appealing.

According to the experience of experienced housewives, it is best to choose mature male ducks that are not too young or too old. The meat of such ducks will be fragrant, firm, and not tough. Mature ducks also have less down and are easier to clean.

Do not choose old ducks because the meat will be tough and not delicious. Old ducks will have a small and hard beak.

To determine which is the mature male duck, you should observe the following characteristics:

– The male duck has a smaller buttocks than the female duck.

– The male duck will have loud, hoarse sounds, deep eyes, and light brown color.

– Young ducks often have small bodies, sparse wings, large and soft beaks.

How to clean a duck

Use vinegar and white wine

Vinegar and white wine will help you pluck the duck feathers faster and effectively remove the odor.

After cutting the duck intestines, you should soak the duck in cold water to soak the feathers evenly.

Next, scoop the duck out and pour a little vinegar or white wine over the entire feathers and leave it for about 10 minutes. This is the secret to easily cleaning the duck feathers.

Prepare a pot of hot water at about 80 degrees C and immerse the duck in it. Note, do not immerse the duck in boiling water as it can make the duck’s skin cook and make it difficult to pluck the feathers. Therefore, when plucking duck feathers, you only need to use warm water. Use your hands to rub against the skin and along the direction of hair growth to pluck all the down.

After cleaning the duck feathers, take white salt and crush ginger to evenly spread it all over the duck to clean and remove the odor. Rinse the duck with clean water several times to remove the smell.

Using papaya leaves

Crush papaya leaves and put them in a pot of water and boil.

After cutting the duck intestines, soak it in cold water to wet all the feathers.

Scoop the duck out, pour white wine or rice vinegar on top, and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

Then, immerse the duck in the pot of papaya leaf water. Immerse for a few minutes, when you see the feathers in the wings easily pluckable, scoop the duck out and proceed to pluck the feathers as usual.

With this method, the down feathers of the duck will also be easily cleaned.

Young ducks will have more down feathers and are more difficult to pluck than mature ducks. Therefore, if you can buy mature ducks, you will not spend too much time cleaning the feathers.

Removing the unpleasant odor of the duck

Ducks often have an unpleasant odor, which is mainly caused by the grease deposit, where the duck’s grease glands are concentrated. After plucking feathers, cleaning the internal organs of the duck, you should cut off the grease deposit. If you want to keep this part, you should remove the yellowish lump above the grease deposit.

To remove the odor of the duck, you can use vinegar and salt. Just spread these two ingredients all over the outside of the duck and inside its belly, then rinse with clean water.

You can also use fresh lime or crushed ginger to rub on the duck to clean and remove the unpleasant odor. If you boil the duck, you should boil the duck in water with spices such as ginger and lemongrass to remove the unpleasant odor and make the dish more appealing. To make the duck tender and not turn black, after boiling, you should scoop the duck out and soak it in a bowl of cold water with a little vinegar or lime juice.

For braised duck, duck in sauce, and braised duck dishes, you should also choose suitable seasonings to remove the unpleasant odor and make the duck meat more delicious.

According to Xe và thể thao

Frequently asked questions

A male duck will have smaller buttocks than a female. It will also have loud, hoarse sounds, deep eyes, and a light brown color. In contrast, young ducks have small bodies, sparse wings, and large, soft beaks.

Old ducks have tough and less tasty meat. Their beaks will also be small and hard, which are signs of their age.

Use vinegar or white wine to soak the duck after cutting its intestines. This helps remove odors and makes plucking feathers easier. Then, prepare hot water at around 80°C and immerse the duck. Do not use boiling water, as it will cook the skin and make feather plucking difficult. Rub the skin gently to remove all down feathers.

Yes, you can use papaya leaves. Crush and boil them, then soak the duck in this water. This will make the feathers easier to pluck, especially the down feathers.

After plucking feathers and cleaning the internal organs, cut off the grease deposit. If you wish to keep this part, remove the yellowish lump above it. Use vinegar and salt, or fresh lime and crushed ginger, to rub on the duck’s exterior and inside its belly to eliminate odors.

Boil the duck with spices like ginger and lemongrass. After boiling, soak the duck in cold water with vinegar or lime juice to keep the meat tender and prevent it from turning black.

For braised duck, duck in sauce, and similar dishes, choose suitable seasonings to eliminate odors and enhance the flavor of the meat.