Removing Duck legs

[Royboy]

When just taking the breast of the duck and not plucking is there anyway to remove the legs ? I think they are best tasting

Cheers

[hesstondriver]

like you I tend not to pluck I generally peel it , keep breast separate then either run a knife round the thigh and it come off or gut the bird and put a couple in to make casserole etc

[Fatcatsplat]

Doing that you're losing the skin which is the best bit and has most of the flavour locked in. However, if that's what you want to do, peel the skin back after you've taken the breast out and then cut the layer of meat on the inner thigh. Push the bone back to dislocate it and then continue the cut and that's the leg. Pull it away and cut the bone away just below what would be the knee joint.

 

Have a go at plucking the legs and you can make your own confit duck - It really is worth the effort.

[Royboy]

Sorry I didn't make my self fully clear, I don't pluck and gut the whole duck, i pluck the breast area then remove the breast with the skin on, so I can remove the legs the same way ?

[Mentalmac]

Perhaps pluck the feathers so you can see what you are doing properly, and then with the leg dislocate the joint so to separate the joint slightly and then cut off with a knife. That's how I have done it anyhow.

[00jacksonp]

This is criminal!!

One of the best tasting birds and easiest to pluck!......................... well easier than bloody canadas.

i dont think it takes much longer to pluck it to be fair ,

[loriusgarrulus]

I put both ducks and chickens in a bowl of warm water with a tiny amount of of non scented washing up liquid to really wet the feathers including the down on ducks. Give it a good swish about, then pluck. The warm helps the feathers come off and the water with the detergent as a wetting agent stops the feathers floating about.