Waterfowl processing question

[CForar]

To those of whom that process their ducks, has anyone ever considered grinding it up and making burgers with their duck breasts? I'm not a fan of the taste of duck but I feel bad not eating something I shot so I've been looking for some uses of duck meat. I imagine letting the duck breasts sit in a saltwater brine mixture and then grinding up with some pork fat could make some pretty decent tasting burgers.

[walleye18]

lots of recipes on line...one time I made a "jimmy dean look a like" breakfast sausage patties out of some ducks and geese. It turned out awesome.

Typically, duck and goose, when over cooked is not too palatable...in my opinion. However, duck and goose prepared correctly is phenomenal. I love mine between rare and medium rare from the grill or from the cast iron skillet. Its some of the best wild game out there....but then again its all great!....way better than what you purchase in the store.

Many recipes out there for you to try.

[Lunker]

I would caution against trying to make burger out of it unless there is an added ingredient (like adding pork when making venison burger). However I have had some delicious goose that is processed into brats, snack sticks, summer sausage, etc. Never had ducks that way.

[Mlaker3]

You aren't using enough bacon if you don't like your duck.

[mwal]

Most people that don't like duck are over cooking it. I have served mixed breasts shovlers teal, mallard. I cut breasts in half and marinate in teriyaki based marinade then grill to rare. No one has ever been able to tell the difference in species and always ask for more. If you cook more than medium rare the gamey taste and toughness comes out. People that have said they will never eat duck again will reluctantly try a piece and come back for more. Try it

[fishersofmen]

^^This.^^

[CANOPY SAM]

Grilled to medium, or medium rare. Sliced thin on a nice chiabata roll, with a few romaine leaves, Swiss cheese, and a bit of Dijon mustard. Mmmmm.....

[UMC]

I don't think I've had any processed waterfowl that I didn't like. Jerky, jalapeno cheddar brats, summer sausage, country style sausage, it's as good or better than the same stuff made with deer. We have a sausage making weekend and the last couple years I've used goose since I didn't have a deer and I've been very impressed with the summer sausage and country style I've made.

[Maxxed Out]

Cook geese and ducks like you would beef and you'll never hear another complaint about them or from your self. Agree with above statement. Don't overcook.

Brats, hot dogs, polish sausage, summer sausage all are awesome with goose meat and would be with ducks too.

[dan z]

Slice it up pretty thin soak in milk for an hour. Roll in Ritz and parm cheese and cook 325 for about 20 min flipped half way through. Great snack!

Love eating waterfowl. I think its the cook that makes it great. Over cooking it is never the answer!

[hillbilly...]

I grind 90% of my duck into hamburger and use it in everything.

[Bryce]

I'll stick to processing. Most of these recipes to make a delicious meal of waterfowl would probably work well on a somewhat fresh, roadkill possum too.

[smackem33]

The Jack Daniels marinade in the bag is the bees knees!!! Bag it zip it and grill it! I make kabobs with chunks of duck rapped in thick pepper bacon mmmmmmmm can't wait till fall!

[Seabass77]

I bring mine to brothers meat and seafood in Maple Grove. Have them turned into pepperoni sticks. I also have them add a little extra trim, not only to help the taste but to stretch the output. These sticks are always a hit.

[CForar]

How much does it usually run for having a butcher making them into pepperoni sticks?

[Bryce]

Just got our last two years worth back from Von Hansons. Figure $5/pound.

[smduke]

great recipe for grilling goose breast! take an charcoal grill and get the coals red hot, place a asphalt shingle ontop of the grate, set breast meat ontop of the shingle, cook till medium rare, once done take the breast off and throw into the garbage and eat the shingle.

[Big Country]

Grind it with a little pork, buy the pre made teryiaki mandarian jerky seasoning, smoke it in casings. Add some jalepeno if you like. Just awesome.

Put breast in a ziplock bag with soy sauce and a can of your favorite soda overnight in the fridge. Grill the next day to medium rare. Nummy! BC

[brittman]

Waterfowl is not deer or other state controlled animals. There is also a difference between grinding at home and using a commerical operation.

Possession of dead waterfowl is complex and governed by the USF&WS. The USF&WS interpets rules on a strict basis in how many birds you may possess and how they are tagged and what identification is left on them. The rules may soften once they are in your residence, but if you take them out of your house, transfer them to a commercial processing company ... what rules again apply ?

Bring in a whole bunch of duck and goose breasts can bring a bunch of problems to everyone involved. We had a butcher in NoDak that used to process birds for us ... mostly plucking mallards and some geese. He would not touch waterfowl breasts .... he was audited annually.

Another cafe / bar owner was accepting waterfowl breasts from hunters leaving the state. He had a big game feed. He had problems.

By the way ... there are other websites that have discussed whether processed waterfowl STILL COUNT AGAINST YOUR POSSESSION LIMIT ??

If you are grinding birds at your waterfowl camp or out of state house/hotel ... the answer is probably yes.

Grinding at home is simple. Move the operation to a commercial operation and you open up more issues. Everyone be careful out there and don't assume that just because you read it on this web page that it is legal.

[brittman]

Many believe that the true Federal position on waterfowl sausage, jerkey and sticks is that it still counts on your possession limit. The words until consumed means chewed and swallowed.

But don't trust me. Ask a USF&WS warden if concerned about this issue.

[jigginjim]

I know it's a bad word, But to assume birds, deer, fish are consumed when animals processed past basic skinning and fleshing. When grind meat into jerky and sausage still has it listed as wild game. Even after having pork, beef and seasoning added to it. Fish in my part is consumed at eating, even thou I may still have the skin for doing taxidermy.

I don't know of people eating scales and skin. I could be wrong.

[CForar]

So it's that time of year again and I have some Ducks/Geese that me and my dad want to make into summer sausage.

My plan is to saltwater brine the breasts for a day or two before grinding it up. I plan to use 50/50 duck-pork mixture with the backwoods summer sauage kit. Also my sister owns a metal detector which I was considering borrowing to run over the duck breasts to find any bbs that may be in the breasts because my dad is concerned the bbs can ruin his grinder.

Is there any advice/suggestions you recommend when making waterfowl summer sauage?

We made some elk summer sauage with a 50/50 elk-pork mixture and it turned out perfect.

[Stringerless!]

Dang geese ! Even the gravy is tough ! ;0

[carpshooterdeluxe]

So it's that time of year again and I have some Ducks/Geese that me and my dad want to make into summer sausage.

My plan is to saltwater brine the breasts for a day or two before grinding it up. I plan to use 50/50 duck-pork mixture with the backwoods summer sauage kit. Also my sister owns a metal detector which I was considering borrowing to run over the duck breasts to find any bbs that may be in the breasts because my dad is concerned the bbs can ruin his grinder.

Is there any advice/suggestions you recommend when making waterfowl summer sauage?

You might get away with less pork in your ratio depending on if you like a drier sausage or not. I've been making oven style summer sausage lately out of my spring snows and it's turning out pretty good. I buy pork trim from the locker, but I also use bacon ends & pieces as well for a different flavor. I go through my meat pretty thoroughly with a fillet knife to clean out wound channels and try to find any BB's, but once in a while one gets to the grinder plate. Haven't wrecked my grinder blades yet though.

On a side note, I just got a mailer from a local processor with this year's wild game prices, and they have completely dropped any mention of processed waterfowl from their "menu." I guess that's what happens when you get checked and have 4 or 5 coolers of snow goose breasts sitting around with no tagging.

[leechlake]

the amount of pork would be based on how fatty it is. If you use pork trimmings that contain a lot of fat then 50-50 may be too much. Buy a pork shoulder and mix it and I'd guess 50-50 is about correct. Don't use a pork loin or some other "lean" type of pork or you're asking for too dry a product.

Regarding "possessing" waterfowl when they are made into sausage, in all my problems in life one of the ones I wouldn't worry about is that a warden would come and check my freezer and guess how many birds and specie were used to make the sausage. I'm in no means saying to break the law btw.

I do get the fact you could have problems if you were to bring in the ducks or geese into a commercial processor.