Even a city dweller may have to pluck poultry on their own. Fresh duck is often sold raw on the market, but this is not a reason to deny yourself quality and tasty meat. To pinch a duck by the forces of everyone, you only need to understand the methods and nuances of the process.

Pluck preparation

If you have a duck right after slaughter, you need to postpone plucking for 2-3 hours. During this time, the fat under the skin of the bird will harden, and the skin will not be damaged in work. First, large feathers are pulled out on the wings and tail, and then the bird's neck and chest are treated. The optimal direction of pulling is by height. In this case, the delicate skin remains intact.Small feathers and fluff can be plucked in any direction. To preserve the feathers and down of the duck, you must immediately prepare packages for them. Avoiding scattering of fluff will help a slight moistening of the bird. In order not to stain the feathers with blood, it is better to wrap it in advance with paper or cloth.

Household plucking techniques

There are several ways to pluck a duck, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. Distinguish between dry and hot plucking, as well as work with the use of additional devices.

Manually

Manual plucking is performed carefully, trying to preserve the skin as much as possible. Feathers pulled out in a short and sharp jerk. To reduce the likelihood of a break, several feathers are grabbed with fingers and the entire beam is pulled.

Did you know? When hunting, feathers are often cut off from the skin or scorched, saving time. The duck cooked after this will not have a delicious crust.

The simplest is the dry plucking method, which is also used in hunting. Hot scalding is suitable for processing poultry immediately before cooking. Pinching with a bag and an iron is also quite popular, and the procedure is easy to handle.

Dry way

The bird is placed on spread paper or cloth, and next to it are containers for fluff and feathers, a spray bottle with water for wetting. The process is as follows:

1. Large feathers begin to be pulled out in the direction of growth (from the tail and wings).
2. Continue to work, grabbing smaller feathers.
3. The last to pull out small feathers on the chest and neck.
4. You can try to remove a small fluff, which is almost not pulled out by your fingers, with a blunt knife. The second option is to roll the bird in flour and hold it for 1-2 minutes over the fire, but so that the fat does not leak.
5. The duck should be washed well under a stream of cold water and dried.

The advantage of this method, in addition to simplicity and processing speed, is the possibility of subsequent freezing of meat for long-term storage. Among the minuses is the greater complexity compared to heat treatment.

Scalding

Before plucking, the carcass can be scalded with hot water first. To do this, you need a basin or a spacious pan. It is easier to heat water in an electric kettle.

Boiling water is not used for scalding. Too hot water can damage the skin of the bird, and plucking the carcass will be problematic. The optimum temperature for processing ducks is + 80 ° C, and cooler water will not have any effect.

Important! This method is not suitable for those who want to keep down and feathers.

The procedure is as follows:

1. Water is heated to + 80 ° C.
2. The carcass is poured with water, gently turning the bird over. You can dip the duck in a pot of hot water.
3. Young birds are left in the water for 1–5 minutes, and for old ducks this time increases to 10 minutes.
4. The carcass is taken out of the water and plucked warm. The plucking sequence is the same as the dry method, but the feathers are easier to tear out against their growth.
5. The smallest fluff is also removed by singeing, followed by washing.

Video: how to pluck a duck

The disadvantage of this method is the impossibility of further storage of meat and damage to feathers. Also, duck meat turns red, but the taste does not deteriorate. The advantage is faster process and easier feather removal.

With a bag and iron

This method requires a fabric bag and an electric iron. This method allows you to accelerate further plucking. You will also need a basin or a large pot of hot water. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

1. The bag is soaked in boiling water for 10-15 minutes.
2. Carefully pull out the bag and wring it out.
3. The carcass is placed in a bag, which must be tied and dipped in hot water for 5-7 minutes.
4. The iron is turned on and heated to the highest possible temperature.
5. A bag with a bird is taken out of the water and ironed without leaving creases and creases, thus steaming the skin.
6. The duck is carefully removed from the bag and plucked in the usual sequence.

Video: how to pinch a duck with an iron

If necessary, apply the final singeing and washing. This method can also be used without an iron, holding the bird in a bag and water for a little longer.

Duck meat retains color and plucks faster. As in the previous method, the main disadvantage is the inability to use further down and feathers.

Mechanically

Large poultry farms use special machines for plucking. However, there are devices that are suitable for individual households. On sale you can find a nozzle for an electric drill or a screwdriver. With their help, the plucking process will take only 10-15 minutes.

Did you know? The best fluff for warming and stuffing is from the chest of a bird.

The tool with the nozzle is fixed to the hemp with tape. The diameter of the nozzle should be larger than the hemp, and under the nozzle you can put containers for feathers. Your movements should be quick, but you should work carefully, protecting your hands:

1. Dry carcass is brought to the nozzle of the included tool and processed starting from the chest.
2. Last of all, they offer to handle the wings.
3. The feathers remaining after the nozzle are pulled out manually.

The fluff scatters quite a lot, and you have to work in the yard, so this method is hardly suitable for an apartment. This minus is not important for a private house, and a significant acceleration of work can be a decisive plus.

Video: how to pluck a duck mechanically

How to further process the carcass

After plucking, the duck is gutted and cut. Thorough cleaning of the insides is especially necessary before long-term storage. You need to perform the following operations:

• cut off the neck, leaving the “tail” of the skin in front (if stuffing is planned);
• cut off legs 2 cm above the heel joint;
• cut off wings on the first joint;
• remove offal and abdominal fat. Stretch the goiter and esophagus through the neck and cut off;

Video: how to carve a duck

After this treatment, the carcass should be washed under a stream of cold water and dried. Now it can be frozen or cooked whole. For various cooking methods, additional cutting may be required (for example, separating the loin portion).

How to use fluff and feathers

Duck feathers and down are an excellent filler for pillows, blankets and outerwear. It can be stored up to 10 years. Before use, fluff should be soaked in warm soapy water for 2-3 hours to remove odor and residual fat. Then the feather is washed in cold water, squeezed and dried in a bag.

The place to dry should be dry and well ventilated (ideally in the sun). From time to time, the bag needs to be shaken. Duck fluff is most valuable for stuffing, and the feather is recommended to be used without hemp. For culinary purposes, large feathers with hemp are used. They are tied into a brush and coated with dough before baking.

How to pluck ducks in poultry farms

Large volumes of bird processing require other plucking solutions. Pre-treatment of carcasses in a hot bath with salt and special drilling helps to quickly remove feathers. Then, scraper machines with rubber nozzles are included in the work.

A constant supply of water allows you to remove the removed feathers. Using such a machine cleans the carcass by almost 95%, and at the final stage the rest of the feather is removed manually.

Video: how to pluck ducks in poultry farms

Everyone can prepare a delicious duck (for example, Peking) for the holiday. Properly plucked with your own hands the bird will not disappoint the most demanding cook.