The Steps
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1. To render duck fat, place duck skins in a pot with 1/2 inch of water. Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. When the duck skins begin to brown, remove the pot from the heat and take the duck skins out of the pot. Allow the remaining liquid to cool overnight before using. 00:38
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2. Duck fat can be used for frying, roasting, and sautéing to impart flavor and facilitate crispiness. Chef Harold also suggests adding a dollop to the top of soup for added flavor and creaminess. 01:16
What You'll Need
Equipment
- Saucepot
Ingredients
- Duck skins
- Water
Chef Notes
Duck fat is a versatile fat, having a high smoke point, long-term freezability and unlike butter or olive oil, can be reused. Duck fat is also low in saturated fat and high in unsaturated fat, making it one of healthiest animal fats you can eat.
Rendering is a technique that uses low heat to melt fat away from muscle tissue. Heating the meat over low heat allows the gummy, solid fat to melt into liquid grease without burning. The resulting liquid is flavorful and can be used for other parts of the cooking process.
Chef Harold mentions that most grocery stores sell commercially made clarified duck fat. It can also be made at home. To learn more about rendering duck fat, visit Chef Bruce Kalman’s “Seared Duck Breast” tutorial located at the bottom of the page.
Chef Harold suggests using duck fat to make fingerling potatoes. To prepare duck fat roasted potatoes, slice the potatoes and toss them with melted duck fat, fresh garlic, fresh oregano, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. Roast in a 375 degree oven until they are golden brown and crispy.
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