An interestiing approach - with some applications for smoking or roasting?

[Barry CB Martin]

Regardless of what you most enjoy cooking and the methods & techniques you favor - I suspect you enjoy watching a master chef cook. IMHO it's just cool to see someone who really knows what they are doing, having logged thousands of hours in the kitchen, do what they do. I just about always learn something from viewing a cooking show with Julia, Jacques or Pierre. 

This recipe was presented in the NY Times and features a technique that Alton Brown modifies to prepare duck. I always thought it was a troublesome effort and since I usually prepare duck outdoors and make allowances for the fat to render and drip into a pan whilst the duck roast-smokes low & slow...I haven't done it. I'm talking about steaming the poultry before roasting.  Jacques Pepin shares his combination technique of steaming, then roasting a turkey.  I offer the opinion this is akin to a rapid brine idea - with heat being the cause agent to speed up the process during a partial cook.

Here's the photo and the link. I'd be curious if anyone has experience with this combination of methods - steaming and then roasting.


Jacques Pépin’s Steam-Powered Turkey

[teesquare]

I tend to agree with you that the overall effect to the steaming is like a faster brine - in so much as it should yield a more moist bird.  I wonder if one uses some aromatic and flavor seasoning in conjunction with the steaming - will that infuse more flavor/aroma...?

[bbqchef]

When I prepare duck I usually deconstruct the duck and steam it for a bit to soften the fat. I usually stab the duck with a carving fork in a few places.

I've never brined a duck in hot liquid so I can't speak to that.

Here's an excerpt of the duck recipe...

Quarter the duck, removing the spine, wings and as much fat as possible. Score the duck skin in several areas without cutting the meat. Place the duck quarters in a resealable food bag and add the marinade. Brine the duck, refrigerated, for four to six hours. Drain duck, reserving marinade.
Fit a steamer basket into a large stockpot and reserved marinade and water or duck stock, if needed, to make two inches of liquid. Bring liquid to a boil. Add the duck quarters, cover and reduce heat to medium low. Steam the duck for 45 minutes.
Prepare the grill for high heat direct cooking. Place a large cast iron skillet on the grill and preheat to a high temperature (475° F.) Place the duck legs, skin side down, into the skillet and cook for 10 minutes. Add the breasts, skin side down, and cook for another eight minutes or until the duck has a deep mahogany color and the skin is crisp.

[Ka Honu]

Hmmm... steamed and roasted duck.  What a concept - I think some guy did that and it worked so well he named a large city after it.

[bbqchef]

Ka.. And that might be??

[drholly]

Does it start with a "P"?

David

[LostArrow]

Ok, since I have a 32qt tamale steamer that would be perfect for this,  a SRG that would be good for the roasting part let me get some details.
Would you brine?
What temp would you pull from the steam?
Would you inject for flavor?
Probably will trial run with a chicken.

[TwoPockets]

I hunted duck for years and finally gave it up because I could never find a way to cook it at home so I could really actually enjoy eating it. This might work although I really do not need to pick up a hobby again that takes me out in freezing weather to take meat that winds up costing me $200 a pound when all is said and done.  I do love some duck on occasion in a restaurant when it is done well and this looks really good.

[Ka Honu]

Chef - As drholly surmised, that's how they make Peking duck.

2P - I don't even buy domestic duck (at considerable less than $200/lb.).  Hawaii (and indubitably any Asian community near the rest of you) is full of Chinese butcher shops and restaurants that cook it far better than I could for a relatively reasonable price.

doc - Do I get a "whilst/vis a vis credit" for "surmised?"  How about "indubitably?"

[squirtthecat]

Peking duck.

There is a 'Christmas Story' joke in there somewhere, but I'll leave it alone...     

How long does he steam the whole turkey before roasting?  I didn't see any particulars on timing.
I could almost see it being beneficial to speed thawing a partially frozen bird before the final cook.

[Ka Honu]

How long does he steam the whole turkey before roasting? 

Half an hour.  Recipe here.

[teesquare]

How long does he steam the whole turkey before roasting? 

Half an hour.  Recipe here.

Turtle - that recipe looks GREAT!  Would you like to copy that to the Poultry recipes section...? Really timely!
Thanks

T

[bbqchef]

It's my understanding Peking Duck is a specific breed of duck that is force fed. After 45 days of life, it is killed and the feathers removed. Then the whole eviserated bird is briefly boiled before being hung to air dry for a day or so. Air is injected to separate the fat and the meat. While drying, the duck is coated with a malt sugar solution and then roasted in a closed oven.

At least that's what I consider Peking Duck.

Mike

[drholly]

doc - Do I get a "whilst/vis a vis credit" for "surmised?"  How about "indubitably?"

Most assuredly!

[squirtthecat]

I gotta try this in my big roaster oven, with the bird up on a rack..