Wild Duck – Oven-Ready | Truly Wild Seasonal Game
Wild duck is genuine seasonal game with a distinctive, natural flavour. Unlike farmed duck, wild duck is smaller, leaner and firmer in texture, while offering considerably more character in flavour. Our wild ducks are oven-ready and suitable for 1 to 2 people. By first browning the duck thoroughly and then cooking it gently with a little added moisture, the meat becomes beautifully tender while retaining its characteristic wild game flavour.
What makes wild duck so special?
Wild duck is traditionally one of the first types of game to become available at the start of the new hunting season. For lovers of truly wild game, it is a product to look forward to every year.
A wild duck has spent its life freely in nature. It has flown, swum and found its own food. This natural way of life is reflected in the meat and its flavour.
The taste is refined yet distinctly more pronounced than that of farmed duck. The meat is dark, relatively lean and has a firmer texture.
It is precisely this combination that makes wild duck so interesting: small in size, but remarkably rich in flavour.
Wild duck versus farmed duck: what is the difference?
Wild duck and farmed duck require a very different approach in the kitchen.
Farmed ducks are raised under controlled conditions and are generally larger, fattier and more uniform. Their meat is usually softer and the natural layer of fat helps protect it during cooking.
A wild duck has been much more active and therefore has leaner meat with a firmer texture. Wild birds also naturally differ from one another. One duck may be slightly larger, smaller, firmer or more intense in flavour than another.
This is not a difference in quality. It is simply one of the characteristics of truly wild game.
Nature does not produce a standardised product. And for us, that is precisely part of the charm of the wild game season.
What does wild duck taste like?
Wild duck has a deep, natural and distinctive game flavour without necessarily being heavy or overpowering.
Its flavour is noticeably more intense than that of farmed duck and pairs particularly well with both earthy and subtly sweet ingredients.
Classic accompaniments include:
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beetroot
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Belgian endive
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celeriac
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parsnip
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wild mushrooms
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apple or pear
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peach
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red berries
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thyme and rosemary
The combination of earthy vegetables, fruit and the natural game flavour of the duck can be particularly delicious.
How much wild duck do you need per person?
One oven-ready wild duck is suitable for approximately 1 to 2 people, depending on the size of the bird, appetite and the accompaniments served.
Because this is truly wild game, the weight and size can vary from one bird to another.
Why is Gustor wild duck often delivered frozen?
Small game such as wild duck is particularly sensitive to spoilage. With truly wild game, it is also impossible to predict in advance exactly how many birds will become available after a hunt.
At Gustor, the game is first allowed to rest briefly after processing. When the product is not delivered immediately fresh, it is then frozen to preserve its quality in optimal condition.
For this reason, this wild duck may be delivered frozen or kept at a slightly sub-zero temperature.
This is therefore not ordinary stock produced months in advance, but a practical way of preserving a delicate, seasonal and genuinely natural product in the best possible condition.
Buy wild duck online at Gustor
At Gustor, during the hunting season, we deliberately choose truly wild game. Availability therefore follows nature and the outcome of the hunt.
This means that wild duck is not available in unlimited quantities and that individual birds will not all be exactly the same size.
But that is precisely what makes this product so special.
Truly wild. Truly seasonal. And above all: full of character.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wild Duck
Is this duck really wild?
Yes. This is not a conventional farmed duck, but a truly wild duck from the hunting season.
What is the difference between wild duck and farmed duck?
Wild duck is generally smaller, leaner and firmer in texture. Its flavour is also more pronounced and distinctive. Farmed duck is generally larger, fattier, more tender and more uniform.
Is wild duck tender?
Wild duck naturally has a firmer texture than farmed duck. With an appropriate, gentle cooking method, the meat can become beautifully tender.
Should wild duck be cooked slowly?
For a whole wild duck, gentle cooking after first browning it thoroughly can work particularly well. This gives the leaner, firmer meat time to become more tender. Make sure there is sufficient moisture during cooking.
Which vegetables pair well with wild duck?
Belgian endive, beetroot, carrot, celeriac, parsnip, onion, shallot and wild mushrooms all pair beautifully with wild duck. Fruits such as apple, pear or peach also make excellent accompaniments.
Can wild duck be frozen?
Yes. Wild duck freezes very well. At Gustor, this product may even be delivered already frozen or kept at a slightly sub-zero temperature because small game is particularly sensitive to spoilage.
RECIPE: Wild Duck with Caramelised Belgian Endive, Apple and Rosemary Jus
This recipe is designed to complement the distinctive character of truly wild duck. We first brown the duck thoroughly and then cook it gently on a bed of Belgian endive, shallots and apple. As they cook, these ingredients release both moisture and flavour, helping the lean wild duck remain juicier.
Serves 2 – preparation and cooking time: approximately 60 minutes
Ingredients for the wild duck
For the Belgian endive and apple
For the rosemary jus
1. Prepare the wild duck
If the wild duck is frozen, always allow it to thaw slowly and completely in the refrigerator.
Remove the duck from the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes before cooking and thoroughly pat both the outside and the cavity dry.
Season with black pepper and a little salt.
2. Brown the duck thoroughly
Preheat the oven to 150°C.
Heat an ovenproof casserole or roasting pan with the neutral oil.
Brown the wild duck vigorously on all sides until it develops a beautiful golden-brown colour.
Then add the butter, garlic, thyme and rosemary. As the butter begins to foam, spoon it over the duck several times.
Temporarily remove the duck from the pan.
3. Prepare a juicy bed of Belgian endive, apple and shallots
Cut the Belgian endive lengthwise into halves or quarters, depending on their size.
Roughly chop the shallots and cut the apple into thick wedges.
Add the shallots and Belgian endive to the same pan and allow them to colour lightly. Add the apple and cook for approximately another minute.
Add the honey and season lightly with pepper and salt.
Place the wild duck on top of the vegetables and fruit.
The idea is for the Belgian endive, shallots and apple to gradually release their moisture and aromas during cooking.
4. Gently cook the wild duck
Pour approximately 50 ml of stock into the pan alongside the vegetables. Do not pour the liquid directly over the browned duck.
Place the uncovered pan in the oven.
Allow the duck to cook gently and baste it several times with the cooking juices.
Because wild ducks are natural products and can vary considerably in size, we deliberately do not give one absolute cooking time. Check the meat during cooking and adjust the cooking time according to the size and texture of the bird.
If the pan becomes too dry, add a small splash of stock.
5. Allow the duck to rest
Remove the cooked duck from the roasting pan and allow it to rest in a warm place for approximately 10 minutes.
Do not cover it tightly, as this could soften the beautifully browned exterior.
6. Prepare the rosemary jus
Remove the Belgian endive and apple from the pan and keep them warm.
Return the pan to the heat and add the red wine. Use a wooden spoon to loosen all the flavourful browned bits from the bottom.
Reduce the wine by approximately half.
Add the remaining stock and a small sprig of rosemary, then allow it to reduce gently again until you have a rich, concentrated jus.
Remove the rosemary and stir in a teaspoon of redcurrant jelly.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in 10 g of ice-cold butter.
Taste and season with pepper and salt if necessary.
7. To serve
Divide the caramelised Belgian endive, apple and shallots between warm plates.
Carve the wild duck and arrange the meat on top.
Spoon a little rosemary jus around the meat and serve the remainder separately.
The slight bitterness of the Belgian endive, the gentle sweetness and fresh acidity of the apple, and the aromatic character of rosemary provide a beautiful counterpoint to the distinctive flavour of truly wild duck.
Gustor's Tip
Never automatically treat a wild duck as if it were a farmed duck.
Look at the individual bird in front of you. A small, very lean wild duck may require a different cooking time from a larger bird. Browning it thoroughly, then cooking it gently while maintaining sufficient moisture is more important than blindly following a fixed cooking time.
That is what cooking truly wild game is all about: the clock does not determine the result – the product does.
