Chefs love cooking with duck fat for its cooking versatility, rich flavor and texture. Explore the many benefits, ways to use it, plus some tasty duck fat recipes to try at home.
What is Duck Fat?
Duck fat is a type of solid animal fat obtained by melting down the fatty duck tissues and separating the liquid fat from any solid bits or impurities, also known as rendering. It is a rich and flavorful cooking fat that is used by professional chefs for its versatility and ability to add an umami flavor and crispy texture to dishes.
In the words of Santino D' Antonio from John Wick 2 "Duck fat. It makes all the difference."
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Duck Fat Benefits
Cooking with duck fat offers several benefits that not only enhances the taste and texture of your food but also adds an element of culinary elegance.
High Smoke Point
At 375 degrees Fahrenheit, Duck fat has a high smoke point which ensures the oil will not start to smoke and create an off, burnt taste. It makes excellent for high-heat cooking methods such as roasting, frying, sautéing, deep-frying, and even baking.
Flavor
Duck fat is a rich, silky cooking fat that elevates dishes to a new level of decadence. While it enhances the flavors of food, the standalone taste of is relatively neutral, making it a versatile choice in cooking.
Texture
Duck fat is an excellent cooking oil known for creating a crispy texture, giving dishes golden exteriors while maintaining a tender and succulent interior. It works wonders on the texture (and flavor) for roasted potatoes, fries, seared meats, confit (slow-cooked) duck, and roasted chicken.
Healthy Cooking Fat Alternative
Similar to olive oil, duck fat is rich in heart-friendly, healthy unsaturated fats like oleic acid and linoleic acid, plus antioxidants, and is lower in saturated fats than butter, making it a healthier option. While duck fat has more saturated fat than olive oil it is lower in saturated fats than all the other cooking fats.
Versatile for Many diets.
Duck fat is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free making it suitable for many diets including paleo, keto, Whole30, primal and many other diets.
Ways to Use Duck Fat
Here are some tasty uses for duck fat:
- Roasted Potatoes, Fries & Potato Chips: Duck fat elevates the natural earthy taste of potatoes and fries and creates a nice golden crust. Use it for roasted potatoes, pommes Anna, pommes de Terre Sarladaises, hash browns, tater tots, potato galette, sautéed fingerlings, mashed potatoes, smashed potatoes, french fries, steak fries and any dish where potatoes are involved.
- Roasted Vegetables: Duck fat add richness and aids in caramelizing vegetables like Brussel sprouts, broccolini, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, kale chips, chickpeas, or root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, onions, or beetroots. The fat enhances their flavor and results in crispy exteriors.
- Frying: Duck fat is an ideal choice for frying due to its high smoke point, even cooking properties, and ability to infuse a distinctive, rich flavor while producing a nice crispy result. In addition to the aforementioned spuds, frying with duck fat works well with duck fat fries, fried chicken, donuts, croquettes, beignets, calamari, fritto misto, fried fish, onion rings, and most foods that are fried.
- Sauteing: Using duck fat for sautéing results in well seared meats and vegetables, enhanced flavors and a delightful crispiness. Meats such steaks, chicken, duck, and pork, and vegetables such as roots, onions, broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, and artichokes all work well.
- Baking: Use duck fat for pastry dough or pie crusts for a flaky and flavorful result or use for making caramels, cookies or cakes.
- Grilling: Brush vegetables, meats, or seafood with melted duck fat before seasoning and grilling to add a rich and succulent taste.
- Searing: Use duck fat to sear meats, poultry, fish, and shellfish for a uniform and flavorful crust. Suggested meats include steak, pork chops and loins, chicken breasts, fish, scallops, shrimp, and many more options.
- Roasting Poultry: Before roasting, generously apply duck fat under the skin, covering over both the breast and legs.
- Soups, Stews & Casseroles: Use duck fat as the cooking fat for soups, stews and casseroles to enhance the taste and richness.
- Confit: Duck confit is a classic dish made by slow-cooking duck legs in duck fat until tender and flavorful.
- Sauces and Gravies: Add duck fat into sauces and gravies for added depth and richness in flavor. It's also a great addition to homemade mayonnaise.
- Dressing and Marinades: Use duck fat as an ingredient in salad dressings and marinades.
- Poultry Stuffing: Use duck fat to moisten and flavor chicken, turkey and poultry stuffing before roasting. Turkeys aren't naturally fatty and this is a perfect way to enhance the flavor.
- Reheating Leftover Meat: Similar to butter, use duck fat to moisten and reheat turkey, chicken and other meats while adding a rich flavor.
- Dairy-Free Butter Substitute: Animal fats like beef tallow, lard and duck fat are excellent substitutes, and some would say better tasting, for recipes that call for butter.
- Spread on Bread: Spread on bread or toast as a flavorful alternative to butter.
- Popcorn: Pop the corn in duck fat or melt duck fat and drizzle it over popcorn.
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich: Prior to grilling generously butter with duck fat for a unique twist on a classic grilled cheese.
Where to Buy Duck Fat
Rendered duck fat is commonly available in two forms; duck fat spray and solid duck fat, typically found in a tub or a jar. Similar to butter, they can be used for the same purposes but the solid and spray forms provide advantages such as using duck spray as a non-stick coating onto a pan or baking dish as an alternative to other cooking oils.
Duck fat can be purchased both in-store and online:
- Grocery Stores: Many large grocery chains and even Whole Foods and Walmart are known to carry duck fat.
- Specialty Grocers: High-end supermarkets, delicatessens, and gourmet food stores are likely to carry duck fat among their specialty ingredients.
- Butcher Shops: Local butcher shops may sell duck fat, especially if they also sell duck meat.
- Online Retailers: Websites like Amazon, gourmet food websites, or specialty cooking stores often offer duck fat for purchase. Popular brands include D'Artagnan, Rougie, EPIC Duck Fat, fatworks, Cornhusker, and Farm Fresh Duck.
You may also find vendors selling duck fat at Farmers' Markets, Local Farms, Restaurant Suppliers or at Specialty Food Shows or Events.
How to Reuse Duck Fat
Similar to all cooking fats and oils, there is no need to dispose of duck fat after use; in fact, you can reuse it many times. Here is how:
- Strain the cooled but still liquid duck fat through a cheesecloth or paper coffee filter into a clean glass jar.
- Refrigerate until reuse.
- Prior to reusing, check the oil for any unusual smell or color, and dispose of it, if necessary, it will degrade over time and use.
Also, Serious Eats has a great how to guide for cleaning deep-fry oil using gelatin for an even cleaner method than my simple method.
38 Duck Fat Recipes
Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes
These Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes have a crispy skin and are fluffy and creamy inside.
Duck Fat Ribeye Steaks
Elevate your at home steak dining experience with these duck fat steaks.
Duck Fat Fries (Pommes Frites)
Duck fat takes these pomme frites to a whole different level.
Rosemary Skewered Scallops in Duck Fat
These scallops are seared to perfection in duck fat and enhanced with the subtle essence of rosemary.
Duck Fat Roasted Root Vegetables
Duck fat gives these root vegetables an unmatched flavor.
Duck Fat Mashed Potatoes
Take your potatoes from good to great with this unique twist on a traditional dish.
Duck Fat Fried Chicken recipe
What gives you more deep-frying cred than frying chicken in duck fat?
Duck Fat Toast
Not quite a recipe but rather a delicious way to enjoy toast.
Crispy Duck Fat Potatoes (Pommes de Terre Sarladaises)
This side dish is a classic from Southwestern France.
Pan Seared Pork Chops in Duck Fat
These pork chops are seared in duck fat infused with fresh rosemary, thyme and roasted garlic.
Duck Fat Crispy Smashed Potatoes
These Crispy Smashed Potatoes have a golden, crisp exterior and a tender, creamy interior.
Duck Fat Grilled Cheese Sandwich
A classic sandwich easily elevated with duck fat.
Duck-fat Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
The infusion of duck fat adds richness, while roasting draws out the sweetness of these vegetables.
Duck Fat Chicken Wings Recipe
Cooking chicken wings with duck fat yields crispier and tastier wings.
Duck Confit with Duck Fat
Duck confit is a classic French dish where the the duck is slowly cooked in duck fat.
Gambas Al Ajillo {Garlic Shrimp sautéed in Duck Fat }
The shrimp are sautéed in duck fat, an oil better suited for high heat, and then drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.
Halibut Poached in Duck Fat
Halibut Poached in Duck Fat is delicate, subtle and rich all at the same time.
Duck Pasta
Duck meat is simmered in a creamy, savory sauce and combined with tender pasta.
30 Minute Duck Fat Ramen
The duck fat adds a ton of richness to this ramen dish.
Duck Fat Hash Browns
Now you can enjoy duck fat potatoes for breakfast with this easy hash brown recipe.
Duck-fat Scallion Oil Noodles with Duck Breast Recipe
This Shanghai comfort food has a a couple of twists including using duck fat instead of vegetable oil and ramen noodles.
Flour and Duck Fat Tortillas
This easy tortilla recipe puts a tasty spin on this traditional Hispanic flatbread.
Duck Fat Matzo Balls
Jewish dumplings typically have a fat source such as chicken fat or oil, but this creative recipe adds a flavorful twist with duck fat as the fat source.
Duck Fat Kale Chips
These oven-baked kale chips are tossed in duck fat and the result is savory and crispy.
Duck Fat Roasted Chickpeas
These oven-roasted chickpeas are extra crisp and flavorful, a truly addictive snack.
Duck Fat Chips
Every potato is better fried in duck fat and these crispy chips are no exception.
Duck Sauce - Traditional Danish Sauce for Christmas Eve
The duck fat helps with both texture and flavor.
Duck Fat Gravy
Duck fat gravy will impress your family and guests on Thanksgiving day or at any dinner.
Duck Fat Mayonnaise
Homemade mayonnaise is so much more flavorful than anything you can buy at the store and with duck fat added to this recipe it's even more so.
Duck Fat Vinaigrette
The flavors come together with this vinaigrette recipe.
Duck Fat Ranch Dressing
A classic, tangy ranch dressing made with duck fat.
Duck Fat Pastry Crust
Substituting butter or shortening with duck fat in this pastry crust recipe enhances the flavor and texture of the crust.
Duck Fat Caramels recipe with salt & vanilla bourbon
The duck fats adds an incredible silky texture to these caramels.
Duck Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Use this recipe or your favorite chocolate chip recipe to put a spin on this classic dessert. Simply substitute half the butter with equal parts duck fat.
Duck Fat Donut Recipe
These duck donuts are made with duck fat and confit duck leg. A fun twist on a traditional donut. Perfect for Hanukkah or any time of the year.
Flourless Duck Fat Valrhona Chocolate Cake
This chocolate cake is not only flourless but also butterless with the addition of duck fat to this recipe.
Duck Fat Popcorn
You can use this recipe to pop the popcorn with duck fat or just drizzle melted fat on your freshly popped popcorn.
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