Boil Duck - Old Elizabethan Recipe

To Boil a Wild Duck

Truss and parboil it, then half rost it, then carve it, and save the Gravie, then take Onions and Parsley sliced, Ginger and Pepper, put the Gravie into a Pipkin, with Currnas, Mace, Barberries, and a qart of Claret Wine, and little salt, put your duck with all the forenamed things into it, and let them boil till it be enoug, then put in butter and sugar, and serve it in upon Sippets.

To Boil a Tame Duck

Take your Duck and truss it, and boil it with water and salt, or rather Mutton broth, when it hath boiled a while, put in some whole spice, and when it is boiled enough take some white wine and butter and good store of Onions boiled tender in several waters, with a little of the Liquor wherein the Duck hath boiled, and a little salt: put your Duck into a dish, and heat these things together and pour over it and serve it: garnish the dish with boiled onions and barberries.

source: http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/old-elizabethan-recipes.htm

Special note: If your duck arrives frozen please either thaw below 4 degrees C. or in cold water. Do not thaw at room temperature, as bacteria can and will grow thus making the duck useless. In handling of poultry one must be careful, for poultry if not handle correctly can contain some nasty bacteria that can make a person sick. In preparing the duck, thoroughly clean the cavity with cold water, and remove any organs that may be present within the cavity. In preparing the duck, please use a separate plate for draining the water.

In cooking the duck the core temperature should be no less than 70 C. and serving temperature no less than 60 C.

Lets begin:

You will need a pot large enough to cover the whole duck with water. Place duck back down and bring water to boil. Boil duck until meat is tender enough and does not fall off the bones.

Ingredients
3 to 4 lb. duck (domestic will do fine)
dask of ginger, pepper, mace
Parley (fresh preferred but can be done with dry parsley)
1/4 cup currants
1/4 cup barberries - saskatoons can be used as a substitute if one cannot get barberries.
1 cup Merlot wine - substitute for Claret Wine which is a red wine from France used in the 16th century
2 medium cooking onions diced
1 Tbsp sugar - for period cookery use 1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp butter - do not substitute
salt to taste
Thickening agent (period - use breadcrumbs - otherwise a Tbsp of flour or cornstarch mixed in cold 1/4 cup cold water)

In preparing Boil duck I used the one for wild duck on a domestic duck and it works quite well. Place the duck on its back and parboil. Once water is boiling it should take about 1/2 hour to parboil - add with a dash of salt. Drain water and let stand in pot with opening down towards bottom of pot to remove any water. This method will remove any excess water from the cavity. At the same time in separate place diced onions and bring to boil till tender, than drain and let stand.

Place duck, back down with butter been applied to vent and neck hole in duck and place in roaster or in a stoneware clay pot with back down. Make sure there is a little water on bottom of rooster to prevent dry out. If you have a roosting rack that can be placed at the bottom of the roaster this will make it easier to remove the duck. Bake at 365 F until meat temperature is at least 70 C. Remove duck from roaster and carve into small bite size pieces and  place into bowl and place aside.

Place juices from the roaster into a pot, add thickener to boiling juice ad wait till thicken. Place boil onions pieces, barberries, and spices within the gravy and simmer for a few minutes. Once gravy is cook add this sauce by pouring over the duck pieces in a serving bowl. Serve hot. Makes 6 servings.

For decorative serving, mix the gravy and the duck pieces together and serve in a traditional stoneware pipen dish, with cover lid. Stoneware will keep the heat, while one dines on this delightful dish. I will mention do not overcook, this dish, as it has a tendency to ruin the flavor.
This dish was used as an entry dish into the cookery selection for Golden Swan person development 2010 by Christiana Elizabeth Constable.