Note to housewives: how to store duck correctly and for how long

Duck meat has amazing taste, high protein content and nutritional value.

But it contains a large amount of fat, which causes the rapid development of product spoilage processes, accompanied by the rapid spread of pathogenic microorganisms.

This explains the need to store duck meat in compliance with strict recommendations and rules. We will tell you further how to properly store duck meat.

Preparation for storage

An important stage in measures involving long-term storage of a product is its preliminary preparation. After slaughtering and bleeding a duck carcass, it must be properly processed:

1. To remove feathers, it is recommended to first immerse the carcass in hot water and soak it in it for about 5 minutes. After that, leave it to cool for 1-2 hours. Such manipulations will lead to the cooling of the fat, and plucking the feather will be much easier.
2. Having first removed the large feathers, then the small ones, the carcass must be scorched over the fire.
3. After this, it is cut and the insides are removed. They are the ones that deteriorate the fastest.

The whole duck carcass prepared in this way can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

How and where to keep it?

The suitability of duck meat for consumption directly depends on the organization of optimal conditions. For this purpose it is necessary:

• place the product in the cold - refrigerator or freezer;
• place for storage in a hermetically sealed container or in a separate compartment;
• Suitable containers include enamel containers, foil, and jars with sealed lids. It is possible to store duck meat in plastic bags only when it is frozen.

You should also adhere to the permissible temperature limits. Compliance with storage periods is of particular importance.

In a refrigerator

Duck meat can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days at a temperature of 0 to 5°C. For this:

• be sure to clean the carcass from the entrails, which deteriorate very quickly, which can negatively affect the safety of the entire duck;
• it is advisable to load the products on a separate shelf or compartment, which will eliminate the possibility of foreign odors penetrating into the meat;
• Before placing in the refrigerator, the bird carcass can be wrapped in foil or placed in a plastic container with a lid.

In the freezer

The freezer compartment of the refrigerator provides the longest storage of duck. It is important:

1. Before freezing, cool the duck meat by keeping it in the refrigerator at a temperature not exceeding 2-5°C.
2. Only after this can the product be deep frozen at low temperatures from -12 to -18 degrees Celsius.
3. Before sending the carcass to the freezer, it should be wrapped in parchment paper or placed in a special container.

Freezing not only preserves the nutritional suitability of the product. It ensures the preservation of all the beneficial and taste qualities of the frozen carcass.

In room conditions

Without the use of a refrigerator or freezer, duck meat remains good for several hours.

If it is not possible to place it in compliance with the permissible temperature indicators, You can resort to old, proven methods:

• wrap the carcass in a cloth soaked in table vinegar;
• wrap the gutted bird in salted and dried rags;
• Instead of vinegar, you can wet the cloth with lemon juice.

These methods prevent the proliferation of putrefactive bacteria. A damp cloth prevents the carcass from drying out.

Deadlines

Duck meat has its own shelf life. They are subject to certain placement conditions:

1. In room conditions, wrapped in a cloth soaked in vinegar, saline solution or lemon juice - up to 2 days.
2. In the refrigerator - no more than 5 days.
3. In the freezer – from 7 to 9 months.

How to increase the shelf life without a refrigerator and freezer?

You can use other proven methods. They provide the opportunity to maintain the suitability of products without a refrigerator and freezer:

1. In winter, the duck carcass can be stored in the cold. To do this, it is first soaked in water and left until completely frozen. After this, it is dipped in water and, after waiting for an ice crust to form, the procedure is repeated several times. Ice “packaging” protects meat well from spoilage.
2. If you fill the carcass with a saline solution, you will get lightly salted meat that remains edible for a long time. To do this, add 300 g of salt to 1 liter of water.The gutted carcass is filled with this solution, after which, after tying the bird’s neck tightly, they hang it by its hind legs. After a day, the brine is drained, and lightly salted meat is placed in a cellar or basement.
3. Some people use the dry method of salting a duck carcass. After generously smearing it with salt and spices, leave it for 4-6 days, after which the salt is washed off with water and then dried.
4. Long-term storage of duck is possible after smoking it with cold or hot smoke. At the same time, the shelf life of the hot method is shorter.

Duck carcasses processed in the described ways are stored in a dry and cool room. The optimal temperature in them should not exceed 5 °C.

How can you tell if a product has gone bad?

Several signs indicate that a product is spoiled. Among them:

• the presence of an unpleasant musty odor;
• changed color of meat - the pink tint becomes grayish-dark;
• the appearance of sticky mucus on the surface;
• violation of the structure - after pressing on the flesh, the dent does not recover for a long time.

Sometimes, in addition to obvious signs of deterioration, a hidden process of deterioration is observed. It appears when cooking duck dishes and reminds you of itself with a sour or putrid smell. It is recommended to throw away this product.

Adviсe

You can keep duck meat in a edible state for as long as possible by following simple but effective tips. Here are some of them:

1. When cutting up a bird yourself, you should remove the entrails from it, as they quickly deteriorate, which can affect the condition of the entire carcass.
2. To store meat in the refrigerator, it is recommended to load it on a shelf where there are no other food products.
3. After purchasing a duck or cutting it, you should immediately put it in the refrigerator.
4. Long-term storage of duck meat is possible only when frozen.
5. Meat cut into portions lasts longer.
6. Entrails should not be stored with meat.
7. To store in the freezer, wrap the meat in parchment paper, cling film, or place it in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

Conclusion

Compliance with recommendations for proper storage of duck, taking into account the necessary conditions, guarantees the quality of the product without the risk of loss of taste and nutritional value. Ignoring shelf life causes spoilage of duck meat and a prerequisite for the risk of food poisoning.