Rendered Duck Fat as a Binder?

[Spinaker]

I was given a 32 OZ. bucket of Rendered duck fat the other day from a friend. I thought I could melt it down and use it instead of using VO or EVOO as a binder when doing ribs, butts or briskets. Anyone have any experience doing something like this? I know duck fat has a rich flavor, is it something I would even want to use as a binder for my rub? Thanks guys! Happy Friday!

-John

[Jerod Broussard]

Ernest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

John, what do you farm? Any crops maybe needing some depredation from deer?

[OGMrWhite]

Sounds to me like you need to set up a trial. I think it might work nicely with a savory dry rub (no BBQ sauce) rib. I don't know if it would work well with beef.

hopefully you already plan on doing some confit with a bit of that fat...

[Spinaker]

Eisenb.... I mean Mr. White.
Excuse my ignorance, what is Confit?

[Spinaker]

Ernest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

John, what do you farm? Any crops maybe needing some depredation from deer?

Corn, soybeans, pumpkins, squash, apples. I also have honey bees that make amazing honey from my pumpkin patches.

We took 5 deer this year. All pretty good size . And tons of Coyotes. We could probably get you on one if you don't freeze up here first!!

[Jerod Broussard]

Knee-Ice. I grew up on rice farm with some soybeans. They got watermelon farmers around here that utilize bees. Dad had a small hive growing up. I could chew on that stuff ALL DAY.

I'm talking early season. You ever hear of the Minnesota Mystery Buck??

Set up a couple redneck blinds, with heaters. I'll be fine.

[Spinaker]

Also, known as the Minnesota Monarch. Yeah he's become phantom fool lore around here. Largest shed ever recorded. It was crazy because he was from the arrow head. Lot less food available to deer up there. Plus they have Timber Wolves and bears to contend with.

We have one stand that we built up in a huge Cotton wooods right by the Minnesota River, that we call the Taj Mahal because its 8'X 8'. We could put you up there then all you have to do is not fall asleep with all the luxury.

[Jerod Broussard]

There was one more, a typical. It was labeled the Minnesota Mystery buck b/c it was a clean typical, and would have topped the Jordan buck. However, someone found a photo of the same buck, with a kicker off one of the G-2's, which would have been enough to deduct from the gross typical score, to bring it below the Jordan buck. After analyzing the rack, it was determined a point had in fact been removed, in order to help the deer's net typical score. I'm still looking for it. I had the story in a North American Whitetail Magazine years ago.

[Strat50]

Duck fat would go well with any fowl(of course)and pork. Us it like you would use butter or bacon grease. I've crusted tenderloin in duck fat, and there is always confit! If you melt it and combine with evoo for injecting, that is superb too. As part of a wet rub, it would crust well, in my experience. It also makes superb biscuits, pie crust and puff pastry.

[Spinaker]

Strat,
Thanks for the tips, whats the EVOO to DF ratio when making the injection. What Would you inject the mixture into a Pork butt, fowl, etc.?
Thanks man!

[Strat50]

If the duck fat is melted and kept warm, you can use any ratio you like. Yes, I would inject. Try 1 cup strong stock(from bullion, as the bullion is your salt), ¼-â…“ cup melted duck fat or some ½ and ½ ratio with butter, evoo, etc. Season with fine ground spices, sugar, etc, to achieve your flavor profile. I do this for chicken, fowl, and beef. I just inject right before I cook(I'm usually pressed for time), and go to town. If you use more oil than duck fat, it won't harden much, if at all, depending on ambient temps and ratio of duck fat(or butter) to oil. This is more a method than a specific recipe, as we're trying to make Spinaker's "house flavor." No rules.

[Huskee]

Spinaker, confit (pronounce con-fee) is deep fat or oil cooking at a lower temp than frying. It can be done with sugary solutions if I'm not mistaken too. Bacteria cannot thrive in deep fat so from what I've read it was used way back as a preservation method of sorts. Beyond this I know no more.

[Spinaker]

Thanks for clearing that up. Learn something new everyday around these parts!!

[OGMrWhite]

...What Huskee said. And Duck Confit is my favorite protein.... mmmmm-mmmm good. I have a couple of duck legs in the freezer cooked and covered in duck fat waiting to be gobbled up.

[Ernest]

You're strong willed man. Mine never make it passed a week before getting devoured.
Have you tried chicken confit?

[OGMrWhite]

No I have not, but it sounds worth trying. surely it pales compared to duck.

[Ernest]

Duck fat is butter on roids, go ahead and use that. And please keep that friend FOREVER!! You have 32 oz of pure culinary gold

[Spinaker]

Awesome, great to hear!!
Me and the guy I got it from used to raise hell when we were kids, so he's been a life long friend. He's also the head of our hunt club on the Minnesota River. I help out with some club maintenance, setting up blinds,decoys, boats etc. (mostly for fun!) So I get a few kick backs. And this one was a real treat.
I've had fried torts at his house before that were cooked in duck fat, and they were unreal man, unreal.
Thanks Ernest.

[Strat50]

I spent a few boyhood days along the Minnesota River fishing for catfish and catching crayfish. Good times.

[Ernest]

Best the best tortillas ever!!

[SwampDonkeyzBBQ]

I saw Michael MvDearmen use it on ribs, on Pitmasters.