I Shot Wood Ducks And Am Making Gumbo

[MaduroBU]

We have 6 between 4 guys in two days hunting. I thought about trying to dig the drumsticks out, but they looked like baby pengiuns when I finally cut them out so it's going to be 12 breasts total.
I am going with a roux/peppers/sausage/onions mix, and am thinking really hard about okra. I have heard that okra lends itself more to seafood gumbo, and I do not need extra thickening.
The wood ducks themselves are beautiful. I am mounting one that I literally found by accident. I thought that he got away, cursed my lousy shooting with a number of evil words and then found him on my way back to where my friends were. I will post pictures of this wood duck later.
The place that we found to hunt at is also something else. It's unknown and public, which is a crazy rare combination. Mallards and Woodies seemed like they wanted to fight us for the terrain. The shooting was basically self defense. I will also post pictures of this.

 

[Bob in Houston]

Don't wood ducks make for crunchy gumbo?

 

[random horn]

watch out for splinters

 

[Brisketexan]

No okra for this gumbo.

Duck meat, andouille, trinity and garlic, a bay leaf or two and appropriate seasoning, and a DARK roux. Thicken with a little file when serving over rice, and toss a few diced green onions on top. Have crunchy french bread for sopping up the leftover gumbo broth.

I'm about due to make a pot myself.

 

[Mrmyke709]

In reply to:

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[LostinTime]

Sounds good. Good thng it was self def. or you would get the freaks whinning about your food.

 

[Lat22]

It's amazing how alive that duck looks!

 

[pevodog]

Next time, pluck the ducks, breast, back, legs, and about an inch up on the wings and neck. Singe with a gas burner or light on fire a brown paper bag and use it. Cut off extremities and cut from the tailend up through the neck hole, and remove innards. Soak in pan full of water in fridge overnight. Cut duck in half, split down breast, being careful not to remove/damage skin. You want to keep skin intact as much as possible. Place duck(s) on paper towels to dry excess water. Liberally salt and pepper and roll in flour, shake off excess flour and place in iron skillet(half full of cooking oil) at 325 degrees. Cook for about ten minutes and flip over. WHen the ducks start getting brown , poke through breast with a toothpick. As soon as you get only a clear liquid coming from the puncture, remove and place on paper towels. The worst thing you can do to a duck is cook it one minute longer than neccessary. Save chicken thighs and sausage for gumbo, fried ducks are so much better than duck gumbo.

 

[accuratehorn]

You weren't hunting over on Congress Avenue a couple of nights ago, were you?

 

[jmrob93]

I was always told to save the bad tasting ducks,, like spoonies, coots and most diving ducks for gumbo

the good ones--like woodies-- fry, bake, cue w/ bacon--anything

 

[Brisketexan]

I usually use divers (around here, mostly ringnecks) for my gumbo, and cook the puddle ducks (around here, mostly gadwall) in simpler ways. My favorite way to cook a gadwall is to breast them out, brush them with a little butter and season salt, and grill them to medium rare, like a small steak. Slice thin and serve with the slices fanned out. Nice presentation, and it tastes like the best natural beef you'll ever eat. Sometimes, my daughter insists that I cook them for breakfast right when I get home. She also grouses at me if I serve her a bowl of gumbo that doesn't have enough juice for soppin' after she eats all the goodies from it. The gal knows her grub.

But if I need to fill out a pot of gumbo, I'll throw a gadwall in there, too -- just not as a habit.

As for spoonies -- when I was a kid and brought home my first spoonie for my mother to cook, it stank up the whole house. My mother forbade me to bring any more back with me. Now, on the occasion when I do down one (it's been a couple of years, thankfully), to the gumbo pot it goes.

 

[pevodog]

I try not shoot diving ducks. But, If i do happen to make a mistake, there is always somebody training a lab that could use some for training purposes(same thing for spoonbills). I refuse to eat a fish eating duck.