How to Boil Delicious Duck Meat Without Bad Odor

Preparing the Duck

Clean the duck thoroughly, as any remaining feathers can cause the boiled duck to have a bad odor. Then remove the tail. Cut off the duck’s feet, peel the yellow skin from the feet, and cut off the nails.

If you are keeping the duck’s head, make sure to peel off the skin from the duck’s tongue and around its mouth and nose, as these areas often contain dirt, similar to the tail. It is especially important to remove the duck's lungs, as leaving them in can cause the bone marrow to appear red after boiling, making it seem undercooked.

To clean the duck and remove the bad odor, rub it thoroughly with rock salt, white wine, and crushed ginger. Use this mixture to scrub the duck's skin and the inside of the duck. Then rinse it clean and drain.

Preparing Other Ingredients

Remove the outer tough layers of the lemongrass. Then crush it and cut into finger-length pieces.

Clean the ginger, remove any blackened or wilted parts, and roast the ginger and dried onions until the outer layer is charred. Then peel the onions and scrape off any burnt parts from the ginger skin.

Roasting the lemongrass, ginger, and onions will make the boiled duck more fragrant, fully eliminating the duck’s strong smell.

Pick and clean the green onions, perilla (ngò gai), and rau ngổ (river leaf) by soaking them in saltwater.

Small parasites often cling to the tips of rau ngổ, so make sure to clean this herb thoroughly.

Boiling the Duck

Add water to a pot, enough to fully submerge the duck. Add the lemongrass, ginger, and roasted onions, and bring the water to a boil.

Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the duck. This method ensures that the outer skin of the duck becomes crispy and does not crack. Cover the pot with a lid, lower the heat, and let it simmer.

Add the duck to the pot only after the water has reached a full boil.

Boiling time for duck is slightly longer than for chicken, as duck meat is tougher. On average, it takes about 20 minutes to boil duck, depending on the weight and whether the duck is young or old. Older ducks will require longer boiling time. You can check doneness by piercing the duck's thigh with a chopstick; if no pinkish liquid emerges, the duck is fully cooked.

Once cooked, turn off the heat and let the duck sit in the pot for another 10 minutes before removing it to cool.

During the boiling process, you can skim off the duck fat that rises to the surface and reserve it in a small bowl. After plating the duck, you can brush some of this fat over the skin to give it a glossy appearance and prevent it from drying out.

Once the duck has cooled, chop it into bite-sized pieces. Duck is usually cut into rectangular pieces, unlike chicken which is cut into square pieces. Cutting the duck while it's still hot can cause it to fall apart, affecting its presentation.

Making the Dipping Sauces

There are typically 3 types of dipping sauces commonly made for boiled duck:

• Soy sauce with garlic and chili: Mix 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, ½ tablespoon of sugar, ½ teaspoon of MSG, and 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Stir well, then add minced garlic and chili.
• Fish sauce with garlic, chili, and ginger: Mix 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, ½ teaspoon of MSG, and ½ tablespoon of lime juice. Stir well, then add minced garlic, chili, and ginger.
• Lime pepper salt: Mix 2 tablespoons of seasoning salt, 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, and 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Stir well, then add minced garlic and chili.

When eating boiled duck, dip it in your preferred sauce and serve with a bit of green onion, perilla (ngò gai), and rau ngổ (river leaf) to enhance the flavor. Boiled duck can also be enjoyed with rice noodles and broth made from duck bones and bamboo shoots.