Use of duck fat at the time of cooking?

Question

When I broil breast of duck, I get a significant amount of fat that pools below the duck breast.

What can I add to the dish that will soak up that duck fat and benefit from it?

The only thing I have thought of so far would be to make a pastry. So the idea is that I would make a flat of pastry dough and place it beneath the duck while it is cooking. Then, when both are cooked and the pastry has absorbed the fat, I take the duck out, peel off the skin and discard it, then I put the duck breast back in the pastry, slice it, and serve it.

Answer 1

I think the usual use for drippings is incorporating the fat into a gravy or pan sauce. A bit of flour, a bit of water, salt and whatever seasonings. I don't recall if it is common for duck specifically, but I see no reason it an't work.

As for your pastry idea, I don't think it usually works that way, the physical disturbance of the dripping and the uneven distribution might make the pastry texture not come out quite so well. (I assume there's a reason pastry isn't commonly used to catch drippings).

If you still want to try something similar, you might be interested in yorkshire pudding - which was historically used to catch and use the drippings from a roast or similar, and being intended for this purpose it will probably work better than a random pastry recipe.

Answer 2

Roasting, or rather deep frying in that case, some already cooked potatoes(boiled or steamed) seems like a good common use of that duck fat to me.

I would keep it anyway, and use it as a replacement for any fat you may use in your cooking like oil or butter. It'll be great for roast vegs, either pan or oven. Just make sure you cool it down fast to avoid the "danger zone" between 3 and 60 degrees Celsius, and keep refrigerated.

Answer 3

As already mentioned, roast potatoes would be an excellent choice.

Another option is to drain off the fat and keep it for fried eggs. Eggs fried in duck or goose fat are wonderful.