Wynter's Pekin Duck Project

Hi!  

My name is Wynter.  I am 9 years old and I home school with my brother in the Kickapoo area.  This summer I wanted to learn about business and marketing.  So, I chose to raise Pekin ducks for meat birds in private sale.  There are a lot of things my mom won't let me eat because of how they are raised- so, we said we would raise them the best way we could.  They are raised to both free range and also fed certified Organic, non GMO, soy free (flax replaced),  sprouted grains with low alfalfa intake (for estrogen control).  

After doing the math I am asking $7 per pound. The birds range from 5-6#.  If I am able to sell at least 25 birds, my mom said I could do another batch in time for Thanksgiving. My goal is to do this year round and use the money to get the land I raise them on certified organic so I can grow more things in a better way. 

My mom has a certain way she likes to cook the duck.  She salts the skin, scores the breast fat a few times, stuffs it with citric fruit and roasts it at 200* for 8 hours then at 450* for 20 minutes to crisp up the skin.  The bird comes out with a medium rare meat on the inside, and the outside is crispy like cracklings.  The rendered fat is used for all sorts of cooking.

Another way she likes it is to pan fry it like salmon on the skin side.  Keep it there on cast iron until its nice and crispy, salted on one side. She also makes a cherry cream sauce when they are in season.  She said we could make a blog entry for that soon if people would like.

My dad likes to cook it on the grill.  An hour and a half each side- low, indirect heat with a little apple wood.  He starts it on its back on foil or a dutch oven, then the breast side for other half of the time.  The skin is not as crispy but the meat is more rare- which I like better.

Thank you for considering supporting me on this adventure!

Wynter G. P.
608-391-0284
homesteadinginstilettos@gmail.com