Maple Leaf Farms | Duck Fat - Why Chefs Call It Liquid Gold

Duck fat is known throughout the culinary world as “liquid gold” and for good reason. Duck fat lends a rich flavor and wonderful texture to any food you choose to prepare with it. That’s why chefs use it in place of other animal fats and cooking oils to roast vegetables, fry potatoes, create sauces or even make pastries.

And while chefs love cooking with duck fat due to its culinary properties, it also offers a host of health benefits that many consumers appreciate. In fact, duck fat is considered a healthy cooking fat and a great alternative to other common cooking oils.

Nutritional Profile & Health Benefits of Duck Fat

Duck fat, much like other cooking fats, is high in calories. But what makes duck fat unique is that it is lower in saturated fat and higher in “healthy” unsaturated fats than beef or pork fat. In fact, duck fat consists of about 65% unsaturated fat, both mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Fatty acids like linoleic and oleic acid found in unsaturated fats offer beneficial anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, much like olive oil. Therefore, consumers wanting to incorporate healthier fats into their diets should definitely consider cooking with duck fat.

How to Reserve or Render It

If you cook duck at home, be sure to save the duck fat that renders out through the cooking process to use in preparing other dishes. For duck breast, be sure to score the skin before cooking it so the fat can slowly render out and the skin can crisp. When roasting whole duck, be sure to prick the skin and reserve any fat that accumulates in the roasting pan.

To properly reserve the fat that has rendered out through the cooking process, first let it cool to room temperature and then poor it through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the solids. Then separate the liquid fat from the duck juices by spooning the fat off the top of the juices. Store the fat in an airtight container. It will keep for about six months in the refrigerator and around a year when stored in the freezer.

Uses & Recipes

Chefs love cooking with duck fat for its delicious flavor and noted health benefits. They also appreciate that duck has a lower smoke point than many other fats. This makes it perfect for toasting, pan-frying, sautéing or searing a variety of dishes. Below are some of our favorite duck fat recipes:

Duck Fat Brussels Sprouts

Duck fat is also great for making gravy, sauces or even popcorn. Check out Maple Leaf Farms recipe catalog for more ideas.

Where to Buy

If you are not reserving duck fat when you are preparing duck or you have run out, you can purchase rendered duck fat in grocery or specialty food stores. You can also purchase it online. Maple Leaf Farms offers All Natural Rendered Duck Fat on its online store. Each package has three 6 oz. tubs of frozen duck fat. The shelf life is one year when kept frozen.