Why is Duck a Great Red Meat Replacement?

Although duck is poultry, it is darker in color than chicken and turkey and is considered a red meat by culinary standards. This makes it a great option for anyone looking for a healthy, flavorful alternative to beef or pork.

Duck is more similar to red meat than other poultry.

If you struggle to enjoy chicken or turkey as a substitute for red meat due to its different flavor, texture and color, you should consider trying duck. Because duck meat is juicier and more tender than other poultry, it is often more appetizing to cooks looking for a healthy alternative to traditional red meat options.

Duck meat is healthier than red meat.

Duck meat’s rich flavor and color provides a red meat eating experience with the health benefits of poultry. Duck meat is rich in iron and protein like beef but is leaner and has fewer calories like its poultry counterparts. Plus, duck fat is healthier with less saturated fat and more omega-3 fat than beef.

So, if you are in a rut preparing the same proteins over and over, you should consider switching things up by using duck meat in your favorite recipes.

Duck meat is versatile and user friendly.

Because duck blends several attributes of both red meat and poultry, you can easily use it in a variety of dishes.

• Duck breast, which can safely be cooked to medium rare like a steak, is a great addition to fajitas, stir fry, kabobs and other entrees that often feature red meat.
• Ground duck and duck sausage work very well with pizza, pasta, soups and more.

• Non-traditional duck meat options like duck brats, duck bacon and duck tenders are great options for new menu ideas.

Maple Leaf Farms offers several educational resources on our website that will help you learn more about the versatility of duck meat and the wide array of products we offer. Here you can find many recipes that feature duck in dishes that traditionally use red meat like meatballs, tacos and kabobs. You can also learn how to prepare duck with our instructional cooking videos.