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Duck refers to the meat of several species of bird in the Anatidae family, found in both fresh and salt water. Duck is eaten in many cuisines around the world.

The most common duck meat consumed in the United States is the Pekin duck. Because most commercially raised Pekins come from Long Island, New York, Pekins are also sometimes called "Long Island" ducks, despite being of Chinese origin. Some specialty breeds have become more popular in recent years, notably the Muscovy duck, and the Moulard duck (a sterile hybrid of Pekins and Muscovies [1]). Unlike most other domesticated ducks, Muscovy ducks are not descended from mallards.

According to the USDA, nearly 26 million ducks were eaten in the U.S. in 2004. [2]

Duck breast with apple-honey sauce and wild rice

Cantonese style roast duck with rice

Braised duck, Teochew style

The meat of a duck is mostly on the breast and the legs. The meat of the legs is darker and somewhat fattier than the meat of the breasts, although the breast meat is darker than the breast meat of a chicken or a turkey. Being waterfowl, ducks have a layer of heat-insulating subcutaneous fat between the skin and the meat. Boneless duck breast is also called "magret" and can be grilled like steak, usually leaving the skin and fat on.

Internal organs such as heart and kidneys may also be eaten; the liver in particular is often used as a substitute for goose liver in foie gras.

A duck has less meat than a roasting chicken of the same overall size. Cooks when portioning roast duck should give a quarter of a duck per portion. Attempts to get more portions out of a roast duck tend to result in some portions having a fair amount of meat and other portions being mostly skin and bone.

Cooking methods for whole duck often are designed to let much of the subcutaneous fat melt and drain away; the fat may be saved for use in cooking as a substitute for oil or butter. Duck fat is used in cooking many dishes, and particularly confit de canard and roast potatoes.

Duck is used in a variety of dishes around the world, most of which involve roasting for at least part of the cooking process to aid in crisping the skin. Notable duck dishes include:

• Foie Gras: a specially fattened and rich liver, or a pâté made from the liver, sometimes taken from a duck but usually from a goose
• Peking Duck: a Chinese dish, where a roasted duck is served with pancakes and Hoisin Sauce
• Turducken: an American dish that comprises a turkey, stuffed with a duck, which is in turn stuffed with a chicken.
• Pressed duck: a complex dish originally from Rouen, France.
• Confit: duck legs that have been cured (partly or fully) in salt, then marinated and poached in duck fat, typically with garlic and other herbs. The French word confit means "preserved," and the French name for duck confit is "confit de canard."

• Rombauer, Irma S., et al. Joy of Cooking, Scribner, 1997. ISBN 0-684-81870-1.

Wikibooks' Cookbook has more about this subject:

Duck

• Domestic duck types