Ep. 44: Harvesting and Preparing Duck, Part 2

In Episode 44, Brandon introduces "The Finisher", a new tool he's discovered for pithing ducks (rather than slitting their necks) which allows for a more attractive presentation and preserves the blood, within the animal, for such dishes as Duck a la Press.  Brandon and Lauren discuss the struggle that exists between humane killing and efficiency, and question whether pithing or neck slitting is the more humane method of poultry slaughter.   Other topics include:  making Duck a la Presse; how poultry plumage acts as a veil for an animal, but simultaneously reveals its nature and reality; how commodified forms of meat, as currently sold in supermarkets, allow us to forget that we are a burden to the earth; and how to preserve meat in its own fat in the form of confit and rillettes.  Finally, Lauren discusses her maiden venture into making hand soap from lard and her new Keto diet.

Introduction and Announcements:

• To Kill a Pig Nicely now available FREE of charge on our YouTube channel!
• Membership is open!
  • New content available on: lamb butchery, curing red meat, lamb curing, and lamb carpaccio!
  • Membership forum topics now categorized for easy browsing!
• Join us for one of our upcoming Family Pig classes!
• Help us produce more episodes by supporting us on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/meatsmith.

Part 1 Show Notes:

• The tyranny of abundance: the fat of the pig, 2:54
• Family Pig Class recap, 6:11
• Avoiding nitrites: for health or other reasons?, 17:33
• Salami, 30:00
• Killing ducks, 37:50
• Poultry fatting house, 42:37

Part 2 Show Notes:

• Poultry slaughter: efficiency vs. humaneness, and aesthetics, 1:00
• Stunning to kill: “The Finisher” pithing tool introduced, 2:30
• How to make Duck a la Presse, 9:08
• Plumage as a veil that both covers and reveals:  16:32
  • Retaining the veil to reveal both the nature and reality of the animal, 17:45
• How commodified forms of meat allow us to forget that we are a burden to the earth, 22:13
• Receiving the Gift: how docility to the nature of an animal yields more than is given, 22:35
• Ethics of certain animal products, 33:33
• Preserving meat in its own fat
  • Confit, 41:34
  • Rillettes, 47:20
• Making soap from lard, 51:36

Links for Episode 43:

• The Art of Natural Cheesemaking: Using Traditional, Non-Industrial Methods and Raw Ingredients to Make the World's Best Cheeses, by David Asher:  https://www.amazon.com/Art-Natural-Cheesemaking-Traditional-Non-Industrial/dp/1603585788

Links for Episode 44:

• "The Finisher" by Adrenaline.com:  https://adrenal-line.com/
• Dan Barber, chef and co-owner of Blue Hill at Stone Barns, on Chef's Table:  https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4360158/
• Westland Distillery:  https://www.westlanddistillery.com/
• On the Anatomy of Thrift:  Fat and Salt:  https://farmsteadmeatsmith.com/films/