Are you one of the numerous health enthusiasts bored with turning to chicken every time as a source of lean protein? Fortunately, there are other meats that can serve as a healthy alternative to chicken in your diet. If you’re looking to spice up your meals and revive your taste buds, duck meat is your best bet.
While duck meat may have been considered as having unhealthy high fat in some quarters, a closer assessment shows it is loaded with great health benefits that make it a healthy option for your weekly meal plans.
While there are numerous ways to prepare duck, duck confit remains one of the tastier methods.
Confit cooking: the pros
Confit cooking is usually used in modern cuisine to suggest slow and long cooking in olive oil or fat at low temperatures. For confit duck, salt is added to preserve the meat. After salting and cooking the meat in olive oil, confit can last for months when sealed and stored well.
There are numerous advantages to preparing a duck using this method. Here are two pros of confit cooking:
It is easy to make
Although confit sounds like a long and challenging process, it is easy to make. Whether on the stove or in the oven, making duck confit is a simple process.
First, add salt and seasoning to some meat and let it marinate for a day or more. Rinse off the meat, melt some fat, and pour it over the meat. Allow to cook on low for a few hours before storing the meat in jars/containers and covering it with fat or oil.
A straightforward process with delicious results!
Confit Cooking produces confit jelly
When your confit is ready, there are three different products. You’ll have the meat, a rich and salty broth, and the fat. The broth will turn into confit jelly when cooled.
Confit jelly gives you the flavor of stock cubes without the need to question the ingredients. You can serve this on the confit meat or add it to other dishes for a flavor boost.
Now that you know why you should try confit cooking, here are five reasons you should choose duck meat.
5 Benefits of choosing duck meat
Here are 5 reasons why duck meat is a healthy and tasty addition that your diet needs:
1. Duck has more vitamins than chicken
Duck meat has more vitamins than chicken. For example, a duck has over two times more vitamin K and three times more vitamin B1. It also contains several vitamins, including E, B2, and A. In addition, duck meat has vitamin D, which chicken does not possess.
That makes duck a better option rather than chicken if you are counting vitamins.
2. Duck has high iron content
Iron is an essential mineral needed for the proper function of the body. It helps boost brain development and build a healthy immune system. A shortage in iron supply in the body could lead to anemia.
Your meals need to contain sufficient iron for your body. Duck helps you do this as it has additional iron per serving than turkey and some beef cuts.
3. Duck is an excellent protein source
Proteins are an essential group of nutrients in the body. They repair and structure cells in the body. Protein enhances the immune system and boosts hair, skin, and nail health.
Every 100 grams of duck meat (including duck skin) supplies around 19 grams of protein. Specifically, if only whole duck meat is estimated, the quantity of protein received increases. It climbs to 23.5 grams of protein per 100 grams of duck meat.
4. Duck is rich in selenium
The vital mineral in duck meat is Selenium. It is a fundamental mineral in antioxidant activities. It has numerous benefits for inflammatory and immune responses.
Since duck is rich in Selenium, this makes duck necessary in your diet.
5. Duck fat is a healthier option
While fish and other seafood are popular suppliers of omega-3 fatty acids, few people know that duck is also an excellent source of heart-healthy acids.
Generally, duck fat contains monounsaturated fats that help reduce LDL cholesterol than saturated fats. The nutritional profile of duck fat is more identical to olive oil than other animal fats.
Duck fat can be used as a substitute for some vegetable oils due to its rich flavor and health benefits.
Conclusion
Duck meat is tasty and flavorful. It is also nutritious and a healthy substitute for other meats. Confit cooking is a great way to release all the flavors in your duck while preserving it. This article is your sign to incorporate duck meat into your diet. What creative way would you be doing that?
