# Need a shoveler recipe



## GAHUNTER60 (Jan 5, 2012)

Other than "fry breasts in iron skillet; drain on paper towel; feed breasts to dog; eat the skillet (with or without gravy)"

How about jalapeno poppers?  Anybody ever tried poppers made with spoonies?


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## Mark K (Jan 5, 2012)

Whats wrong with a Shoveler?? Cook them the way you cook any other duck. I've never heard anything bad about them. They taste just like any other duck I've shot and ate.


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## GADAWGS (Jan 5, 2012)

Mark K said:


> Whats wrong with a Shoveler?? Cook them the way you cook any other duck. I've never heard anything bad about them. They taste just like any other duck I've shot and ate.




X2, never had a problem with them


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## wss277 (Jan 5, 2012)

Butterfly the breasts and put chopped onions, green peppers, garlic and cheese inside.  Roll them up with bacon and put a toothpick thru to hold them while you grill them.  If you caramelize the onions and peppers first they taste even better.


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## Etter2 (Jan 5, 2012)

GAHUNTER60 said:


> Other than "fry breasts in iron skillet; drain on paper towel; feed breasts to dog; eat the skillet (with or without gravy)"
> 
> How about jalapeno poppers?  Anybody ever tried poppers made with spoonies?



I've had enough of that dopey joke myself.


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## GSURugger (Jan 5, 2012)

Anything with bacon and bacon grease. Ain't nothin' wrong with a boot lip!  We got a pile to eat after yesterday


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## rholton (Jan 5, 2012)

Nothing wrong with a shoveler. Cook the same as any pudlle duck. I soak them in coke for about four hours, flour and then fry to medium. The coke just breaks the meat down a little bit and gets some of the blood out of it. Plus it sort of carmelizes when you cook it. I never do the bacon or jalapeno thing as I happen to like ducks and dont want to cover up the flavor.


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## GAHUNTER60 (Jan 5, 2012)

Where I hunt in Louisiana (Venice), Spoonies are considered to be gumbo ducks -- along with dos gris (bluebills), ringnecks and coot.

You gotta remember, Venice is all salt marsh, and ducks that are considered good up here, pretty much get trashed down there due to the change from a vegatative diet to a shellfish diet.


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## cmk07c (Jan 5, 2012)

GAHUNTER60 said:


> Where I hunt in Louisiana (Venice), Spoonies are considered to be gumbo ducks -- along with dos gris (bluebills), ringnecks and coot.
> 
> You gotta remember, Venice is all salt marsh, and ducks that are considered good up here, pretty much get trashed down there due to the change from a vegatative diet to a shellfish diet.



Think the Spoonies will be fine out of Venice. Just soak them up like others have said. Coke, Vinegar, Soy/Worchester, O.J., Liquid Smoke, etc. If you're worried about it, freeze them and put them in Gumbo or Jam. If they soak good enough, they'll be not much worst than the Greys.


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## 12mcrebel (Jan 5, 2012)

Etter2 said:


> I've had enough of that dopey joke myself.



agreed!!


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## Skyjacker (Jan 5, 2012)

I've learned over the years that people who turn their noses up at certain species of duck, don't know anything about cooking it.  I can serve you a teal medium rare breast on the grill and it will taste the same as a merganser, and you won't be able to tell the difference.


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## Mark K (Jan 6, 2012)

Skyjacker, you'ld have to prove that to me. I cannot make a Merganser edible. Somehow I still get that fish taste. There's nothing wrong with fish but I don't want to taste it while I'm eating duck!!


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## DukTruk (Jan 6, 2012)

Spoonies (as well as any duck) are TONS better if you can age them for about 4 days in the fridge before you clean them.  If the skin is not too torn up, lay them breast up in the fridge (or a place that doesn't get above 40 degrees).  The meat will look and taste totally different and much much better.


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## trophyslayer (Jan 6, 2012)

DukTruk said:


> Spoonies (as well as any duck) are TONS better if you can age them for about 4 days in the fridge before you clean them.  If the skin is not too torn up, lay them breast up in the fridge (or a place that doesn't get above 40 degrees).  The meat will look and taste totally different and much much better.



x2... just make sure you gut them first.... dont want that cavity rot coming through your #3 holes


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## meckardt (Jan 6, 2012)

Varmit have to eat too


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## Skyjacker (Jan 7, 2012)

Mark K said:


> Skyjacker, you'ld have to prove that to me. I cannot make a Merganser edible. Somehow I still get that fish taste. There's nothing wrong with fish but I don't want to taste it while I'm eating duck!!



Breast a teal and a merganser out the same.  Make sure you remove skin.  That's important because on diver ducks the skin in some cases can make the meat taste awful.  Put two table spoons of soy sauce with duck breasts in a zip lock and 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic.  Let soak for 2 hours.  Soy sauce shoudl barely coat the meat.  Fire up the grill, put a dab of Boursin cheese in the middle of the breast, fold up with half piece of bacon, tooth pick.  Cook medium rare.  Eat.  

If you say you can tell the difference, you're a liar.  I've pulled this stunt with almost every duck hunter friend of mine and none of them had any clue they were eating mergansers until after I told them.  Some said it was the best duck they've ever had.


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## Flaustin1 (Jan 8, 2012)

Ive did the same thing skyjacker.  I brine mine overnight too.  That seems to help alot.


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