Meet Scott Leysath, the Sporting Chef, as he explains how to cook your goose – or duck!
Summer 2023
By Polly Dean
While I do hunt, I must admit that most of what I eat comes wrapped in cellophane from the local supermarket. But, it is extra special when family and friends share a meal that they have taken the time to harvest and prepare with their own hands.
With many folks, eating wild game or fish has everything to do with the experience of the hunt. It usually originates with fond memories of hunting or fishing with parents or grandparents, and then passing along this important heritage to future generations. It is rarely about the kill, and mostly about enjoying being outdoors with those we love.
Photo by Polly Dean.
Harvesting a wild animal, whether it is a deer, a squirrel or a bird, provides ample opportunity for teaching life lessons, especially to youngsters. We learn how to ethically take an animal and why it’s sometimes important to harvest a few, for the good of the majority. We teach why it is important to follow regulations that are in place for the benefit of creatures on both land and in water. And we only kill what we can use.
Though eating wild game has long been a way of life for many, we also have learned that it is healthier than the store-bought variety. Today’s livestock have been raised on growth hormones and exposed to antibiotics. Also, wild game is leaner with less fat. The rewards and benefits are many.
Get Into the Game
Chef Scott Leysath, also known as the Sporting Chef, is an expert at preparing wild game. His specialty developed when patrons of his California restaurant were invited to bring in their wild game for the chef to prepare for them. His popularity grew as he was asked to appear on local television and then HGTV for three years. He created his own sporting chef show appearing on the Sportsman Channel, and now is the cooking editor for DU Magazine.
DU Magazine is distributed bi-monthly to all the organization’s member, that providing in-depth coverage on a variety of topics related to waterfowl, wetlands, conservation, and outdoor recreation. Those articles are paired with stunning photography, giving a glimpse of the beauty of waterfowl and their habitats.
Each edition includes updates on the latest conservation efforts and occurrences affecting waterfowl and wetlands, as well as introducing people who are making a difference in the world of conservation. And, of course, Scott’s recipes are regularly viewed by roughly 700,000 members of Ducks Unlimited nationwide.
Leysath, like many of us, grew up eating wild game such as duck, which was cooked until it turned gray and basically inedible. “People spend way too much time trying to make their game taste like something other than game,” Leysath said. “Really it’s infinitely simpler than they think. If they would just make sure it’s handled properly in the field, make sure it’s been aged properly, trim the fat and gristle away, and don’t cook it longer than medium-rare, it will be a completely different dish than what they likely experienced in the past.
“We all know the recipe where we take a duck breast and soak it in something overnight, and then wrap it in bacon, jalapenos and cream cheese and folks marvel about how good it is – and that it doesn’t even taste like duck,” Leysath said. “Well, I like the way duck tastes!”
Brining is a key to cooking ducks and geese. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
According to Chef Leysath, preparing duck or goose is as easy as brining the bird parts in a mild salt-water solution overnight to get the blood out, patting it dry, and rubbing it with olive oil and a favorite seasoning. Cook it on a grill no more than rare or medium-rare, and you have a whole different duck. He also points out that it makes no sense to cook a whole duck at once. “The legs and thighs should be cooked ‘low and slow’ and the breasts ‘fast and hot’,” he says.
Photo courtesy of Scott Leysath.
It is never too late to brine meats. If it wasn’t done prior to freezing, allow the meat to thaw in a brine mixture in the refrigerator. Brining replaces the blood with a salt mixture making the meat moister, allowing it to cook faster with a milder taste. It allows the meat to taste like it should.
Chef Leysath’s Brine Recipe:
½ gallon of water to ½ cup of Kosher or any coarse salt.
Optional: ½ cup brown sugar, other dry seasoning, such as garlic or onions.
Waterfowl should be brined for 6 to 12 hours.
Prepping is Key
Most hunters will tell you that what you do up front to meat is key. Getting it cooled down as soon as possible helps to preserve flavor. Your ducks don’t need to ride around in the pick-up for hours, especially in the South.
To maintain maximum freshness in all game, the best method for freezing meats is to vacuum seal them first. Machines that do this, such as those by FoodSaver, are compact, easy to use and inexpensive.
When vacuum sealing isn’t an option, small game birds and shrimp fare well when frozen in water. Don’t do this with larger meats and fish – especially saltwater species. Tightly wrapping meat with plastic wrap before sealing it in a zip lock bag is recommended.
Enhance the taste of your game meats making them the best they can be – without trying to mask their flavor.
Polly Dean is an award-winning writer, photographer, angler and hunter, who makes her home in Athens. She is a member and past president of the Georgia Outdoor Writers Association. Polly is the Associate Editor of On The Fly South. She can be contacted at pollydean22@gmail.com.