All About Chicken and Duck

by Diana Rosen

This week Sasha Kaplan wants Kitchen Sleuth to investigate the differences between chicken and duck and asks:
Dear Kitchen Sleuth:
Why is it fine to serve duck breast rare but never chicken? They're both poultry, so why the big difference?

Dear Sasha:
Duck and chickens are indeed both part of the poultry category of food but that's actually unrelated to the "why" of serving duck breast pink and chicken breast white.

What makes Chicken and Duck Pink?
Serving chicken or duck breast when pink is primarily a part of the cooking aesthetic. The appearance of pink in chicken breast is viewed as unappealing but, so long as the internal temperature is appropriate, it is safe to eat. Its pink color, by the way, is a result of the hemoglobin in tissues which can form a heat-stable color and that is more common in smoking or grilling of chicken, especially in young birds.

Pink in a duck breast, however, is viewed as acceptable, perhaps even desirable, by many professional and home chefs. The pink color in duck may be due to either the cooking method or, possibly, added ingredients. Duck breast can be as dark as leg meat and the darker color is attributed to the increase in oxygen needed for the muscles to do the work of flying and swimming. Oxygen travels to the muscles via the red cells in the blood and one of the meat proteins, myoglobin, holds the oxygen in the muscle thus giving the meat a darker color.

The color of duck or chicken flesh is not related to the safety of the cooked meat, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The primary indicator of safety for all poultry is 165°F., the correct internal temperature after cooking, as measured by a food thermometer in the thickest part of the breast or, if cooking a whole bird, in the area between the thigh and the breast. It is the heat that kills off any residual bacteria that might make humans ill. Freezing doesn't do it; refrigeration doesn't do it, only a proper internal temperature will kill bacteria.

Safe Cooking tips:
For the safest cooking, bake chicken breasts with the bone in for at least 350°F. for 30 to 40 minutes and boneless chicken breasts for at least 20 to 30 minutes.
Grilling or broiling times are 6 to 8 minutes on each side for boneless breasts, 10 to 15 minutes on each side for bone-in chicken breasts.
Duck breasts take considerably longer.
Roast at 350 F. for 2 hours or grill for 30 to 40 minutes. Duck can also be micro-waved to decrease cooking time and should be done by cooking for 6 to 7 minutes per pound on high, then crisping it in a conventional oven at 500°F. for about 10 to 20 minutes.
Allow a boneless duck breast to stand 5 minutes before serving, and a bone-in duck breast should stand about 10 minutes before serving so that the interior temperature cools enough not to burn the palate.
Check micro-waved duck breast for an internal temperature of 165°F. just as you would if you baked it in a conventional oven from start to finish.
When reheating cooked duck or chicken, the internal temperature should be checked as well.

It all begins with proper food prep ...
While a pink chicken or duck breast is perfectly safe when cooked to the right internal temperature, there are other food safety concerns that should be addressed by the home cook. Refrigerate the duck or chicken immediately upon returning home from the supermarket. Refrigerator temperature should be 40°F. You should cook the poultry within one or two days, or, if you cannot use it that quickly, freeze it where it will be safe indefinitely.

Food inspectors examine wholesale and retail shops to check for insufficient refrigeration or poor hygiene of the food handler or his equipment. Consumers should wash their hands prior to food prep, wash their hands when the prep is completed, and wash the cutting surfaces thoroughly both before, and after, each use. It is also best to dedicate one cutting board for poultry, one for meat, and one for vegetables. If you prepare fresh fish, use a separate cutting board for that, too. No need for expensive wood cutting boards, the inexpensive plastic ones are fine. For extra protection, wash plastic cutting sheets or board in the dishwasher but hand wash the wooden cutting boards.

What bacteria infects poultry?
For chicken, the primary culprit is Salmonella Enteritidis, one of about 2,000 kinds of Salmonella bacteria; Staphylococcus aureus, which is particularly commonly carried by human hands; Campylobacter jejuni which is vulnerable to poor cooking methods, and Listeria monocytogenes which is possible when chicken is improperly refrigerated or handled by someone with poor hygiene. Duck is susceptible to Salmonella which can also remain alive on cutting boards, or it can be transferred by human contact to the food or should our contaminated hands touch our lips, we can ingest it and develop nausea, diarrhea, or stomach discomfort.

Note: Leftover chicken or duck breast can be kept safely in the refrigerator for up to three days if wrapped tightly or kept in a tightly sealed container.

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