Duck

Duck: Main Image

Buying Tips

Check the “Sell By” date on the package. This date indicates the last day the duck should be offered for sale. Meat and poultry should be prepared as soon as possible after the date of purchase, and used beyond the Sell By date only occasionally, if at all. Fresh duck should be odor-free and have clean skin with no pinfeathers. Frozen duck should have a plump breast and be wrapped in an airtight package.

Varieties

The white Pekin duck, often sold under the name Long Island duckling, are the ones most often available in supermarkets today. Broiler or fryer ducks are young (under 8 weeks) and tender, roaster duckling (under 16 weeks) is starting to harden, and mature duck has tougher flesh. The leaner Muscovy variety, a red-meat duck, can be found in butcher shops. Duck can be bought whole or as single breast fillets, called margrets.

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The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2025.