A couple of questions

Dani

Dani

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I've got a few birds that I"m going to pluck whole and am wanting to try the parafin wax for feather removal. I was wondering how much wax I would need for a mallard sized bird and is there a difference in wax for food grade stuffs and the wax that people use to wax their hands and feet. I can get a 2lb brick of parafin wax in the feet waxing section for $5 I believe but I didn't know if that would be enough wax and if there is a food grade wax and then an everything else grade wax. It was also mentioned to me, depending on how much wax I would need, that I could get unscented candles and melt those...is that a good idea or not?

Thanks in advance for any help

Dani
 
plucking while the duck is warm and fresh is the easiest IMHO. Using an outdoor burner to singe works wonders and has a bird cleaned in a matter of minutes.
 
Dani,

We did this all the time when I was a kid. Made a production line out of it because we usually had a few birds to do. Use regular canning wax - it's just parafin with no bees wax in it. Don't use candle wax.

The link Ed L. gave you is a good description. Pluck the birds 90% first then wax. The reason to wax is to remove as much of the under down as possible as well as pin feathers, etc. It won't remove the little hairs and those will still need to be singed off with a burner. Use a dedicated pot and you can leave the wax in the pot for the next time. Skim off the feathers before you let it set up. Once it's set, poor off the water and you can leave the wax in the pot or put in a plastic bag for next time. After the birds come out of the wax and are cool, peel the wax off over newspaper as it can be messy.
 
Go out on You Tube and look for a video produced by Delta Waterfowl. President Rob Olson does a nice job of showing how he plucks a bird for the table.

I tried the wax method on the first Goose I ever shot. Haven't done it since.

If you're trying to eliminate the pin feathers singeing is the way to go.
 
While the bird is still hole take a tennis ball cut in half and turned inside out. Fits nicely over your thumb and easy to hold onto with your index finger. Sort of like a plucker with rubber tips, just manual power. Much easier and far less messy than wax.
 
Dani - Why do people wax their hands and feet?

(Hey I'm just asking. Should I be doing that and just didn't know?)
 
Heck I use to do it that way. Had a old crock pot that was good sized, used paraffin wax that was for canning.

Heated up the wax

Dipped the whole bird up to its neck

let cool and tore off the wax and feathers and threw the wax and feathers back into the crock pot to use again. They would turn out beautiful.
Then I would gut them,
If you wanted to get real fancy you could do the wings too.

The Lovely cook wants it all boned out now so I no longer do it way but it worked great.
 
Thanks guys for the help...and Ed thanks for that link...it'll help out a lot

Scott...folk wax their hands and feet b/c it helps to remove dead skin, but it also (according to one person I"ve talked to who has this problem) seems to help out with arthritis...the heat from the hot wax helps their joints....and I've waxed my hands before and have to say that it does feel really good, makes them nice and silky smooth too when it's time to remove the wax....
 
It's always interesting to see how other people approach a problem. Good ideas from the above posters.

I pick almost every puddle duck and ring neck I kill. I skin birds with pin feathers (probably not something you see in FL) and reserve breasting for birds that are terribly damaged by shot. Over the last few years, I've become pretty proficient at picking.

I'm with Jim D on waxing. I've only used wax once. It was on a Canada goose that I let hang overnight in freezing temps. The feathers simply wouldn't come out of the frozen skin/solidified fat! I had no option but to wax and singe. It was such a messy pain in the butt that I swore I'd never do it again!

I've found that birds pick easiest if you let them age 1 - 2 days in the refrigerator. I think fresh, un-aged birds "grip" the feathers -- probably a function of rigor mortis. Conversely, I find that birds aged too long have fragile skin that tears in patches.

I think singeing is unnecessary. If down clings to the bird, just vigorously rub your palm over the problem area. The down will peel off. Any fine, residual feathers (light or white colored feathers -- any colored feathers should be removed) will not affect cooking or flavor.

And finally, let the picked bird age at least another 3 days or so before eating or freezing.

Good luck!
 
Parafin wax was a treat back in the training room at college... It did feel great!

I pluck my ducks with nothing on them... very easy... especially if they are dry.
 
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Parafin wax was a treat back in the training room at college... It did feel great!
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Oh I am sooooooo not going to ask just what is was, you were in training for.
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Dave Dave Dave.. .football.. I have the scars surgeries to prove it!

I could never find girls that were that kinky!!!!
 
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