Palate Test

[Andrew Schaefer]

On the last two days of the season I shot a bluebill on freshwater and 2 over saltwater. I've heard in the past that saltwater ducks tend to have a stronger taste to them, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to do a head to head test.

I wanted this experiment to be applicable to real-world situations, so I decided to use my typical duck recipe, which involves a few ingredients:

Duck breast fillets
Store bought marinade - I like Lawry's steakhouse marinade.
4 Yuenglings


I put the breast fillets of the freshwater bird and one of the saltwater birds in separate ziplocs to prevent cross contamination and to keep them identifiable.



Then, I drank two of the Yuenglings while the ducks marinated. After which, I grilled them to medium rare (4 minutes per side on my grill), and drank another Yuengling, while being careful not to mix up my treatment groups on the grill.

I rested the meat for 10 minutes, then had the official taste test. I could not tell any difference between the two groups. Both were well suited to be sliced thin and put in a taco or eaten by themselves. Both options pair well with another Yuengling.

 

[R T Brinn]

That's why we love science! Had always wondered about that...and thanks for the recipe!

 

[Phil Eager]

yeah man! not sure of the term but I like the constant of that experiment..... beer

Phil

 

[Will M]

Interesting comparison and excellent use of timing the marinade with beer.

 

[Carl]

That is an experiment that most obviously requires a larger sample size. I recommend you repeat as much and as soon as possible.

Next year, I will try to replicate, except using Redheads and Greater Scaup taken from the same saltwater shoal grass beds.
Other research indicates that while the two species may be feeding in the same shoal grass beds, they are foraging on different things:the RHs feed mainly the vegetation with a small amount of invertebrates and the GS mainly on invertebrates wit a small amount of vegetation. Taste testing should help verify these previous observations.

Isn't science fun?

 

[Shawn Linn]

Not try to change your experiments constant, but do you feel you would get the same result with PBR?

 

[Andrew Schaefer]

I think PBR would probably destroy my ability to taste anything for several hours! haha
Actually I don't mind PBR once in a while. It's usually not my first choice though.

 

[John Augustine]

Didn't know they had Pennsylvania beer in Fla!!

 

[Carl]

Yeungling is now all over the place.
Rolling Rock too.

 

[Jeff Reardon]

I think PBR would probably destroy my ability to taste anything for several hours! haha
Actually I don't mind PBR once in a while. It's usually not my first choice though.

Haven't you tried your namesake beer? It is "the one beer to have when you are having more than one".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMQHDg6fTZc

 

[Vince Pagliaroli]

If memory serves me right, Iron City, is made in the Rolling Rock brewery in Old Latrobe now a days. Rolling Rock is now made in eastern PA. Straub, out of St. Mary's, Pa is a good beer and they donate money and product to conservation, especially TU. If you stop in the brewery your allowed 2 free beers, but you must wash your glass when done. This may have changed, it's been awhile since I've been that way.

 

[Andrew Schaefer]

I think PBR would probably destroy my ability to taste anything for several hours! haha
Actually I don't mind PBR once in a while. It's usually not my first choice though.

Haven't you tried your namesake beer? It is "the one beer to have when you are having more than one".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMQHDg6fTZc

Haha, we didn't have Schaefer beer in Iowa, and I haven't seen it anywhere here in FL either. Everyone I know that's had it says it's cheap swill though.