If you have a roasting pan (especially one with a rack) don't stew, roast. Trim the excess skin and fat from around the neck, rub inside and out with salt and spices, quarter a lemon and stuff it inside, and prick the skin all over. Importantly, put some chicken stock and/or beer in the pan to make steam and prevent fat from splattering.
When you turn the bird over for the first time add chopped onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes to the liquid at the bottom of the pan. Once the duck is done you've got the whole bird and premade duck broth vegetable soup in the bottom of the roasting pan. Serve with a nice loaf of bread.
After you're done take the carcass, neck, heart, etc. and throw them in a pot to make stock for next time.
I've never tried to make a stew out of duck before, but if someone asked me to wing it anyway, I'd probably try to use it in a gumbo: Dark roux, Cajun Trinity (celery + onion + bell pepper), jalapeno, garlic, stock, fresh thyme, bay leaf, lots of fresh ground black pepper, spoonful of hot sauce (e.g. Crystal or Tabasco if I can't get that), plus your meat -- served over white rice. For chicken (e.g. chicken thighs), I'd sear it first but I'm not sure on the best treatment for gamey fowl. Personally I might try to blanch it first to try to reduce the gameyness (based on recommendations I've seen about cooking certain kinds of stewed pork -- like pork belly in Chinese dishes), but you'd do better to get advice from someone who's actually cooked with gamey ingredients more than I have if you can.
Adapting a coq au vin recipe might be another idea to try if gumbo doesn't appeal, but again, I've never tried that with duck either.
I decided to go with a duck noodle soup. Like chicken noodle soup, but with duck. I'm going to roast the duck with a poultry bouquet and a lil olive oil, then throw everything in a slow cooker after that. I got carrots, mushrooms, garlic, onion, extra wide egg noodles, and vegetable stock. It isn't anything fancy, but I haven't really cooked much for myself.
My parents are taking part of the bird since they helped me with the whole process of making him food. I read my mom your recipe and now she wants to make her part of the bird that way.
If you want to lean into the stronger flavors parsnips or leeks.
I've made stew from wild game before. It always comes out really gamey. I eat game, but I usually stick to the grill with it. The entire stew picks up on the game flavor, which I'm not keen on.
This isn't a wild bird. I raised him from a day old, but the last Muscovy we had tasted a bit gamey. We also butchered it then immediately cooked it. Like the whole process took 3 hours. My stepfather is refrigerating the bird before butchering this time to see if that helps with taste any. I also decided on making duck noodles soup because I'm not in the mood for potatos lol. I got carrots, garlic, mushrooms, vegetable stock extra wide egg noodles,, and a seasoning mix called a poultry bouquet. I'm gonna roast the meat with a little olive oil and the poultry bouquet and then put everything in a slow cooker.
Keep in mind that I have no idea what I'm talking about.
So, the final form of the game meat should be that of small cubes. Boil it separately whole or large chunks in water with a slight pinch of salt and a cup of rice. Once the rice is nice and soft, get the meat, dice it, stir fry it in a tea spoon of olive oil or butter and some sauce of preferred taste, then stew as usual. Add some green stuff or dried green stuff towards the end.
Very important. Do not add that rice to the stew. If you want to, boil some separately and add that second one. The first rice is full of bad stuff and should be thrown away. We only used it to massage the meat.
If you have any kind of pickled vegetables, have some as a side dish.
He wasn't innocent. He was a violent bastard that injured my other birds. I kept him for far too long hoping he'd settle down, but it only got worse. Final straw was him paralyzing my tiny mallard drake and ripping his back open. Almost had to put the mallard down due to the injuries.
I know I may sound cruel, but I'm a backyard farmer. I grew up on farms. This kinda stuff is normal to me. My flock is better off without a bully. It's my job to care for these birds and ensure their well-being. Sacrificing one for the many is part of that.