If you are anything like me, the first time I heard of a restaurant serving duck fat fries, I thought what? Eww…gross!!! I definitely enjoy eating meat; although, I am rather picky with meat which I’ll explain at a later date. I just can’t wrap my brain around EVER eating actual duck, so the oil was a stretch. However, desperate times call for desperate measures. When you have severe food allergies to more foods than you could have EVER imagined, you go out on a limb, experiment, and get outside of your comfort zone. Luckily, I tried duck fat and thought this combo was AMAZING! It has a unique, distinct flavor. I’m excited to continue to experiment with duck fat in many recipes.
So, where can you buy duck fat? Here is a link. Whole Foods, Sprouts, Earth Fare, Thrive Market, and Vitacost also carry it. The oil will be mostly liquid when purchased, and I place it in my pantry until I open it. Once it has been opened, I store it in the refrigerator. After refrigeration it will become a solid. So, when cooking with it, I measure out the appropriate amount and heat in a stainless steel skillet on medium low until it reaches a liquid form. Then, I add it to my bowl of peeled, chopped potatoes or any other veggies to toss with the fat prior to placing it in the oven.
Why is duck fat great to use? It is heat stable, and it is mostly saturated fat. It gives food a wonderful flavor. Many of the oils used in fast food restaurants, potato chips, most processed foods, and maybe even in your kitchen now such as canola, soybean, safflower, corn, sunflower, and more are very unhealthy and never recommended for use in cooking. These oils are very high in Omega-6 fatty acids and very low in Omega-3 fatty acids. They are chemically altered during processing and oftentimes can contain genetically modified ingredients. When your diet is too high in Omega-6 fatty acids and low in Omega-3 fatty acids, inflammation can ensue and disease can follow.
I typically have the meal pictured as one of my dinners every few days. These potatoes pair excellently with my Sauteed Organic Swiss Chard. I rotate my meals and ingredients every four days, so I don’t have the same meal and ingredients more often than that. I also follow food combining rules. So, I don’t eat meat and potatoes together. The combination of meat and potatoes slows down the transit time of your digestion, may contribute to weight gain, and may just make you feel more bloated and gross. Did I mention it is possible to lose weight if you follow food combining rules? Any kind of potato will work well in this recipe so feel free to try others. However, I always recommend eating potatoes in moderation since they are so high in carbs. There are many other more nutritious vegetable options.
Many of you reading this may be wondering if potatoes are Paleo. There are many differing opinions on that. For me I don’t have a true allergy or major reaction, so I had to add them into my diet to have enough food to eat. They are in the nightshade plant family and may bother some people, especially people with autoimmune conditions, leaky gut, food allergies, and more. I don’t eat potatoes every day. I have them once every four days at dinner time on my rotation diet. It is one of my favorite meals, though!
I highly encourage you to always buy your white potatoes organic. They are on the Dirty Dozen list, which is a list of the fruits and vegetables shown to have the highest pesticide residue. Here’s a link to the Dirty Dozen list. Buying just these items organic and all other veggies and fruits conventional is a great start to cleaner living and will be a big start in minimizing you and your family’s exposure to pesticides.
Please use this duck fat and experiment with other veggies and greens. The duck fat works well with turnips, sweet potatoes, and other sauteed greens. I couldn’t believe that it is also recommended in baked goods! I’m excited to try that soon! It is a new fun ingredient that I highly recommend trying. I hope you enjoy the unique twist and wonderful flavor it adds to your food.
- Organic red skin potatoes (4-5 medium to large)
- Epic Duck Fat
- Preheat oven to Bake at 350 degrees.
- Rinse potatoes with filtered water and scrub with vegetable brush.
- Peel potatoes and make sure to trim any green remnants from the potatoes.
- Cut into small chunks and toss into a glass or stainless steel bowl.
- Melt duck fat in small skillet over medium low heat.
- Once melted, toss potatoes in duck fat in bowl until they are coated.
- Spread potatoes out in a single layer with some space in between them a baking sheet (preferably stainless steel) lined with unbleached parchment paper.
- Place in the oven on the bottom rack for approximately 25-27 minutes. All ovens cook differently, so you want to pull them out when they begin to brown on the bottom. Once they are brown on the bottom, use a stainless steel spatula to flip the potatoes.
- Reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook for another 10-15 minutes. They now may be brown on both sides. Usually, I like to put them back in one more time for another 10 minutes. I prefer them golden brown on both sides.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
