Food Safety While Hiking, 

Camping & Boating

Duck and Goose from Farm to Table

USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health agency 

in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.

Food Safety Information

United States Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

•	 Broiler Duckling or Fryer Duckling - a young duck (usually under 8 

weeks of age) of either sex that is tender meated and has a soft bill 

and a soft windpipe; ducklings classified as broiler-fryers weigh from 3 

to 6 1/2 pounds. 

•	 Roaster Duckling - a young duck (usually under 16 weeks of age) of 

either sex that is tender-meated and has a bill that is not completely 

hardened and a windpipe that is easily dented; they usually weigh 

from 4 to 7 1/2 pounds. 

•	 Mature Duck or Old Duck - a duck (usually over 6 months of age) 

of either sex with toughened flesh and a hardened bill; these ducks 

are usually too old to lay eggs and their meat is used in processed 

products. 

•	 Young Goose or Gosling - may be of either sex and is tender meated. 

A gosling weighs about 8 pounds; a young goose weighs 12 to 14 

pounds. 

•	 Mature Goose or Old Goose - may be of either sex and has toughened 

flesh. A mature goose is usually a spent breeder and its meat is used 

in processed products. 

•	 Gander - a male goose. 

Almost all ducks are raised indoors to protect from predators and to manage 

their manure, which is collected and used elsewhere selectively as fertilizer. 

Most ducks are now raised in Wisconsin and Indiana since land on Long Island, 

N.Y., where most ducks were formerly raised, has become increasingly too 

valuable to farm. Ducks are fed corn and soybeans fortified with vitamins and 

minerals. Most feed contains no animal by-products.

Geese are raised under cover for the first six weeks of life. Then they are put 

on the range 14 to 20 weeks where they eat available grass and some grain. 

California and South Dakota are the main geese-raising states.

All ducks and geese are federally inspected. Grading is voluntary and a plant 

pays to have its ducks or geese graded. The presence of the USDA Grade 

shield, usually Grade A, on these products is an indication of quality. USDA 

Grade A ducklings are the highest quality available. They are plump, meaty 

and have skin free from cuts, bruises and tears. There are no broken bones, 

no missing parts and few pin feathers. Grade B and Grade C ducklings are not 

usually found in supermarkets.

The White Pekin duck, native to China, is a relative newcomer to America. In 1873, a Yankee Clipper ship crossed the Pacific with fewer than a dozen of them, marking the beginning of America’s domestic duck 

industry. The domestic goose, bred in ancient Egypt, China and India, arrived from a different direction — across 

the Atlantic from Europe, where they’re immensely popular. Following is background information on these two 

poultry species.

What are duck and 

goose? 

How are ducks and 

geese raised?

Are duck and goose 

USDA inspected and 

graded?
Duck and Goose from Farm to Table

Food Safety Information 2

No hormones are allowed in U. S. duck or goose production. The Food and 

Drug Administration strictly prohibits the use of hormones in these birds.

Very few drugs have been approved for ducks and geese so antibiotics are 

not routinely given and are not useful for feed efficiency. If a drug is given 

— usually, through the feed — to cure illness, for example, a “withdrawal” 

period of days is required from the time it is administered until it is legal 

to slaughter the bird. This is so residues can exit the bird’s system. FSIS 

randomly samples poultry at slaughter and tests for residues.

When these birds are slaughtered, they are first stunned electrically. After 

their throats are cut (by hand, for geese) and the birds are bled, they are 

scalded to facilitate removal of large feathers. To remove fine pinfeathers, 

the birds are dipped in paraffin wax. Down and feathers, a very valuable byproduct of the duck and goose industry, are sorted at another facility.

Additives are not allowed on fresh duck or goose. If the meat or giblets are 

processed (such as in paté or smoked breast, for example), any additives 

such as MSG, salt, or sodium erythorbate, must be listed on the label.

Ducks and geese swim, and they have a fat layer beneath the skin that keeps 

them buoyant. Before cooking a whole bird, the skin should be pricked all 

over with a fork to facilitate the fat rendering out. This fat layer must have 

melted and disappeared for the bird to be done.

The fat is not “marbled” into the meat so it can easily be removed from the 

surface of a raw duck or goose if deboning the meat before cooking.

•	 Whole duckling, gosling or goose including giblets and neck. 

•	 Bone-in parts such as whole leg, breast quarter and breast. 

•	 Boneless breast, skin-on or skinless. 

•	 Giblets (liver, heart and gizzard) sold with whole birds but much liver 

exported to France. 

•	 Tongues and feet (delicacy mostly exported to Hong Kong but some 

used by Asian Americans). 

•	 Processed products such as smoked cooked breast, sausage and hot 

dogs. 

Some cuts may be used mainly for food service and restaurants.

When buying whole duck or goose, allow about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of raw 

weight per person. Raw boneless meat yields about 3 servings per pound 

after cooking. Estimate 3 to 4-ounces per person for fully cooked products.

Duck and goose are poultry and considered “white” meat. Because they are 

birds of flight, however, the breast meat is darker than chicken and turkey 

breast. This is because more oxygen is needed by muscles doing work, and 

the oxygen is delivered to those muscles by the red cells in the blood. One of 

the proteins in meat, myoglobin, holds the oxygen in the muscle, and gives 

the meat a darker color.

Chickens and turkeys stand a lot but do little if any flying, so their breast 

meat is white and leg meat, dark. Game birds, however, spend time flying so 

their breast meat may be as dark as leg meat.

Because all the meat on a duck or goose is dark, it has a stronger flavor than 

chicken breast meat—and even chicken leg meat.

How are duck and goose 

down obtained?

Additives

Fatty Deposits

Retail Cuts of Duck and 

Goose 

Quantity to Buy

Are duck and goose 

considered “red” or 

“white” meat?

Can antibiotics and 

hormones be used in 

raising duck and goose?

What is the flavor of 

duck and goose?
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Food Safety Focus 3

Duck and Goose from Farm to Table

Food Safety Information 3

All fresh meat qualifies as “natural.” Products labeled “natural” cannot contain 

any artificial flavor or flavoring, coloring ingredient, chemical preservative or 

any other artificial or synthetic ingredient. All products claiming to be natural 

should be accompanied by a brief statement which explains what is meant by 

the term “natural.”

As on any perishable meat, fish or poultry, bacteria can be found on raw 

or undercooked duck or goose. Bacteria multiply rapidly in the “Danger 

Zone,” between 40 and 140 °F (out of refrigeration and before thorough 

cooking occurs). Freezing may limit growth but doesn’t kill bacteria. They are 

destroyed by thorough cooking.

Salmonella is often associated with shell eggs and poultry. It may be found 

in the intestinal tracts of livestock, poultry, dogs, cats and other warmblooded animals. Salmonella Enteritidis is only one of about 2,000 Salmonella

bacteria. Freezing doesn’t kill this microorganism but it is destroyed by 

thorough cooking.

Salmonella must be eaten to cause illness. Raw poultry must be handled 

carefully to prevent cross contamination. This can occur if raw duck, goose or 

their juices contact cooked food or foods that will be eaten raw such as salad. 

Salmonellosis is a foodborne illness characterized by stomach pain, diarrhea 

and nausea.

Irradiation has not been approved for use with duck or goose.

FRESH DUCK OR GOOSE

Because the demand is not as high as for other poultry such as chicken 

or turkey, ducks and geese are usually kept in the frozen food cases at 

supermarkets. At holiday times, fresh duck and goose may be available.

Select them just before checking out at the register. Put each duck or goose 

in a disposable plastic bag (if available) to contain any leakage which could 

cross contaminate cooked foods or produce. Make the grocery your last stop 

before going home.

At home, refrigerate a duck or goose immediately (40 °F) and use within 1 or 

2 days, or freeze (0 °F) in its original packaging. If kept frozen continuously, 

it will be safe indefinitely.

READY PREPARED DUCK OR GOOSE

If picking up a cooked duck or other fully cooked product, be sure it is hot 

when you pick it up. Use it within 2 hours or cut it into several pieces and 

refrigerate in shallow, covered containers. Eat either cold or reheated to 

165 °F. It is safe to freeze ready prepared duck or goose. For recommended 

storage times, see the chart.

Marinate duck or goose in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Boil used marinade 

before brushing it on the cooked poultry. Discard any uncooked leftover 

marinade.

What does natural 

mean?

What foodborne 

organisms are associated 

with duck and goose?

Irradiation

How to handle duck and 

goose safely

Marinating
Food Safety Information 4

Duck and Goose from Farm to Table

PRODUCT

STORAGE TIMES FOR DUCK AND GOOSE

REFRIGERATOR 40 °F FREEZER 0 °F

1 to 2 days 

1 to 2 days 

3 to 4 days 

3 to 4 days 

2 weeks (or 1 week after 

“use-by date”) 

7 days 

Keep frozen before cooking 

2 to 5 years in pantry; 

3 to 4 days after opening 

6 months

6 months

2 to 3 months

2 to 3 months

1 to 2 months

1 to 2 months

3 to 4 months

After opening, 

2 to 3 months

Fresh Duck or Goose

 Fresh Giblets (liver, etc.) 

Cooked Duck or Goose; gumbo, 

stews or casseroles 

Leftover takeout or restaurant 

food

Smoked duck breast or franks: 

Vacuum sealed 

Smoked duck breast or franks: 

After opening

Frozen commercial dinners or 

entrees

Canned duck or goose products in 

pantry (paté, soup, etc.) 

There are three safe ways to thaw a frozen duck or goose: in the refrigerator, 

in cold water and in the microwave. Never defrost on the counter or in other 

locations. In the refrigerator, whole birds may take 1 to 2 days or longer; 

parts, about 1 day. Once the raw poultry defrosts, it will be safe in the 

refrigerator an additional 1 or 2 days before cooking. During this time, if you 

decide not to use the product, you can safely refreeze it without cooking it 

first.

To thaw a duck or goose in cold water, do not remove the packaging. Be sure 

the packaging is airtight or put it in a leakproof bag. Submerge the bird in 

cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. A whole (3 to 4-pound) 

duck or package of parts should defrost in 2 to 3 hours; a goose, which is 

larger, may take 4 to 6 hours.

When microwave-defrosting a duck or goose, plan to cook it immediately 

after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and 

begin to cook. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because 

any bacteria present may not have been destroyed. Foods defrosted in the 

microwave or by the cold water method should be cooked before refrigerating 

or refreezing.

Never brown or partially cook duck or goose to refrigerate and finish cooking 

later because any bacteria present may not have been destroyed. It is safe to 

partially pre-cook or microwave poultry immediately before transferring it to 

the hot grill to finish cooking.

Cooked muscle meats can be pink even when the meat has reached a safe 

minimum internal temperature. If fresh duck or goose has reached a safe 

minimum internal temperature of 165° F as measured with a food thermometer, even though it may still be pink in the center, it should be safe. The pink 

color can be due to the cooking method or added ingredients. For reasons of 

personal preference, consumers may choose to cook poultry to higher temperatures.

Safe Thawing

Partial Cooking

Can safely cooked duck 

and goose be pink?
Food Safety Questions?

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The USDA is an equal opportunity

 provider and employer.

Revised May 2011

Duck and Goose from Farm to Table

APPROXIMATE DUCK AND GOOSE COOKING TIMES

Type of Duck or 

Goose 

Whole duckling, 

4 to 6 lbs. Do not stuff.

Duckling breast

Duckling legs or thighs

Whole young goose, 

8 to 12 lbs

 Young goose, cut up

Roast

30 to 35 min./lb. at 350 °F

Brown skin-side down in a 

skillet over medium heat. 

Then cook in a 425 °F oven 12 

minutes.

Roast 1 1/4 to 

1 1/2 hours at 325 °F.

2 1/2 to 3 hours at 350 °F+

2 hours

Grill

Direct heat

Not preferred

Grill skin side down 6 

minutes; turn and grill 

7 to 8 minutes.

Grill legs/thighs 30 

minutes, turning every 5 minutes.

Not suitable

35 to 40 min.

Smoke

Indirect heat*

2 1/2 hours

1 to 2 hours

1 1/2 to 2 hours

2 1/2 to 3 hours

2 hours 

Braise

Not preferred

60 to 75 

minutes

1 1/2 hours

2 hours

1 1/2 hours

NOTE: Prick skin of whole duck or goose before roasting or smoking so fat can render.

+ Unstuffed. If stuffed, add 15 to 30 minutes additional time.

* Indirect method using drip pan.

Microwave Directions: •	 Place duck or goose in an oven cooking bag (or in a covered dish). Microwave on high 6 to 7 minutes per 

pound. Crisp in a 500 °F conventional oven 10 to 20 minutes. 

•	 When microwaving parts, arrange in dish or on rack so thick parts are toward the outside of dish and thin 

or bony parts are in the center. 

•	 Allow 10 minutes standing time for bone-in goose or duck; 5 minutes for boneless breast. 

•	 USDA recommends cooking poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F. 

FSIS encourages the reprint and distribution of this publication for food safety 

purposes. However, the included image from PhotoDisc, used under license, is 

protected by the copyright laws of the U.S., Canada, and elsewhere, and may not be 

saved or downloaded except for printing of this publication.

Safe Cooking. USDA recommends cooking whole duck or goose to a safe minimum internal temperature of 

165 °F as measured using a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh 

and wing and the thickest part of the breast. When cooking pieces, the breast, drumsticks, thighs, and wings 

should be cooked until they reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F. For approximate cooking times 

for use in meal planning, see the following chart compiled from various resources.

Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

Send E-mail questions to MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov.

Ask Karen!

FSIS’ automated response 

system can provide food safety 

information 24/7 and a

live chat 

during 

Hotline 

hours.

If you have a question 

about meat, poultry, or 

egg products, call 

the USDA Meat and 

Poultry Hotline 

toll free at 

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The hotline is open

year-round

 Monday through Friday from 10 

a.m. to 4 p.m. ET (English 

or Spanish).

Recorded food safety 

messages are available 24 hours a day. 

Check out the 

FSIS Web site at

 

www.fsis.usda.gov. AskKaren.gov

PregunteleaKaren.gov