Pekin Duck Breasts vs Muscovy Duck Breast

Buy the Pekin if you want big, rich, forgiving breasts with thick skin that renders into crisp crackling and enough fat to baste with. Buy the Muscovy if you prefer leaner, denser red meat with thin skin, a cleaner flavor and a farm story of no antibiotics and slower raising. Pekin scores slightly higher with owners (4.8 vs 4.5) and gives you four breasts per pack; Muscovy owners call it restaurant quality but some wish the breasts were larger and one hit gristle. Both reward cooking to medium rare.

• Choose the Pekin duck breast if you want larger 9 oz breasts, four to a pack, and the classic thick-skinned, fattier breast that crisps well in a pan.
• Choose the Muscovy duck breast if you want leaner, fuller-flavored red meat with thin skin, raised without antibiotics on a California farm.