Peking Vs. Moulard Comparison

Looks Like a Duck, Quacks Like a Duck, But Is It Pekin or Moulard? Let’s Compare.

Pekin duck is North America’s most common duck. Often called Long Island duckling, it’s the duck most often used in foodservice, especially on mid-priced restaurant menus. Moulard duck is more commonly served in fine dining venues. Beloved by the French, Moulard is the duck breed that’s also raised for foie gras.

If you want to add duck to your menu but wonder what the differences are, we’ve assembled a handy cheat sheet to help you choose.

On the left, a parsley sprig is placed on slices of cooked Pekin duck breast arranged overlapping on a white plate striped with a yellow sauce. On the right, fingers hold a raw Pekin duck breast in place on a white cutting board while a knife scores the skin.

North America’s most common duck,
often called Long Island duckling.

Taste

Mild, subtle flavor. 

Texture

• Tender with less fat.
• Suited to a variety of cooking methods,
including roasting, grilling, and
pan-searing.

Portion size

• Breasts 5–7oz
• Legs 8–12oz

Price Point

$$

Menu
Applications

• Its lighter flavor is adaptable to
traditional or contemporary dishes.
• Ideal portion size for individual
servings & smaller plates.
• Preferred in many Asian dishes where
the duck is roasted or sauced.

On the left, a raw Moulard duck breast with skin scored in a crosshatch pattern rests on a white cutting board next to a black serrated knife blade. On the right, a white plate holds sauteed greens with a slice of cooked Moulard duck breast in a puddle of brown sauce.

The breed that produces foie gras and most often used in fine dining.

Taste

Rich, robust, beefy flavor.

Texture

• Denser with a higher fat content.
• Best suited to roasting, confit & other
slow-cooking methods.

Portion size

• Breasts 12–16oz
• Legs 14–18oz

Price Point

$$$

Menu
Applications

• Favored in high-end restaurants.
• Commonly used for duck magret,
duck confit, and other luxurious
preparations.

Mild, subtle flavor. 

Taste

Rich, robust, beefy flavor.

• Tender with less fat.
• Suited to a variety of cooking methods,
including roasting, grilling, and
pan-searing.

Texture

• Denser with a higher fat content.
• Best suited to roasting, confit & other
slow-cooking methods.

• Breasts 5–7oz
• Legs 8–12oz

Portion size

• Breasts 12–16oz
• Legs 14–18oz

$$

Price Point

$$$

• Its lighter flavor is adaptable to
traditional or contemporary dishes.
• Ideal portion size for individual
servings & smaller plates.
• Preferred in many Asian dishes where
the duck is roasted or sauced.

Menu
Applications

• Favored in high-end restaurants.
• Commonly used for duck magret,
duck confit, and other luxurious
preparations.

Marx Foodservice sources Pekin duck for restaurants from Quebec-based Lac Brome Lake. Their controlled production meets the highest industry standards, and their state-of-the-art technology assures bio-safe, eco-friendly results. Our wholesale Moulard duck, as well as wholesale foie gras, comes from family owned and operated La Belle Farm, known for producing superior poultry in New York’s Delaware River Valley for more than two decades.

Explore our Duck & Foie Gras Programs  >

About Marx Foodservice

Marx Foodservice is a wholesale meat distributor with more than 20 years of experience. As a specialty meat supplier to restaurants and a foodservice distributor, we seek out only the finest meats and seafood. Our products are humanely raised or wild caught with the highest standards of animal welfare and the least environmental impact possible. We scour the world to find exceptional wholesale meats and seafood for restaurants not found anywhere else. In addition to Pekin and Moulard duck, we sell a variety of wholesale poultry and premium game birds for restaurants. We deliver by van in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington states, and nationwide via FedEx.