How to Easily Cook the Perfect Duck Breast
Recipe for pan-fried duck breast
Here is my idea on how to easily cook duck breasts to perfection.
This way, you’ll get a piece of meat filled with lots of flavor, juice, and crispy skin.
Duck breast is one of my all-time favorite ingredients, as it has such fantastic flavor, especially in the fat.
Servings: people
Pan-fried Duck Breast
How to Easily Cook the Perfect Duck Breast
Equipment
- Chef'S Knife
- Frying Pan
- Oven
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 2 pcs. Duck Breast preferably large
- Salt and Pepper from the grinder
- Oil for cooking
- 1 pcs. Garlic whole garlic. Optional
- fresh rosemary 2-4 sprigs. Optional
Instructions
- I have two lovely duck breasts.
- On the duck breast, there is typically a tenderloin, which can actually be cooked, and it is incredibly tender. If I have prepared 3-4 duck breasts, I have 3-4 tenderloins, which I like to cook or fry and put on a salad.
- On the backside of the breast, remove all the sinews and fat. This can be used in a good sauce or broth.
- When the duck breast is fairly clean of fat and sinews, check the tips. If there is a lot of fat, I also cut that off.
- Next, I score the skin, typically in a crisscross pattern.
- It's very important not to cut too deep, just down to the meat, but definitely not through the meat.
- Then, it's important to generously salt and pepper both sides.
- If you want to make it a bit more festive, it's a good idea to grate some orange zest or star anise over the top.
- Heat a pan on low for 3-4 minutes before you start frying.
- I use a little bit of fat in the pan, but not too much since there's a lot of fat on the duck breast.
- Place the meat skin-side down and hold it down with your hands for the first few seconds so the cooking surface becomes completely even.
- It's a good idea to move the pan a bit at the start so the fat can get underneath and make the skin crispy.
- Do not turn up the heat; just let it sit for 5-7 minutes until the skin is completely crispy.
- After 2 minutes, I add coarsely chopped rosemary and halved garlic to the pan.
- Then, turn the breasts over and give them 30-60 seconds on the meat side.
- Here, I turn the heat up all the way and coat the skin with the fat from the pan. This helps ensure that the hot fat gets down into all the grooves in the duck breast. It ensures that all the fat is rendered and you get the good flavor from the rosemary and garlic.
- I typically finish my duck breasts in the oven to ensure the internal temperature is perfect. Many people finish cooking them in the pan, but I personally prefer to finish them in the oven.
- Take the meat off the pan and place it in a dish.
- Put them in the oven for 3-4 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) with the skin side up.
- Remove them from the oven and let them rest on a cutting board. If you let them rest in the dish, they will continue to cook.
- Let them rest for 6-8 minutes on the cutting board.
- Slice them into thin slices and serve immediately.