Pan-roasted duck breast

[Dave the Cook]

Pan-roasted duck breast

Serves 2 as Main Dish.

• Salt
  
• 2 Long Island or Pekin duck breasts
  

Preheat oven to 350 F.

With a very sharp knife, score the skin side of each breast, cutting through the skin and fat, but trying to avoid cutting into the flesh. Space the scores ¼ to ½ inch apart. Turn the breast 90 degrees and score at right angles to the first series of scores. Sprinkle with kosher salt on both sides and set aside until ready to cook.

Heat a heavy pan (cast iron or clad stainless steel) over medium heat until a drop of water bounces across the surface of the pan.

Lay the breasts into the pan skin-side down.

Cook until the skin is medium brown and crisp, about six minutes.

Turn the breasts over and cook on the flesh side for one minute. Remove to a rack set into a quarter sheet pan.

Insert a probe thermometer lengthwise into one of the breasts. Put pan in oven and roast to a temperature of 150.

Let rest for five minutes. Slice and serve.

Keywords: Main Dish, Easy, Duck

( RG2101 )

[Okanagancook]

Reviving this old thread.  

I am cooking duck breast the T. Keller way (pan cooked) just because I have done it this way before with excellent results and I am cooking for guests.

Question:  Should I equilibrium brine them for a day before?

thanks

Edited April 16, 2019 by Okanagancook (log)

[eugenep]

Hmmm...I thought the brining (dry or wet) done day before for most meats (except fish etc) good to change the protein structure so as to retain more moisture 

 

...the recipe calls for 150F but I read from other sources it should be rare to medium raw because the breast drys out super fast and is to be eaten on the raw side like steak and not like chicken breast 

 

my biggest issue is with the right sauce that isn't too sweet or finding a good savory sauce 

 

none of the duck breast recipes I've tried taste as good as the Chinese roast duck - except duck confit or duck confit turned into a rillette but it's the duck legs (not breast) 

Edited April 16, 2019 by eugenep (log)

[gfweb]

@Okanagancook Not what you are asking, but I'd SV it.... esp if for guests. Easier to do reproducibly in each breast etc etc.

[Okanagancook]

@eugenep  the TK recipe calls for the breast to be cooked to an internal temperature of 125F so on the rare side.  I agree about Chinese roast duck but my meal is not Asian so I want to stick with the traditional flavours.  I plan on serving the duck with polenta and wine braised plums with some kind of veg. Perhaps some roasted endive on the side if they have some nice ones in the store.  I have some duck glaze from the freezer which is again, very mild and very 'ducky'.  The juice from the plums will go nicely with the polenta.  

 

@gfweb  I have looked at the sous vide duck breast thread and there is too much mucking about with the skin...take it off and cook between silpads to get crispy otherwise the fat doesn't render or don't do that and just put in a frying pan to render......I will try sous vide when just me and DH, thanks anyways....too chicken to try it now 😩

[eugenep]

hmm...I wonder if the bitterness from the endive will balance the sweetness of the sauce 

[gfweb]

52 minutes ago, Okanagancook said:

@eugenep  the TK recipe calls for the breast to be cooked to an internal temperature of 125F so on the rare side.  I agree about Chinese roast duck but my meal is not Asian so I want to stick with the traditional flavours.  I plan on serving the duck with polenta and wine braised plums with some kind of veg. Perhaps some roasted endive on the side if they have some nice ones in the store.  I have some duck glaze from the freezer which is again, very mild and very 'ducky'.  The juice from the plums will go nicely with the polenta.  

 

@gfweb  I have looked at the sous vide duck breast thread and there is too much mucking about with the skin...take it off and cook between silpads to get crispy otherwise the fat doesn't render or don't do that and just put in a frying pan to render......I will try sous vide when just me and DH, thanks anyways....too chicken to try it now 😩

 

All I do is SV it and then score the skin and render it down in a Darto pan being careful to turn it so as not to roast the breast more.  I'll SV it short of the desired temp...132 Sticks in my mind...and let it cool for a few minutes before sear and serve. Always works.

 

But I agree I wouldn't do something you have no confidence in

[Okanagancook]

34 minutes ago, eugenep said:

hmm...I wonder if the bitterness from the endive will balance the sweetness of the sauce 

yes, that is what I was thinking.

[Okanagancook]

Reporting back....wow, the duck breasts were quite large from premium ducks from the Frazier Valley just east of Vancouver.  I did an equilibrium brine for a day and left them uncovered in the fridge to dry for 12 hours.  They were put in a cold cast iron pan...two breasts per pan, and cooked on low for about 20 to 25 minutes draining the fat a couple of times.  They were flipped and cooked for about 3 minutes until the requisite 125 F, then put on a rack covered loosely to rest for 10 minutes.  Served with plums cooked in red wine and some spices such as allspice, cloves and cinnamon; Marcella Hazel polenta, stirred love’nly for the whole time and roasted endive plus green salad.  It was outstanding.  Probably the best duck I have had and most of this due to the quality of the meat.  The skin was rendered beautifully.