Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Sauce
Duck breasts with scored skin rendered slowly in a cold-start skillet until crisp, cooked to a rosy center and served with a quick cherry and red wine pan sauce. Serves 4.
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Duck breast is the poultry that eats like a steak. It has rich, deep red meat and a thick layer of fat under the skin, and it is traditionally seared and sliced like a steak, often served pink in the center.
The key technique is starting the duck skin side down in a cold pan and letting the fat render slowly. As it melts away, the skin turns thin, crisp and golden. A quick sauce of cherries, red wine, honey and balsamic vinegar cuts the richness beautifully.
Ingredients
Duck
- 4 boneless Pekin duck breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), or 2 large Moulard breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cherry sauce
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup pitted cherries, fresh or frozen, halved
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon cold butter
Instructions
- Score the skin. Pat the duck dry. With a sharp knife, score the skin in a crosshatch pattern about 1/2 inch apart, cutting through the skin and fat but not into the meat. Season both sides with the salt and pepper.
- Start cold. Place the breasts skin side down in a cold, dry skillet large enough to hold them in one layer. Set the pan over medium-low heat.
- Render the fat. Cook without moving, 8 to 10 minutes for Pekin breasts or 12 to 15 minutes for larger Moulard breasts, until the skin is deep golden and crisp and most of the fat has melted. Carefully pour off the fat into a heatproof bowl a few times as it collects.
- Finish the meat. Turn the breasts and cook 2 to 4 minutes more. Duck breast is traditionally served medium-rare, about 130°F to 135°F in the center. The USDA recommends 165°F for all poultry, so cook it longer if you prefer.
- Rest. Move the duck to a cutting board skin side up and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Make the sauce. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Over medium heat, cook the shallot for 1 minute. Add the wine and boil, scraping up the browned bits, until reduced by half. Add the broth, cherries, honey, balsamic vinegar and thyme and simmer 5 to 6 minutes, until syrupy. Off the heat, swirl in the butter and season to taste.
- Slice and serve. Slice the duck on an angle and spoon the cherry sauce over it.
Tips
- Save the rendered duck fat. It keeps for weeks in the refrigerator and makes wonderful roasted potatoes.
- Frozen dark sweet cherries work perfectly in the sauce and are available year round.
- If the skin is browning too fast before the fat renders, lower the heat.
Questions about this recipe
- Why start duck breast in a cold pan?
- A cold start lets the thick layer of fat melt slowly, so the skin becomes thin and crisp instead of burning on the outside while the fat underneath stays rubbery.
- Is it safe to eat duck breast pink?
- Duck breast is commonly served medium-rare, like steak, in restaurants and at home. The USDA safe minimum for all poultry, including duck, is 165°F. Choose the doneness you are comfortable with.
- What can I do with the leftover duck fat?
- Strain it and refrigerate it in a jar. Use it to roast potatoes or vegetables, or to fry eggs.
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