1. While the duck breasts are still cold from the refrigerator and the fat is firm, score them through the skin and fat, but not through the meat. Make the scores on an angle and to indicate serving pieces, about 3/4″ apart in two directions to make a diamond pattern.
Let the duck breasts now sit and come to room temperature so they are not cold
when you start to cook them (20-45 minutes depending on size).
Just before cooking, lightly sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper or your favorite seasoning
(I add Road Kill from Stuart’s Spices).
2. Heat a large (12″ or so) saute or fry pan on high heat until it’s blazing hot. DO NOT add any fat or oil to the pan. Do not use a non-stick pan.
3. When the pan is very hot, add the duck breasts, fat side down and Immediately lower the heat to medium-low. Just let the pieces cook in the pan — don’t turn or fuss with them. They won’t burn, I promise.
4. Cook the duck breasts for about 12-15 minutes, until the fat side becomes a rich,
golden brown. During this time the layer of fat will melt and get much thinner, and the pan will
begin to collect the liquified melted duck fat. ·
5. Half-way through this process you may need to take the duck out of the pan and pour off the melted fat that has accumulated. This is easier and safer than trying to spoon off the hot fat. If you do this, keep the pan’s heat at medium-low and return the pieces as they were, still skin side down, to continue cooking. (I haven’t needed to do this).
6. After about 15 minutes total time: remove the duck breasts from the pan and pour off most of the fat that’s collected in the pan.
7. Keeping the heat at medium-low, return the duck breasts to the pan, but this time put them meat-side down. Again, just leave them alone and don’t fuss over them.
8. Cook for another 10 minutes Or better yet, use a meat thermometer and cook to 130-132F. The meat will become dark brown and it should be cooked to medium rare. To test for doneness, touch the meat under the skin (or just look at your thermometer). If it’s still very soft, it’s rare and needs a bit more cooking; if it’s firmer to the touch, but still with some give, it’s medium-rare.
I use both the Chef Alarm™ or the Smoke TM thermometers from Thermoworks.com (love them).
9. Remove the duck breasts from the pan. Let them rest about 5 minutes before slicing on the diagonal and serving.
I buy my duck breast (best prices) from https://amaroohills.com/ and buy many packaqes at a time and keep them in my large freezer.
Enjoy!
David Getoff, Naturopath
