Preparing duck breast is not as difficult as you may think.
Even if you are an excellent cook, if you have never cooked a duck breast before, it can be somewhat intimidating. However, grilling or roasting a duck breast in a pan or on the grill is exactly like preparing a chicken breast with either method. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Thaw the duck breast if it is frozen. Remove the breast from the package and pat it dry with a paper towel.
2. Locate the fatty--or skin side--of the duck breast. Trim away any of skin that overhangs the breast meat.
3. Score the fatty skin of the duck breast in a cross-hatch pattern, allowing approximately 1/4 quarter inch between each score. One of the tastiest parts of cooked duck breast is the crispy skin that has been scored.
4. Season the duck breast with a marinade, a poultry rub or simply salt and pepper.
5. Preheat the oven to around 400 degrees F if you are roasting your duck breast. If you are grilling it, now is the time to light your grill.
6. Add just enough oil to prevent the skin and meat from sticking to a skillet large enough to accommodate the duck breast. Over low to medium-low heat, slowly brown the skin-side of the breast for around 10 minutes.
7. Flip the breast in the skillet and cook the other side. After 1 to 2 minutes, flip the breast so it is skin side down. If you are roasting the duck breast, place the entire skillet in the oven and bake for about 5 minutes.
8. Place the breast, meat side down, on the grill if you are grilling it. Grill the breast for approximately 5 minutes before flipping it and grilling it skin side down for another 2 to 3 minutes. Whether you are roasting or grilling, the duck breast is done when the internal temperature of the meat is 155 degrees F.
9. Place the duck meat on a serving platter. Allow the meat to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving it.
Tags: duck breast, side down, about minutes, breast meat, breast with, cooked duck, cooked duck breast
