Duck breasts

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Hi leigh,

What a bargain! You lucky thing, I love duck.

There's an older thread with lots of ideas for duck breasts so I've merged your thread with it to keep all the suggestions together.

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Ianna

poodlehorse wrote: »

I would probably start them off in a pan to get the colour on them and maybe finish them off in the oven. Duck being a bit greasy is nice with a fruity sauce like cherries, rhubarb or orange, something vaguely acidic to cut through the extra fat. I think I ended up making a sauce out of marmalade once when I had nothing else and it was lovely.

That sounds delicious, thanks!

skintchick

I got some duck breasts reduced and want to cook them tonight, with saute potatoes and 'spinaci alla Romana' (a recipe created after our honeymoon in Rome!).

However, do I stick them in the oven like I would chicken breasts, or fry them like I've seen on TV?

They have skin on.

Does anyone know the best way to do them?

moneysavingallday

Strange as this may seem, I have eaten mine raw before!

beccam

I would brown in the pan first very quickly over high heat to seal in juices and crispen the skin then pop in the oven to cook through...though they are supposed to be served pink so prob only need 10ins or so.

skintchick

moneysavingallday wrote: »

Strange as this may seem, I have eaten mine raw before!

_pale_


Think I'll cook them!

HannahIOW

Got some duck breasts half price the other day so froze them. They are defrosting now to have for dinner later. How do I cook them? In a roasting tray with foil on, then remove foil later to crisp up the skin?

I bought redcurrant jelly to use in the gravy (no doubt oh will moan lol) and how do I serve it? One of them is much bigger than the other so I will be cutting some off of that one so I don't get a raw deal lol. Thanks

Bongedone

I made this last week:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/duckbreastwithredcur_67442.shtml

Don't use oil in the frying pan. Score the skin and fry skin side down. It releases all the fat. I also used half an onion instead of shallots and also dried thyme.

Pink.

Hi Hanna,


I make duck breasts with morello cherry and wine jus and serve them with steamed veg and baby potatoes in parsley butter. It's very quick and simple to do, looks great and tastes delicious:


Make the sauce: two parts of red wine to one part morello cherry jam. Combine in a saucepan, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for about 20 mins.

Put the potatoes on to boil.

Mix freshly chopped parsley with softened butter and put to one side.

Prepare the veg and have them ready to steam. Begin steaming the veg just before the duck comes out of the oven.

Use a sharp knife to score the skin of the duck then dry fry the breasts skin side down in a pan for 5- 10 minutes depending on how you like them cooked. Then turn them over so that they’re skin side up and pop into a hot oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for at least five minutes. Add any juices from the duck to the sauce as it makes it richer.

While the duck is ‘resting’ drain the potatoes, top with the parsley butter and keep warm in the oven and put the vegetables into a serving dish. Put the duck breast onto plates, drizzle with a little of the sauce and serve.

Duck can be dry so best to have it a little bit pink rather than overdone. Any fat that comes out when frying the skin can be stored in the fridge and makes fabulous roast potatoes.

Just replace the jam above with your redcurrant jelly. If you want to even up the servings, slice each breast before serving and then divide the meat equally.

There's an earlier thread with more advice on cooking duck breast so I'll add your thread to it later to keep the ideas together.:

Duck breasts

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champys

Hi HannahIOW - my usual way of preparing duck breasts is to first cook them in a frying pan, then in the oven (if you have a frying pan that can go into the oven, like a cast iron one, it is ideal). First cook the duck breasts skin-side down over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes in the frying pan (without adding any fat) to let the fat from the skin run out. Then turn them over and cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes to seal. Transfer the pan to the oven (190°) for anything between 5 and 10 minutes depending on how well done you like them. Keep them warm while you make your sauce. There usually is a lot of fat in the frying pan, which you should pour out, or your sauce will be too fatty. But keep it for another time, it stays OK in the fridge for a long time and is great for roast potatoes. Deglaze the pan with orange juice, wine or stock - add some jelly to sweeten and make your gravy.
I often slice them (sort of diagonally) first and serve the slices with a little gravy drizzled on top. That way you can even out the portions.