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Soy-roast duck with mandarin

Duck and orange may be the classic pairing, but this glossy twice-cooked duck finds another ideal match in a sweet and sour mandarin sauce.

Ingredients

Rock sugar is available from Asian grocers. Notes

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• Quick Dinners
• Mother's Day

Pan-Seared Duck Breast With Orange Pan Sauce

Scoring the breast, starting with a cold pan, and cooking it low and slow ensures perfectly cooked duck with crispy skin

Sohla El-Waylly is a culinary creator, video host, and CIA graduate whose work can be found on Serious Eats, Bon Appetit, The New York Times, Food52, YouTube, and more.

Prepping Duck Breast (and Dealing With Fat)

How to cook duck breast, making the pan sauce, why it works.

• Scoring the skin increases the surface area of the fat, allowing it to render off faster with greater exposure to heat.
• Starting the duck breast in a cold pan, and then cooking low and slow, gives the fat more time to render, while the meat becomes tender and juicy.
• Finishing with a quick pan sauce ensures none of the tasty browned bits are wasted.

Here’s a secret most restaurants don’t want you to know: That $40 duck breast they're selling you is one of the easiest pick-ups* in a kitchen. During busy service, I’d take searing duck breast over poaching eggs, hands down. With just a few simple steps, you can impress friends and charm lovers with fantastic duck breast, any night of the week.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

*What? Not hip to "pick-up"? That's restaurant-speak for fulfilling an order, a.k.a. making food, a.k.a. cooking.

Unlike chicken, duck breast has a hue and texture akin to that of red meat and is safe to consume medium-rare, so bring on the pink. Perfectly cooked duck breast will have moist and juicy meat, with a luscious and crunchy skin. The first step is to score the fat to help it render more efficiently. Ducks are busy commuter birds who need lots of fat to fuel them through long flights (and for extra buoyancy when they rest in ponds and lakes). This thick fat, when rendered down to a slender and succulent layer beneath crisp skin, is a culinary marvel, but you can easily end up with too much of a good thing. Scoring gives the fat more exposure to heat by increasing the surface area, allowing it to render faster.

Because I prefer some fat left under the skin, I make very shallow cuts in a tight crosshatch pattern across the surface of the duck. With a sharp knife, this requires virtually no pressure: I just slide the blade along, while barely breaking through the skin. If you prefer to render out more of the fat, simply make deeper cuts. But take care—if you see flesh, you’ve gone too far!

Even if you don’t plan to eat the fat at all, don’t be tempted to remove it prior to cooking. That layer of fat protects the meat, allowing you to cook it gently and evenly; because duck is best served medium-rare, that extra protection is one of the core reasons why searing it to the perfect degree of doneness is so easy. Cutting through to the flesh, however, will expose the meat to direct heat, overcooking it before enough fat has rendered out, so maintain a delicate touch while scoring the skin.

After scoring, I season the duck with kosher salt, heavily on the fat side and just lightly on the flesh side. Much of the salt on the fat side melts off during cooking, so you need more than you’d expect to fully season that side. That’s  all  the prep you need before you start cooking.

Calling this a "seared" or "pan-roasted" duck breast feels somewhat misleading, because both those terms imply high heat. Instead, this method cooks  cold  duck breast in a  cold  pan over  low  heat. When duck breast is seared at a higher temperature, the flesh quickly cooks before enough fat has rendered out, leaving you with a thick, flabby layer of fat over tough meat. When you use gentle heat, the fat has time to render off, while heat slowly transfers to the flesh through the buffer of the thick skin layer. This gives you tender flesh with a minimal gradient, as well as delicious, crisp skin.

Every time I’ve cooked duck breast in a restaurant, there was a mythical corner on the French top  that was roped off as the "duck zone." This was a place with the perfect level of heat, at which duck breast would practically cook itself, leaving me with 15 minutes to focus on fussier things, like  tweezing herbs . The trick to cooking duck breast at home is to figure out how to hit that sweet spot on your own burners.

I’ve already established that high heat is off the table, but even within the subjective terms of "low to medium-low heat," there’s a lot of variation. The temperature can be too low (as I discovered while futzing with our test kitchen’s induction burners), resulting in such a long cook time that the duck will ultimately overcook before the fat renders. With high temperatures leaving excess fat behind, and low temperatures resulting in overcooked meat, we need to find that ideal temperature zone. I firmly believe that the best way to do so is by listening to the sound of sizzles.

When you want a hard sear on a steak or  scallop , you know you’re on your way if you hear excited pops and sputters once it hits the pan. Because the duck starts in a cold pan, it’ll be a silent start, but you’ll know you’ve hit the right pan temperature if, after about five minutes, you hear quiet bubbles of fat gently gurgling away. We want babbling-brook bubbles—more activity than a stagnant pond, but far short of spraying waterfalls—so adjust your stove to maintain this gentle heat, and frequently pour away any fat that melts off (and be sure to save it for some of the best roast potatoes  you’ll ever eat).

After about 15 minutes, the duck breast will be rare and should register about 125°F (52°C) on an  instant-read thermometer . At that point, I crank up the heat to medium and flip the duck before continuing to cook it on the flesh side for an additional one to two minutes, or until the internal temperature hits 130°F (54°C). This’ll get you a perfect medium-rare breast; if you prefer your duck cooked to medium or well-done, give it some more heat on both sides, cooking until the internal temperature is about 140°F (60°C) for medium and 155°F (68°F) for well-done.

The duck needs to rest for about 10 minutes before you can dig in, which is exactly how much time it takes to scrape up all the delicious brown bits into a quick pan sauce. There’s a special place in hell for fond wasters, so never leave any behind.

I deglaze the pan with a splash of dry white wine and cook it down until it's almost dry. Next, I add collagen- and gelatin-rich homemade chicken stock for body and a sticky mouthfeel. (If all you have is store-bought chicken stock, you can fake it by adding powdered gelatin .) Once the stock has reduced by half and is rich and sticky, I finish the sauce with a pat of butter, orange juice, and orange zest.

By the time the sauce is done, the duck will be fully rested and ready to slice and serve. Just like with steak and chicken, it’s important to slice the duck breast against the grain, which cuts the muscle fibers short, making the duck feel more tender when you chew it. I cut it into thick, quarter-inch slices for a nice, meaty bite.

Finding the "duck zone" on your own stovetop will allow you to make this tender and juicy duck breast any time.

February 2018

Recipe Details

Ingredients

4 duck breasts , 4 to 5 ounces (112 to 140g) each

Kosher salt

1/2 cup dry white wine (4 fluid ounces; 120ml)

1 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock or store-bought stock combined with 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin (12 fluid ounces; 360ml)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 ounces; 60 g )

1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

1/4 cup (60ml) freshly squeezed orange juice from 1 orange

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)

With a sharp knife, gently score duck breast skin in a tight crosshatch pattern, keeping the scores 1/8 inch apart. If you prefer a little fat left on the breasts after cooking, just barely score the skin; to render more fat, score more deeply, taking care not to expose the flesh.

Season duck breasts with salt, heavily on the skin side and lightly on the flesh side.

Place duck breasts, skin side down, in a large, cold sauté pan. Place pan over low to medium-low heat. To keep the edges from curling up, press duck breasts down with the help of a smaller sauté pan or cooking weight. After about 5 minutes, the fat should begin to gently bubble. If the fat is either silent or spitting, adjust heat accordingly. Maintain the gentle bubble of fat, pouring out excess rendered fat throughout the cooking process, until much of the fat has rendered, skin is golden brown, and duck's internal temperature is 125°F (52°C), about 15 minutes.

Increase heat to medium and further brown skin if needed, about 1 minute, before flipping and cooking on the flesh side. For medium-rare meat, cook until breast registers 130°F (54°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 to 2 minutes. Continue cooking until duck registers 140°F (60°C) for medium or 155°F (68°F) for well-done. Remove duck from pan and set aside to rest.

For the Pan Sauce: Over high heat, deglaze sauté pan with white wine. Scrape up any brown bits stuck to pan and let wine reduce until pan is almost dry and only 1 to 2 tablespoons remain, about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and let reduce by half, until sauce is sticky and rich, about 2 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and swirl in butter until melted and evenly incorporated. Season sauce with orange zest and juice, salt, and black pepper. Serve with duck breast.

Special Equipment

Thermometer , large sauté pan or skillet , small sauté pan or cooking weight

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• Duck à l'Orange

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Duck Breast à l’Orange

By N7, New Orleans, LA

Pekin ducks, also known as crescent or Long Island ducklings, have small breasts. If using magret, which are larger, cook a minute or two longer per side. This recipe is from N7 , one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016 .

Ingredients

Preparation.

Score fat of each duck breast in a crosshatch pattern, spacing about ½" apart. Combine orange zest, orange juice, honey, soy sauce, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Add duck, seal bag, and turn to coat. Chill at least 6 hours and up to 12 hours.

Remove duck breasts from marinade; set marinade aside. Place duck, skin side down, in a cold large skillet, then set over low heat and cook, shifting breasts in skillet occasionally for even cooking, until fat is rendered and skin is deep golden brown, 12–15 minutes. Turn duck, cover skillet, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 120° for medium-rare, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, pour off fat from skillet, then add reserved marinade and bring to a simmer; cook until sauce is thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.

Transfer duck to plates and spoon sauce over. Serve with orange slices.

Nutrition Per Serving

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Reviews (18)

This was so easy to prepare and was a huge hit! I bought some gorgeous duck breast and oranges from Eataly and used them for this - delicious! Also, this is a great one for company because you can leave it alone for the first 12-15 minutes, as long as you watch it carefully (with a good meat thermometer) for the last few minutes after you flip it.

Catherine F

Duck Breast with Cherry Sauce

And if you are in need of a Valentine’s menu idea, or a just-because-I-want-to-get-fancy menu idea, let this be your meal.

I paired the duck with some duck-fat fried potatoes and a green salad.  And we feasted on the best meal that I have eaten in a long, long time.

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients   

• 2 duck breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 shallot minced
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 2/3 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• ½ cup dry red wine I used Pinot Noir
• 1 cup fresh or frozen pitted tart cherries
• 2 tablespoons cherry preserves
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• ½ tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions  

For the cherry sauce.

• In a small saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallot and saute until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and saute a minute more- be careful not to burn.
• Add chicken stock, wine, preserves, cherries, balsamic vinegar, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper.
• Simmer over medium heat until mixture reduces by half and cherries are softened.
• Whisk in dijon mustard and butter. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.

To cook the duck

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare duck breasts by scoring the fat (do not slice into the breast-meat). Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a cast iron (or other oven-safe) skillet over medium heat. Sear duck breasts, fat side down, for 6 minutes. Then flip and cook meat-side down for 1 minute more.
• Flip back to fat-side down. Cook in oven for 5-6 minutes for medium rare.
• Remove from oven and rest on a separate plate for 5 minutes before slicing.
• Serve with cherry sauce.

Fried Goat Cheese with Beets and Greens

Crème brûlée with blood orange, you may also like, salmon tacos with dill slaw, fresh tomato tarts with boursin, barbecue ribs on the gas grill, grilled shrimp with sundried tomato gremolata, minestrone verde, cast iron margherita pizza, asparagus tart with goat cheese, herb dijon crusted salmon, whoopie pie hearts with raspberry buttercream, chicken tikka masala.

Loving this! I haven’t had duck in a while, I’ll need to see the going rate around here and make some ASAP!

I can totally see why this would be in your new favorites, this sounds incredible! My hubby actually takes over cooking for Valentine’s Day, so I’m going to forward him this and give him some not-so-subtle hints I want him to make this 🙂

Duck is my all time fave protein, got me a bargain at the farmers markets on the weekend that is begging to be turned into this masterpiece. YARM!

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• Breakfast/Brunch
• Global Cuisine

Pan Seared Duck Breast with Honey-Soy glaze

If you haven’t tried duck before, this is the recipe for you. Pan seared duck breast with sticky honey-soy glaze is simply delicious and a showstopper meal.

Ingredients

Full recipe and amounts can be found in the recipe card below. 

• Duck breasts. 
• Red chilli.
• Chicken stock. 
• Soy sauce.  Use Tamari or Coconut Aminos if needed.
• Honey.  Palm sugar or coconut sugar can be substituted.
• Lime juice. 
• For serving: Rice, cucumber, spring onion, chillies.

How to pan sear duck breast

• Prepare the duck:  Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels then score the skin/fat-side with a sharp knife. Take care not to cut through the meat. Season generously with salt. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the breasts, skin-side down, and cook for 6-7 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown and the fat has rendered out. Flip the duck over and cook for another 2-3 minutes until done to your preference. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Make the sauce:  Pour off the duck fat, leaving a few teaspoons in the pan. Store the duck fat in the fridge in a sealed jar, it makes excellent roast potatoes. Add the ginger, garlic and chillies to the pan and cook until fragrant. Pour in the stock, soy sauce, honey and lime juice and allow to simmer until the sauce has reduced by half. Adjust seasoning if necessary by adding more soy, honey or lime.
• Serve:  Slice the duck and serve over cooked rice (I used Jasmine) with cucumber, spring onion and red chillies. Drizzle over the sauc and serve.

How long to cook duck breast

For medium rare duck (my personal preference), cook the duck for 6-7 minutes on the skin side before flipping and cooking for another 2-3 minutes. The duck will be juicy and blushing pink in the center and will read 61ºC/141ºF on a meat thermometer. For well-done duck, the temperature will be 65ºC/149ºF. Allow the duck to rest for 5-7 minutes before slicing and serving.

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Pan seared duck breast with honey-soy glaze

• 4 duck breasts (approximately 150g each)
• 4 garlic cloves crushed
• 2 tsp crushed ginger
• 1 red chilli de-seeded and finely chopped
• ½ cup chicken stock
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp lime juice

Instructions

• Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels then score the skin/fat-side with a sharp knife. Take care not to cut through the meat.
• Season generously with salt.
• Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the breasts, skin-side down, and cook for 6-7 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown and the fat has rendered out.
• Flip the duck over and cook for another 2-3 minutes until done to your preference.
• Remove from the pan and set aside.
•   Pour off the duck fat, leaving a few teaspoons in the pan.
• Add the ginger, garlic and chillies to the pan and cook until fragrant.
• Pour in the stock, soy sauce, honey and lime juice and allow to simmer until the sauce has reduced by half.
• Adjust seasoning if necessary by adding more soy, honey or lime.
• Slice the duck and serve over cooked rice (I used Jasmine) with cucumber, spring onion and red chillies. Drizzle over the sauce and serve.

Table of Contents

• 1 Ingredients
• 2 How to pan sear duck breast
• 3 How long to cook duck breast
• 4 20 minute dinner recipes
• 5.1 Ingredients
• 5.2 Instructions
• 5.3 Nutrition

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Peppered Duck Breast With Red Wine Sauce

By david tanis.

Back in 2011, this version of steak au poivre made with duck breasts was introduced as part of a New Year’s menu. Fancy enough for a gathering, but relaxed enough that it doesn’t feel like too much, you can make it any time you want something a little more special than your average fare.

Featured in: City Kitchen: For New Year’s, a Bit Fancy, but All Relaxed

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Ingredients

• 3 Muscovy duck breasts (about 1 pound each)
• 1 tablespoon freshly crushed black peppercorns
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• Fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large shallot, sliced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups unsalted chicken broth
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons medium-bodied red wine
• 1 tablespoon Cognac or brandy
• 2 teaspoons potato starch

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

240 calories; 10 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 27 grams protein; 819 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Preparation

Remove the tenderloins (the thin strips of meat on undersides of the duck breast) and reserve for the sauce. With a sharp knife, trim away any gristle from the undersides of the breasts and trim any excess fat. Score the skin in a diamond pattern, cutting through the fat but not quite reaching the meat. Lightly sprinkle salt on both sides, then rub 1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns all over. Sprinkle with the garlic and a few thyme sprigs, cover, and leave at room temperature for 1 hour. (For deeper flavor, refrigerate the breasts for several hours or overnight, then return to room temperature before cooking.)

Heat 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and the reserved duck tenderloins; let them brown well, stirring occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and a small thyme sprig and let them fry for 1 minute.

Add the broth and ¼ cup wine, raise the heat to a brisk simmer and let the liquid reduce to about 1¼ cups, about 10 minutes. Strain the sauce and return to the heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons red wine and the Cognac or brandy and cook for 1 minute more. Dissolve potato starch in 2 tablespoons cold water, then stir the mixture into the sauce. Whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Season to taste with salt. (Sauce may be made in advance and reheated, thinned with a little broth.)

Remove and discard the garlic and thyme sprigs from the breasts. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high. When the pan is hot, lay in the duck breasts, skin-side down, and let them sizzle. Lower the heat to medium and cook for a total of 7 minutes, checking to make sure the skin isn’t browning too quickly. With tongs, turn the breasts over and let them cook another 3 minutes for rare, 4 to 5 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a warm platter and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice crosswise, not too thickly, at a slight angle and serve with the sauce.

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Private Notes

Cooking notes.

Either omit the tomato paste or use no more than a teaspoon. A tablespoon of tomato paste must have been a typo... it completely overpowered the sauce and I had to start again.

I followed the recipe in terms of cooking the duck verbatim, and it was perfect. Crispy, bronze skin and tender medium rare meat. I took some liberties with the sauce, omitting the tomato paste, potato startch and wine. Instead I made a simple reduction sauce after cooking the breasts. Drain/save that precious remaining duck fat to store in the fridge for roasted potatoes or duck fat fries. Then using the same pan I added brandy-soaked cherry juice I had on hand with a knob of butter.

I received rave reviews for this recipe! Very easy to make. Do yourself a favor and make the sauce the night before. When sautéing the shallot and duck tenderloins, put a 1-2" piece of duck fat in with the butter. Remember to bring the duck to room temperature before cooking. I'll make this again, certainly.

Fantastic recipe - just excellent. The duck was delicious and not too rich or fatty. I followed it exactly except I did not add the potato starch. I simply reduced the liquid until it thickened.

This is a great recipe and elegant dish. Having a sauce you can make ahead is wonderful . Depending on the girth of your duck breast the cooking time can be 5-7 minutes longer. I added a tablespoon of green peppercorn to the sauce . If you need to substitute corn starch for potato starch, you might needed 1.5 tsp. Also, remember if you are using cornstarch, once you add the cornstarch you will need to bring the sauce to a slight boil and stir it for a bit in order to activate the corn starch.

Why was I so afraid of cooking duck breast? I have not eaten duck since the 1960's when I faked eating the duck soup my daddy was so proud of. Fast forward to retirement and I promised my husband duck for months now. After months of searching for a simple recipe and after watching many vid's I chose David's recipe. It was great, prepared just as the recipe says to. I made 2 breasts and halved the recipe for the sauce (roughly right). He loved it, I loved it. I would serve to guests.

This is very good and easy dish that worked really well with potato gratin and steamed and buttered broccolini and a nice red wine. Perfect for a small dinner party The printed recipe is silent on what to do with the remaining 2 tsp of the 1 tablespoon of crushed black pepper. A misprint? Or is it 1 tsp per breast?

I cooked the breasts sous vide at 130 degrees for about two hours, then seared the heck out of them. Very happy with the results, and no need to score the skin. Love the sauce. Had a few slices of meat left over, so I reheated them in the sauce and poured it all over pasta.

This turned out very nicely. I ended up halving all of the sauce ingredients except the butter, and adding about 1 tsp duck fat. The breasts I purchased were already trimmed so I didn’t have the extra pieces for that step. I also, after reading other reviews, decided to use just a little bit of tomato paste. Delicious meal!

Did the red wine sauce as others have suggested- omitting the ketchup and flour and just cooking down the wine with chicken stock butter salt and pepper and it was delicious! I’m making a prime rib roast for the holiday and will make the sauce again. A perfect au jus for many kinds of proteins.

Great recipe. I omitted the butter for the red wine sauce: instead I rendered extra duck fat with the shallots. I left out the tomato paste and starch and thought the sauce was still great (just be sure to reduce the sauce for more time and finish with unsalted butter). A meat thermometer is necessary here if you are looking for a perfect medium rare

This was truly delicious. And not that difficult. The sauce needs to be done a bit head of course. But f you make the sauce ahead this becomes one of those easy meals to serve when the family gathers. I made hassleback potatoes with it which blew the easy part. But they were good.

Why don't I make duck more often? My duck breasts were perfection. They tasted like tender Prime Rib instead of poultry. I will make this again for sure!

This is basically how I always cook a duck breast (D'Artagnan). but I don't usually make a sauce with it. I happened to have homemade chicken stock and voila: this was as good as it gets. For the 2 of us, 1 duck breast and the sauce ingredients basically in half (heavy on the red wine). Duck refrigerated overnight. This was just too good. Served with quinoa pilaf and roasted beets in a butter sauce. Wow.

The duck was super tender and had a wonderful flavor. It should have been left out to dry after marinating, that would have made the skin crisper than it was, I think. And to all others who didn’t have unsalted chicken broth - don’t think about using salted broth cubes! (I had to throw it out :-(

Lovely. Did use Gabrielle Hamilton’s lower, slower cooking method, which renders more fat. Had only “better than bouillon,” which is the opposite of low sodium, but compensated by diluting heavily & reducing salt elsewhere. Used arrowroot rather than potato starch to thicken.

This is a definite keeper for a meal! I let the breast sit overnight, refrigerated, with the S&P, thyme and garlic. The duck had a great flavor! I used cornstarch to thicken the sauce and it worked fine. Just make sure you cook it for a few minutes to get rid of the raw taste of the cornstarch. The sauce really finishes this dish. The suggested cooking times were perfect, I went for 7 minutes on the skin side and then 4 for a perfect medium rare.

Can this recipe be made with mixed different duck parts? Bone in skin on legs for instance?

Tried 1.5 tsp cornstarch instead of potato starch

Absolutely delicious. Served over mashed potatoes with roasted broccolini. Let the duck sit overnight in the fridge, and added the reserved black pepper to the sauce.

The sauce was unfortunately one-dimensional and, cooked as directed, too watery. I ended up cooking it down almost twice as long to get it to the right concentration and texture of a proper sauce, as well as adding extra butter and, for some complexity, a spot of Dijon mustard.

I agree that this recipe is delicious and easy if you follow the instructions and have a little patience. I used flour instead of potato starch which I didn’t have to thicken the sauce—that was fine, though a bit of whisking was required to get the flour to blend in. No mention of what to serve with the duck beyond the potato purée in the photo, but I threw baby potatoes I had boiled to fry briefly in the rendered duck fat and made a German-style cucumber salad. A real treat for a weekday night!

If you read the piece it’s pulled from, it’s a celery root and potato purée but there was no link to it.

We used two frozen duck breasts from Maple Leaf Farm. Each was eight ounces. I scored te skin, rubbed in lots a ground black pepper, used salt, garlic powder and dried thyme leaves and let in sit in the refrigerator for eight hours. I drilled olive oil on the skin side. I cooked them in a Ninja double air fryer, one breast in each side, for 16 minutes at 390 degrees, turning them at eight minutes. They were perfect at medium rare with a crispy skin. We used Russell Chatham's red wine sauce.

Oh, did you happen to have 1/2 a cup of duck stock on hand?

Recipe Tags

• Main Course

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Orange Gochujang Duck Breast with Quick-Pickled Onions

By PrimalGourmet

on Dec 21, 2023, Updated Feb 22, 2024

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This Orange Gochujang Duck Breast with Quick-Pickled Onions is super easy, impressive and an absolute explosion of flavour. The orange gochujang glaze has the perfect balance of sweet, savory, spicy, and sour flavours, and the slightly crunchy and acidic quick-pickled onions help cut through the richness of the duck. If you’re not a fan of duck you can substitute skin-on chicken thigh or breast, your favourite cut of steak, seafood or even a thick-cut pork chop.

Ingredients You Need for Orange Gochujang Duck Breast

• Florida Orange Juice: I use 100% Florida Orange Juice because it’s naturally sweet with no added sugar and the citrus adds a delicious acidity and tang that pairs beautifully with the duck and gochujang. We keep a big pitcher of Florida OJ in our fridge and enjoy a glass daily as a way to stay hydrated and help support our immune systems. Just one 8-ounce glass of Florida Orange Juice provides 100% of the recommended Daily Value of vitamin C and is a good source potassium, folate and thiamin, as well as vitamin D (in fortified juices).
• Duck Breast: This recipe calls for boneless, skin-on duck breast, which is usually how it’s sold in markets and butcher shops. If you wanted to substitute bone-in duck breast, it will most likely take a little bit longer to cook.
• Gochujang: This fermented Korean chili paste is a staple in Korean cuisine and will absolutely transform the glaze for these duck breasts in the best way possible. It’s a bit spicy, funky, packed with deep, umami flavours and a hint of sweetness. It’s not Paleo or Whole30, so feel free to omit it or substitute your favourite chile peppers (fresh or dried) if you’re following either of those protocols.
• Ground Coriander: In addition to salt and pepper, I like to season the duck breasts with a pinch of ground coriander. It adds a bit of earthiness and also pairs really well with the orange juice.
• Coconut Aminos: This is my favourite naturally gluten-free and grain-free soy sauce substitute. It’s not as savoury or salty as soy sauce and it has the addition of being slightly sweet, making it perfect for glazes. As the coconut aminos reduces, the sweetness and savouriness intensifies and concentrates.
• Honey: Adding a bit of honey to the orange gochujang duck breast glaze will help balance the heat from the chile paste and also thicken the sauce as it reduces. If you want to keep this recipe Paleo and Whole30, you can just omit the honey altogether.
• Rice Vinegar: Adding a splash of rice vinegar will help cut through the richness of the fatty duck breast and also bring some of the other ingredients in the glaze to life.
• Ginger and Garlic: A combination of finely grated ginger and garlic add a big pop of flavour to the glaze.
• Whole Grain Mustard : I love the look and texture of grainy mustard in this recipe. If you want a smoother glaze, you can substitute Dijon mustard.
• Grass-Fed Butter: This is optional, but if you want to add a rich and glossy finish to the Orange Gochujang Glaze, stir in some cold butter after the sauce has reduced. This is a French technique called “monté au beurre”, which translates to “mounted with butter.”
• Sesame Oil: The trick to using sesame oil in a sauce like this is to stir it in at the very end with the heat off. This will preserve most of the aroma and flavour of the oil.
• Fresh Chives: To add colour and a very mellow garlicky flavour you can garnish the dish with some finely chopped fresh chives.

How To Make the Quick-Pickled Onions

Making quick-pickled onions at home is a very simple and, you guessed it, quick process! Not only do they add a beautiful and vibrant pop of colour to the dish, the acidity and crunch help balance the richness of the duck and sweetness of the glaze.

• Thinly slice some red onions using a sharp knife or mandolin .
• Add the onions to a tall jar and cover with equal parts rice vinegar and boiling water.
• Season the onions with a pinch of salt and a few whole black peppercorns.
• Loosely cover with a lid and let them sit for 30 minutes or until they become bright pink and slightly crunchy.

The Secret to Perfectly Cooked Duck Breast

Follow these steps to ensure you get perfectly cooked duck breast every single time.

• Use a Thermometer: Going off of look and touch is OK if you’re a seasoned cook, but for best results I recommend using a digital thermometer. You can use a wireless, bluetooth model like this MEATER probe , which will help you track the cooking process from the beginning. Or you can use a digital thermometer that gives you instant readings.
• Score the Skin: Using a sharp knife, score the duck skin in a crosshatch pattern. This helps the fat to render and the skin to crisp up.
• Season the Duck: I like to season the skin side with salt only so that it doesn’t discolour or burn. The meat side can be seasoned with salt, pepper and coriander, or any other spices you would like to use.
• Start In a Cold Pan: This is by far the most important tip! Start with the duck breast in a COLD, dry skillet, skin side-down. Turn the heat to medium and let the pan gradually heat up. This will help render as much fat from the skin as possible while gently cooking the centre.
• Use a Kitchen Weight : You can use a fancy metal chef press , a spare pan or even a heavy duty pyrex to evenly press down the duck breast. This will ensure maximum contact with the pan, resulting in an even browning and rendering of fat across the surface of the duck.
• Flip and Sear: Once the skin is crispy and golden brown, flip the duck breast and sear the other side for a few more minutes. Adjust the heat if needed.
• Finish in the Oven (Optional): If the duck breast is thick or you’re using a bone-in breaset, you can transfer the pan to a preheated oven (375°F) to finish cooking to your desired level of doneness. This is typically for 5-10 minutes.
• Rest and Slice: Allow the duck breast to rest for a few minutes before slicing it. This helps the juices redistribute.

Remember that the cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the duck breast and your desired level of doneness. Use a meat thermometer for accurate and consistent results.

Duck Substitutions

If you’re not the biggest fan of duck, you can substitute any of the following options. Just keep in mind that cooking times will vary depending on the type of protein and thickness.

• Skin-on Chicken Breasts (bone-in or boneless)
• Skin-on Chicken Thighs (bone-in or boneless)
• Pork Chops (bone-in or boneless)
• Your favourite cut of beef steak
• Shrimp (shell-on or removed)
• Salmon (skin-on or skinless)

Equipment You Need to Make Orange Gochujang Duck Breast

• Meat Thermometer
• Cooking Weight
• Sheet Pan + Cooling Rack
• Measuring Bowls

This recipe was created in partnership with Florida Department of Citrus. All opinions expressed here are the author’s alone.

Ingredients  1x 2x 3x

For the quick pickled onions:.

• ▢ 1 large red onion , thinly sliced
• ▢ ½ cup rice vinegar
• ▢ ½ cup boiling water
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

For the Orange Gochujang Duck Breast:

• ▢ 1 cup Florida Orange Juice
• ▢ 2 8- ounce boneless duck breasts
• ▢ Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ▢ ¼ cup coconut aminos
• ▢ 2 tablespoons honey
• ▢ 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• ▢ 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon gochujang , plus more to taste
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic , finely grated
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh ginger , finely grated
• ▢ 1 tablespoon grass-fed butter
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ▢ Steamed jasmine rice , for serving
• ▢ 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives , for garnish

Instructions 

• In a mason jar, combine the onions, vinegar, salt, peppercorns and boiling water. Stir to incorporate, cover loosely and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Once cooled, they can be refrigerated up to 5 days.
• Using a sharp knife, lightly score the fat of each duck breast in a crosshatch pattern making sure not to penetrate the flesh. Evenly season the fat side with salt then flip and season the meat side with salt, ground coriander and pepper. Place the duck, fat-side up, on a sheet pan lined with a wire rack and refrigerate, uncovered, for 4 hours to overnight.
• In a bowl, combine the orange juice, coconut aminos, honey, mustard, vinegar, gochujang, garlic and ginger. Whisk until well combined then set aside.
• Remove the duck breasts from the fridge and pat them dry with paper towel. Transfer the duck to a cold pan, fat-side down, and place it over a medium heat. Weigh the duck breasts down with a kitchen weight or small pot to maintain even contact with the pan and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, around 8 minutes. Flip and cook the other side while basting with the rendered fat, until the thickest part of each breast registers 135F for a medium centre, around 4 more minutes. Transfer the duck to a sheet pan lined with a wire rack and tent with foil to keep warm.
• Pour all of the rendered fat through a sieve into a jar and reserve for future use. Return the pan to a medium heat and pour in the orange gochujang mixture. Cook the sauce, stirring and lifting any brown bits off the bottom off the pan, until it has reduced down by at least 1/2 in volume and can coat the back of a spoon, around 10 minutes. Add the cold butter and stir continuously until emulsified. Turn off the heat, add the sesame oil and stir through to combine. Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as desired.
• Thinly slice the duck breasts and fan them out over a bed of steamed jasmine rice. Spoon the orange gochujang sauce over of the duck and garnish with quick-pickled onions and chives. Serve immediately.

About the Author

Hi, i’m Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.

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Pros: very easy and helpful tips. Cooking duck can be daunting for most so including the scoring of the fat, a cold pan start, putting a heavy pan/object on the duck during the sear are very important that many home cooks may not be aware of. Also cooking down the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon and emulsifying the butter off heat also great advice for the sauce to come out correctly. As far as the taste, it’s great. Love the spice mixed with the orange/honey. Duck was tender and the fat very crisp. The pickled onions worked really well to cut through the richness and the sweet of the duck and the sauce.

Cons: not really any but a few points to consider. The recipe under the title gives a time of 25 minutes. The body of the recipe discusses prepping the duck with salt, pepper and coriander and let rest for 4 hours to overnight. Would add that info into the time component as this pushed my plans out by a day when I read this at 5 pm the night I wanted to make it. I used tamari instead of coconut aminos and too salty. Could add a comment about substituting for soy or tamari and the amount recommended for those that can’t get or don’t use coconut aminos. The recipe lists Gochugang but Gochugang comes in paste and sauce. The video shows that it is paste ( from my viewpoint). Would add that info since sauce and paste are not exactly the same. Lastly, is the cook time. My duck breasts were larger than what was stated in the recipe so I did the sear of 8 minutes and the other side for 4 but they were only at 105 so I put in the oven at 400 for an additional 7 minutes to get to 130-135. In my area, duck breast are always much larger (10-14 oz) and there are no other options. May be the case for many others so adding some oven time for those using larger pieces so they don’t cook the duck to death in a hot pan to get to 135.

Overall, the recipe is very good and a great first recipe for those that want to try to cook a duck dish but are hesitant to do so. I think the helpful tips included are the key to making this dish easy to make and turn out well. Will make again.

Finally, I served this with jasmine rice and seared baby bok choy with a chili garlic sauce. I will double the orange sauce next time as my family loved it on the rice as well and wanted more.

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