Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Gastrique
A French bistro classic: duck breast seared skin-side-down until the skin crackles, then finished in the oven. A quick cherry-vinegar glaze brings sweet-tart richness to the tender, medium-rare meat.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 2 breasts (about 6 oz each) duck breast (magret), skin-on and boneless
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup cherry jam or fresh cherries, pitted and halved
- 1 small shallot shallot, minced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 400°F and wait until the indicator light or beep tells you it is finished preheating, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Remove the duck breasts from the refrigerator and place them skin-side up on a cutting board. Pat the skin dry with paper towels, pressing gently to remove all surface moisture.
- 3
Sprinkle 0.5 teaspoon of salt and 0.25 teaspoon of pepper evenly over the skin of both breasts, then flip them over and sprinkle the remaining salt and pepper on the meat side.
- 4
Mince the shallot until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about pencil-tip-dot size—and set it in a small bowl.
- 5
Place a 12-inch stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium heat and wait 1 minute until the pan is warm. Place the duck breasts skin-side down in the skillet (do not add oil—duck fat will render from the skin).
- 6
Cook skin-side down without moving for 6–7 minutes until the skin turns deep golden brown and the fat beneath the skin renders away, about 2 tablespoons of clear duck fat pooling in the pan.
- 7
Flip both breasts meat-side down and cook for 1 minute over medium heat until the meat side develops a light brown crust.
- 8
Transfer the skillet to the preheated 400°F oven and roast for 7–8 minutes until the internal temperature at the thickest part reads 130°F on a meat thermometer (medium-rare).
- 9
Remove the skillet from the oven using an oven mitt and carefully transfer the duck breasts to a cutting board. Tent them loosely with foil and let them rest for 5 minutes so the juices stay inside when you slice.
- 10
While the duck rests, pour off all but 1 tablespoon of duck fat from the skillet, leaving behind the browned bits on the bottom. Place the skillet over medium heat on the stovetop.
- 11
Add the minced shallot to the hot skillet and stir once every 10 seconds for 1 minute until the shallot softens and smells fragrant, then pour in 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar.
- 12
Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown stuck-on bits from the bottom and sides of the skillet, stirring constantly for 30 seconds until the vinegar smells sharp and slightly caramelized.
- 13
Add 0.25 cup of cherry jam (or fresh cherries) and the 2 thyme sprigs to the skillet and stir once every 5 seconds for 2–3 minutes until the mixture turns glossy and syrupy and the fruit softens.
- 14
Remove and discard the thyme sprigs, then taste the gastrique and add a pinch more salt if needed.
- 15
Slice each duck breast diagonally against the grain into 0.5-inch-thick slices, cutting from the thick end toward the thin tip, then arrange the slices on two dinner plates.
- 16
Spoon the warm cherry gastrique and any pan juices over and around the duck slices, dividing evenly between the two plates.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch stainless steel or cast-iron skillet
- cutting board
- paper towels
- meat thermometer
- oven mitt
- foil
- small bowl
- wooden spoon
- knife for slicing
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