Most people are used to roasting duck whole, but you can easily cook the breast alone. If you don't want to mess with more than one pot, brown the duck breast in a hot pan to seal the juices inside the meat, then transfer the pan to the oven to finish cooking. If you want to find dinner ready at the end of the day, slice the duck breast and place it in the slow cooker with onion, barbecue sauce and bell pepper. Let it cook until it reaches a soft consistency and an inviting appearance. If you want to add a smoky note to the meat, marinate it, wrap it in bacon and cook it on the barbecue.
Ingrediants
Roasted Duck Breast
- 2 duck breasts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of extra virgin olive oil
For 2 people
Slow Cooked Sweet and Sour Duck Breast
- 4 duck breasts
- 1 liter of barbecue sauce
- 550g of canned pineapple
- 1 green pepper, cut into slices
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
For 6 people
Duck Breast Wrapped in Grilled Bacon
- 2 duck breasts
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 120 ml of red wine
- 60 ml of extra virgin olive oil
- 450 g of smoked bacon
For 3-4 people
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Roasted Duck Breast
Step 1. Salt the duck breasts and leave them at room temperature
Take them out of the fridge, sprinkle them with salt and leave them at room temperature for 20-40 minutes.
Use about 1/4 teaspoon (1-2g) of salt for every 500g of meat
Step 2. Preheat the oven to 190 ° C and make checkerboard incisions on the skin of the duck
Dab the meat with kitchen paper to dry it, then take a sharp knife and make cuts in the skin of the duck every 2 inches or so. Be careful to cut only the skin and not the underlying flesh.
- Cutting the skin will help melt the fat while cooking the duck breasts. This way, the skin will become crunchy and delicious to eat.
- If you plan to cook a wild duck, cutting the brisket is unnecessary as it will not be as fat as that of farm animals.
Step 3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat
Take a pan that can be used both on the stove and in the oven and heat it over medium-high heat. Pour in 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of extra virgin olive oil and let it heat on the stove for about 1 minute.
It is important that the oil is hot when you put the duck breasts in the pan to prevent the meat from losing its juices. In this way, it will seal while remaining soft
Step 4. Brown the duck breasts for 8 minutes
Sprinkle them with pepper before putting them in the pan, then cook them over medium-high heat without moving or turning them. After 4 minutes, flip them over using the kitchen tongs and let them cook for the same amount of time on the other side as well.
At this point, the outside of the duck breasts should be golden and crisp, but the meat is not yet fully cooked
Step 5. Place the pan in the oven and let the duck breasts cook for another 15 minutes
Turn off the heat and transfer the duck breasts to the preheated oven. They have to cook until they reach the internal temperature of 74 ° C; it will take approximately 15 minutes.
There is no need to turn the duck breasts halfway through cooking in the oven
Step 6. Serve the roasted duck breasts
Remove the pan from the oven and let the duck breasts rest on the kitchen cutting board for 5 minutes before cutting them. Serve them with a simple reduction and accompany it with baked vegetables or mashed potatoes.
If the meat is left over, you can transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for a couple of days
Method 2 of 3: Slow Cooked Sweet and Sour Duck Breast
Step 1. Cut the duck breasts into slices about 1 centimeter thick
Remove 4 duck breasts from the refrigerator and place them on the kitchen cutting board. Cut them into slices just over 1 centimeter thick, then place them directly into the slow cooker (or 'slow cooker').
Slice the meat away from the fibers to make it softer
Step 2. Put the sauce, pineapple, bell pepper, onion and garlic into the slow cooker
Pour 1 liter of barbecue sauce directly over the duck breasts. Add 550 g of chopped pineapple in syrup with half the juice from the can, a sliced green pepper, a chopped onion and 4 finely chopped garlic cloves.
- If you want the smoky flavor of the barbecue sauce to dominate, avoid adding canned pineapple and green pepper. Add half a teaspoon (2.5ml) of liquid smoke and one tablespoon (15ml) of molasses.
- If you like, you can replace the barbecue sauce with teriyaki sauce and add more soy sauce to taste.
Step 3. Set the cooking mode "low" and turn on the pot
The duck breasts will need to cook for 8-9 hours. Before closing the pot, mix the ingredients thoroughly to distribute the sauce over the meat. Set the cooking mode "low" and cook the duck breasts until they are soft and cooked in the center as well. Start checking after letting them cook for at least 8 hours.
If you decide to use the "high" cooking mode, start checking the meat after 4 hours
Step 4. Serve the duck breasts accompanied by the rice
Turn off the pot and transfer the meat and sauce to a bed of steamed rice. If you prefer, you can accompany them with simple toast or mashed potatoes.
If the meat is left over, you can transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Over time the flavors will become more intense
Method 3 of 3: Grilled Bacon Wrapped Duck Breast
Step 1. Combine the rosemary, thyme, garlic, red wine and olive oil in a bowl
To prepare a simple but very aromatic marinade, remove the leaves from 1 sprig of rosemary and 4 sprigs of thyme. Put the herbs in a bowl and mix them with 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 120 ml of red wine and 60 ml of extra virgin olive oil.
If you love spicy foods, you can also add chopped chili
Step 2. Leave the duck breasts to marinate for 2 to 4 hours
Place them in the bowl with the marinade and turn them over so that they are coated with the aromas. Cover the bowl with cling film and put the meat to marinate in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours (up to a maximum of 4 hours).
- The longer they are immersed in the marinade, the tastier they will be.
- If you like simple flavors, you can skip marinating duck breasts and cooking them directly.
Step 3. Heat the gas or charcoal barbecue
Duck breasts should be cooked over medium heat. If you're using a gas barbecue, set the burners to medium. If you're using a charcoal barbecue, fill the firebox with charcoal and light it. When the charcoal is hot and covered with a thin layer of ash, pour it into the bottom of the barbecue.
By medium heat we mean that the temperature must be around 175 ° C
Step 4. Bring the duck breasts to room temperature and wrap them in bacon
If you are marinating the meat, take it out of the refrigerator, let it drain, and place it on the cutting board. Leave it at room temperature for 20-40 minutes to cool and, in the meantime, make 450g of smoked bacon. When the duck breasts have come to room temperature, wrap them completely with the bacon.
- If you intend to serve small portions of meat as an appetizer, cut the duck breasts into 2cm pieces and wrap them in bacon. Secure them with a toothpick as if they were rolls and cook them on the barbecue for 10-15 minutes.
- If the bacon starts to unwind, add an extra couple of toothpicks.
Step 5. Place the duck breasts on the barbecue and cook for 8-10 minutes
Arrange the bacon-wrapped meat on the grill so that each morsel has at least an inch of free space around it. Close the lid of the barbecue and cook the duck for 8-10 minutes, taking care to turn it with the tongs halfway through cooking.
- Cook the morsels for 4-5 minutes on each side before turning them.
- If the bacon is cooking too quickly, move the morsels to a part of the grill where the temperature is lower.
Step 6. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving
Transfer the grilled duck morsels to the cutting board and cover them with aluminum foil without sealing them. Let them rest for 5 minutes and then cut them into slices. Serve the duck with a side dish of your choice, for example with a salad or baked potatoes.
If the meat is left over, you can transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Keep in mind that, over time, bacon will lose its original texture and gradually become softer and softer
Advice
- Let the meat sit for 2-4 hours in your favorite marinade before cooking.
- If you decide to cook duck breasts in a pan, you can season them to taste with herbs. For example, you can use a couple of sprigs of thyme or fresh rosemary to flavor the oil before cooking the meat.
