Duck Delights: Perfect Pan-Seared Pairings

Pan-seared duck is a versatile dish that can be served with a variety of sides and sauces to enhance its flavour and texture. The key to a successful pairing lies in complementing the rich, fatty nature of the duck without overwhelming its delicate taste.

When it comes to wine, a Pinot Noir or a Gewurztraminer are ideal choices for red and white wine lovers, respectively. These wines can stand up to the duck's strong flavour and cut through its fat. For those who prefer a heartier red, a Ruby Port or Banyuls wine serves as an excellent pairing, with their sweet-sharp syrup flavours.

In terms of side dishes, pan-seared duck goes well with bright vegetables or lighter pasta sides. Some specific examples include sautéed green beans with garlicky mushrooms, yogurt and dill green beans, watercress and mandarin orange salad, or a simple caprese salad. If you're looking for something more substantial, a wild rice blend or roasted potatoes are good options.

For those who want to let the duck take centre stage, a simple green salad with a shallot vinaigrette is a perfect complement. This allows the flavour of the duck to shine through while still providing a refreshing contrast.

Pan-seared duck breast with orange pan sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 duck breasts, 4 to 5 ounces (112 to 140g) each
• 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; 60g)
• 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)

Method:

• With a sharp knife, gently score the 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 the duck breasts with salt, heavily on the skin side and lightly on the flesh side.
• Place the duck breasts, skin side down, in a large, cold sauté pan. Place the pan over low to medium-low heat. To keep the edges from curling up, press the 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 the heat accordingly. Maintain the gentle bubble of fat, pouring out excess rendered fat throughout the cooking process, until much of the fat has rendered, the skin is golden brown, and the duck's internal temperature is 125°F (52°C), about 15 minutes.
• Increase the heat to medium and further brown the skin if needed, about 1 minute, before flipping and cooking on the flesh side. For medium-rare meat, cook until the breast registers 130°F (54°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 to 2 minutes. Continue cooking until the duck registers 140°F (60°C) for medium or 155°F (68°F) for well-done. Remove the duck from the pan and set it aside to rest.
• For the pan sauce: Over high heat, deglaze the sauté pan with white wine. Scrape up any brown bits stuck to the pan and let the wine reduce until the pan is almost dry and only 1 to 2 tablespoons remain, about 2 minutes.
• Add the chicken stock and let it reduce by half, until the sauce is sticky and rich, about 2 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and swirl in the butter until melted and evenly incorporated. Season the sauce with orange zest and juice, salt, and black pepper. Serve with the duck breast.

Tips:

• 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.
• 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 it 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.

Pan-seared duck breast with red wine reduction sauce

Ingredients

• 4 duck breasts
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 small shallot, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, sliced or minced
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp salted butter
• Red wine

Method

• Remove the duck from the fridge 10 minutes before cooking. Wash and pat dry.
• Score the skin and fat. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Place the duck, skin-side down, in a cold pan. Turn the heat to medium-low.
• After about 10 minutes, you should hear gentle bubbling from the fat. If the fat is jumping around or spitting, turn the heat down.
• Pour out the fat as it accumulates in the pan.
• After about 10-15 minutes, the fat will be mostly rendered away, and the skin will be a crispy brown.
• Pour out a bit more fat and flip the duck over to the flesh side. Raise the heat to medium.
• Cook for about 5 more minutes for rare, 7-10 more minutes for medium-rare, or longer if you want it well-done.
• Remove the duck from the heat and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving or slicing.

Red Wine Reduction Sauce

• Chop the shallot and garlic.
• Once the duck is removed from the pan, add the aromatics to the remaining duck fat. There should be no more than 2 tbsp of fat in the pan.
• Let the aromatics cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add in the wine to deglaze the pan. Cook for 1 minute.
• Add in the balsamic vinegar and butter. Stir well.
• Let the sauce simmer over medium heat until it reduces by half (about 5 minutes).
• Pour the sauce over the duck slices and serve.

Pan-seared duck breast with port wine sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 Magret duck breasts (about 1 lb each)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Flaky sea salt for serving
• 2 large garlic cloves, halved
• 1/4 cup sour cherry jam (or fresh pitted cherries)
• 3 large sprigs of thyme
• 1/2 cup port wine (or red wine)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (low-sodium)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Method:

• The day before: Score the skin of the duck breasts in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. Place the duck breasts on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for 8-12 hours, or up to 3 days. This helps to dry out the skin, giving you the crispiest duck skin possible!
• Bring the duck breasts to room temperature: About 30 minutes before cooking, take the duck breasts out of the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Season the duck: Season the duck on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
• Cook the duck breasts: Heat a small amount of canola oil (or other high smoke point oil) in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the duck breasts, skin-side down, and cook undisturbed for 5-8 minutes, or until the fat has rendered. You'll know the duck is ready to flip when it easily pulls away from the pan, the fat has shrunk significantly, and the skin is crispy and golden brown.
• Flip the duck: Gently turn the duck breasts over, being careful not to puncture the skin. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and cook for 5-7 minutes (Pekin duck will only take an additional 3-5 minutes). Check the temperature to ensure the desired doneness is reached. For medium-rare, look for an internal temperature of 135°F.
• Rest the duck breasts: Allow the duck breasts to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
• Make the port wine sauce: Sauté the garlic, cherry jam, and thyme in a saucepan with a little olive oil for about 1-2 minutes over medium-high heat. Pour in the port (or red wine) and chicken stock, then bring to a boil and reduce by half. Turn off the heat, add the butter, then swirl the pan until the butter gently melts.
• Serve: Slice the duck into 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick pieces on a diagonal, then serve with the pan sauce spooned on top (or served on the side). Don't forget to sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt!

Tips:

• Magret duck breasts are larger, stronger in flavor, and have a much thicker layer of fat than Pekin duck breasts.
• Refrigerating the duck breasts uncovered helps to dry out the skin, which is key to achieving crispy skin.
• When ready to cook, allow the duck to sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes.
• Use a meat thermometer to ensure the duck is cooked to your desired doneness. Duck breast is medium-rare when an internal temperature of 130°F is reached.
• Don't discard the rendered duck fat! Store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator and use it in any savory recipe that calls for olive oil.

Pan-seared duck breast with a Nordic beer sauce

Pan-seared duck breast is a versatile dish that can be served with a variety of sides and sauces to enhance its flavour. A Nordic beer sauce is an interesting choice to pair with pan-seared duck breast, and here is a suggested recipe and some tips to achieve a delicious result.

Preparing the Duck Breast

Scoring the skin of the duck breast is an important first step. This helps increase the surface area of the fat, allowing it to render off more efficiently during cooking. Use a sharp knife to create a crosshatch pattern on the skin, being careful not to cut too deeply and expose the meat. This step will ensure that you end up with crispy skin and juicy meat.

After scoring, season the duck breast with salt and pepper, applying more salt to the skin side and less to the flesh side. This step is crucial as it enhances the flavour of the duck.

Pan-Searing the Duck Breast

Place the duck breast, skin side down, in a cold pan. Turn the heat to medium-low and let the duck slowly come up to temperature. This method ensures that the fat renders out gradually, resulting in tender meat and crispy skin. Listen for a gentle bubbling sound from the fat, which indicates that the pan temperature is just right. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain this gentle bubble.

Pour out the excess rendered fat as it accumulates in the pan to prevent the duck from becoming too greasy. After about 10-15 minutes, the fat should be mostly rendered, and the skin should be crispy and golden brown. At this point, you can flip the duck over and cook the flesh side for an additional 5-10 minutes, depending on your desired doneness.

Remove the duck from the heat and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute and ensures a juicy, tender duck breast.

Creating the Nordic Beer Sauce

Now, let's move on to the Nordic beer sauce. Here's a simple recipe to follow:

Ingredients:

• Nordic beer of your choice (preferably a dark or robust beer)
• Butter
• Shallots
• Garlic
• Fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Start by chopping the shallots and garlic. You can adjust the amount of these ingredients to your taste preferences.
• Melt some butter in a separate pan over medium heat.
• Add the chopped shallots and garlic to the melted butter and sauté for a few minutes until they become fragrant and slightly softened.
• Pour in the Nordic beer and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
• Add the fresh thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Reduce the sauce until it reaches your desired consistency. You can simmer it for a longer or shorter time depending on how thick you want the sauce to be.
• Once the sauce has reduced, remove it from the heat and keep it warm until you are ready to serve.

Plating and Serving

Slice the duck breast against the grain to ensure tenderness. Arrange the slices on a plate and drizzle the Nordic beer sauce over the top. You can also add some fresh thyme sprigs for garnish.

As for side dishes, consider serving the duck with roasted potatoes, sautéed green beans, or a light salad. This dish pairs well with a variety of wines, such as Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, or Grüner Veltliner.

Enjoy your delicious creation of pan-seared duck breast with a Nordic beer sauce!

Pan-seared duck breast with a simple green salad

Ingredients:

• 2 duck breasts (boneless, skin-on)
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• A simple green salad (e.g. mâche or watercress) with a shallot vinaigrette

Method:

• Remove the duck breasts from the fridge about an hour before cooking.
• Using a sharp knife, gently score the skin in a tight but shallow diamond pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. This will help render the fat and ensure a crispy skin while leaving some tasty fat on the duck.
• Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. For a subtle garlic flavour, season the flesh side with garlic powder as well.
• Place the duck breasts, skin-side down, in a large, cold skillet (preferably cast-iron). There is no need to add oil to the pan as the duck will release plenty of fat during cooking.
• Place a heavy, smaller skillet on top to prevent the edges from curling and ensure the skin has full contact with the pan.
• Heat the pan over medium-low heat. After about 5 minutes, the fat should begin to render and gently bubble. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain this gentle bubble—too hot and the fat will splatter, too cold and it will go silent.
• Cook the duck breasts for about 15 minutes, pouring out the excess rendered fat 2-3 times throughout.
• Flip the duck breasts and cook the flesh side for 2 minutes, then cook each edge for about 30 seconds.
• Check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. For medium-rare, it should be 130°F, and for medium, it should be 140°F.
• Remove the duck from the pan and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving with the simple green salad.

Tips:

• For a wine pairing, consider a Pinot Noir (red wine) or a Gewurztraminer or Grüner Veltliner (white wine).
• If you prefer your duck with a sauce, you can make a simple pan sauce while the duck is resting. Pour out the remaining fat from the skillet, add 1/4 cup of wine (or chicken broth with a teaspoon of red wine vinegar), increase the heat to medium, and use this to deglaze the pan. Add a minced garlic clove, 2 tablespoons of butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, whisking, until the sauce thickens slightly.
• To ensure a crispy skin, you can do the initial preparations (scoring and seasoning) the night before and let the duck rest uncovered in the fridge. This will draw out moisture and improve the texture and taste.

Frequently asked questions