Brined Duck Breast Recipes

MIGHTY DUCK

Steps:

• Combine all brine ingredients in a plastic container with a lid. Place the lid on the container and shake to dissolve the salt.
• Remove the pop-up thermometer, liver, gizzards, and heart. Cut off the wings.
• Using kitchen shears, locate the spine at the base of the neck. Cut up the line of the backbone towards the neck cavity. Turn the duck and cut straight towards the rear cavity. Remove the backbone.
• Turn the duck over and cut straight down the middle of the breast bone, leaving 2 equal duck halves. To separate the legs from the breast, flip your halves over so the flesh side is facing up at you. Using a knife, make a crescent shape cut between the leg and the breast. Lay your knife flat against the skin and make 3 marks in one direction and then in the other, making an X. Make sure that you are cutting through the skin and not the meat.
• Line the inside of a plastic lexan or a pot with a zip-top bag. Place the duck quarters inside the bag, and pour the brine over the duck. Seal the bag, ensuring that all air is removed from the bag. Brine the duck for 2 to 2 1/2 hours in the refrigerator.
• Bring 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches of water to a boil in a large pot. Place a colander into the pot and line the sides of the colander with the duck. Do not stack the duck quarters on each other. Cover and turn the heat to medium low. Steam the duck for 45 minutes. Set oven to 475 degrees F. Place a large cast iron skillet into the oven.
• Remove duck pieces from steamer and place legs, skin side down, into the hot skillet. Place the skillet into the hot oven immediately and cook the leg quarters for 10 minutes. Add the breasts, skin side down, and cook for 7 more minutes or until the duck takes on a deep mahogany color and the skin is very crisp.
• Remove the duck from the skillet and rest under foil. Add the chard and the shallots to the skillet. Toss the chard in the fat until it barely wilts. Season with the sherry or balsamic vinegar.
• Serve the duck with the chard.

PAN FRIED DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Score each duck breast's skin with a sharp knife, ensuring not to cut into the meat.
• Season generously with salt and leave the duck breasts to stand for 15 minutes. Pat both sides dry with a paper towel.
• Place the duck breasts skin side down in a cold frying pan and switch on the heat to a medium-high setting.
• Wait. Leave the duck undisturbed for around 3-5 minutes (depending on size of breasts) and watch as the fat melts, which lubricates the meat. Using a spatula or tongs, you can press down on the meat side to ensure the skin is evenly cooked.
• Flip the breasts over and cook for 3-4 minutes, all depending on how well you like your duck cooked.
• We advise medium-rare pink. If the duck is thicker on one side, tip the breasts onto the thick sides and allow to cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
• Serve with your choice of vegetables and accompanying sauce. I suggest dauphinoise potatoes, steamed broccoli and orange sauce. Enjoy!

DUCK BREAST MARINATED IN BUTTERMILK & SAGE ON BROWN RICE STU

Steps:

• The Marinade.
• Wash and dry duck breasts, score fat side of breasts, diagonally into diamonds, barely through to the meat.
• Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Place in a ziplock plastic bag, add buttermilk, sage and balsamic vinegar.
• Squeeze air out of bag and seal.
• Massage bag to distribute marinade around duck breasts.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• The Stuffing:.
• The stuffing can be made ahead and reheated when needed.
• I reheated it in the microwave.
• Remove duck breasts from marinade and set aside, reserving 1/4 cup marinade, discard the rest.
• Heat olive oil in large nonstick frypan.
• Add shallots, red pepper and garlic, sauté for 2 minutes.
• Add brown basmati rice and salt; stir to coat, cook for 2 minutes.
• Add wine and deglaze pan, add chicken stock and reserved marinade.
• Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer for 45 minutes, no peeking or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed; set aside.
• The Breasts:.
• Heat butter and olive oil in a large nonstick frypan.
• Dry excess marinade off breasts.
• Place marinated duck breasts skin/fat side down; on medium high heat, brown until skin/fat is well browned, about 20 minutes, turn and cook to rare or medium rare, about 10 minutes.
• Remove to a platter and keep warm.
• Drain fat from frypan, add the wine and deglaze the pan, slowly add the buttermilk, while stirring, add the balsamic vinegar.
• Add the sour cherries, bring to boil, on medium high heat simmer until reduced and thickened by about half, about 15 minutes.
• To Plate & Garnish:.
• Reheat stuffing if necessary.
• Place 1/2 cup stuffing in the centre of each of two plates.
• Slice duck breasts into about 4 slices and place attractively against stuffing, skin side up, on each plate.
• Drizzle the sour cherry reduction over and around the stuffing and duck breasts, including some of the cherries.
• Sprinkle half of the toasted almonds over all on each plate and garnish each plate with half the sage leaf strips.
• Serve at once.
• (To reconstitute dried cherries if using, place in 2 cups water and bring to boil, simmer until cherries plump up, drain and use as fresh).