Pan Fried Duck Breasts

Author: Marthinus Strydom
Category: Duck

This is the only way to eat duck in my opinion. It’s such a perfectly light meal and the flavors are fantastic. Serve with Duck Fat Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and a green salad.

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200C.
  2. Use a sharp knife to score across the duck breasts through the skin and fat but just barely to the meat. Rub the skin with salt, cayenne and black pepper.
  3. Preheat an ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. Lay the breasts in the pan skin-side down and fry until the skin is brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Discard any excess fat from the bottom of the pan. Turn the breasts over and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Place the pan into the preheated oven and roast until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breasts reach 66C for medium, or until the breasts reach desired doneness.
  5. Remove the duck breasts from the frying pan and cover with aluminium foil. Set aside to rest. Pour off excess fat from the frying pan.
  6. Place the stock, soy sauce, rice wine, ginger, tomato puree, chilli powder, honey and lime juice in the frying pan. Whisk the sauce over high heat, bring to the boil and cook until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Make sure you use low sodium soy as you don't want it to be too salty. Taste the sauce and if needed add a bit more honey. 
  7. Slice the duck breasts thinly, arrange on serving plates, and pour the sauce over the top.

2 duck breast fillets
1 pinch salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
125 ml chicken stock
2 tbsp (6 Teaspoons) honey
2 tbsp (6 Teaspoons) soy sauce (low sodium)
2 tbsp (6 Teaspoons) rice wine (or you can use dry white sherry)
1 tbsp (3 Teaspoons) grated fresh root ginger
1 tsp tomato puree
1 pinch chilli powder
1 tsp lime juice
salt and pepper