The pan-seared duck breast is a rich and tasty dish perfect for a special dinner for two. The tender and flavorful meat pairs perfectly with a rich and aromatic sauce. With this recipe, in just a few minutes, you will have a juicy and tasty duck breast cooked to your personal taste.
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 246.00 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 0.00 (g) of which sugars 0.00 (g)
- Proteins 39.70 (g)
- Fat 8.50 (g) of which saturated 2.64 (g)of which unsaturated 3.58 (g)
- Fibers 0.00 (g)
- Sodium 695.37 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 200 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 2 people
- 14.11 oz duck breast
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Frying Pan
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
Procedure
To cook the duck breast in a pan, no marinating or special preparations are needed; in just a few minutes, you will have a delicious main course.
First, take a whole breast weighing about 300-400 grams, salt and pepper it on the side without skin. Now put a pan on the stove over high heat and let it heat up, when the pan is at temperature it’s ready to cook the breast.
Cook the breast in the pan on the skin side for 5 minutes; you will see the fat from the skin melt and spread in the pan. After 5 minutes, flip the breast and complete the cooking on the other side.
If the breast is under 400 grams, cook on both sides for another 4 minutes, moistening the surface with the released fat.
If the breast is larger than 400 grams, I recommend extending the above time to avoid having the center too rare. Ideally, cook for 7 minutes per side to be sure.
To prevent the meat from drying out too much, moisten it with its released fat during cooking.
Now the duck is ready; to be sure of the cooking level, I recommend inserting a skewer into the breast; if the liquid that comes out is pink, you can stop cooking.
The perfect duck cooking is rare or pink, but if you want it well-done, extend the cooking for a couple more minutes.
Your pan-seared duck breast is ready!
Plating Tips:
After cooking the duck breast in a pan, I suggest slicing it into 0.4-inch thick slices and serving it with a mustard or balsamic vinegar-based sauce.
Wine Pairing for Pan-Seared Duck Breast:
The pan-seared duck breast pairs perfectly with a structured and full-bodied red wine, like a good Barolo or a Chianti Classico Riserva. The complexity and depth of these wines harmonize with the succulent and rich meat of the pan-seared duck breast.
