Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Sauce
Crispy-skinned duck with a sweet and tangy cherry sauce. This sounds fancy but the technique is straightforward — I promise.
Main Dish · Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min · Serves 2 · Medium · By Tina · Published
Ingredients
- 2 duck breasts, about 200g each
- 200 g cherries, pitted, fresh or frozen
- 100 ml red wine
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 20 g butter
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- salt, generous
black pepper
Duck breast sounds intimidating but here is a secret: it is actually easier to cook than chicken breast. You cannot overcook it the same way because all that fat keeps it moist. And the skin? Score it, start it cold, render the fat slowly — and you get the crispiest, most satisfying skin in the game.
The cherry sauce is the perfect companion — sweet cherries, a splash of red wine, a touch of balsamic, reduced until syrupy. The sweetness balances the rich, gamey duck beautifully.
This is my dinner party showstopper. People lose their minds over it and I never tell them how easy it actually is.
Pro Tips
- Score the skin in a crosshatch pattern. Cut through the fat but not into the meat.
- Start the duck skin-side down in a COLD pan. Turn on medium heat. The fat renders slowly and you get impossibly crispy skin.
- Cook to medium-rare (57C/135F internal). Duck breast is meant to be pink.
- Rest for 5 minutes, then slice on a bias. Fanning the slices on the plate is the restaurant move.
Serving
Slice and fan on the plate, spoon the cherry sauce over and around. Serve with mashed potatoes or roasted root vegetables.
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