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Maple Glazed Magret de Canard (Duck Breasts)
- Prep time 10 minutes
- Cook time 20 minutes
- Serves 2
Author Notes
A simple and delicious recipe for duck breast, originally from the food blog "Full Fat Diet". The only changes I've made are to adjust the cooking steps to work with 2 smaller breasts in place of one larger one, since I never know what I'll be able to find when I'm shopping for duck breast.
The website sent offline in 2019. The original recipe can be found via the Internet Archive using the URL http://www.fullfatdiet.com/recipe/maple-glazed-magret-de-canard-duck-breasts/ —NOYB
What You'll Need
Ingredients
-
1 pound
duck breast (either one large one, or two smaller ones)
-
2 pinches
salt
-
2 pinches
pepper
-
1/4 cup
high-quality maple syrup
-
1/2 tablespoon
soy sauce
-
1/2 tablespoon
sweetened soy sauce (or add 1/4 tbsp sugar to 1/2 tbsp regular soy)
-
1 tablespoon
balsamic vinegar
Directions
- Trim the duck breast(s) so that the fat is even with the meat all the way around. No extra fat should be hanging over the meat.
- Using a sharp blade, score the fat in diagonal lines in one direction, then rotate 90 degrees and score the fat in the other direction to create a cross-hatch pattern. Be sure not to cut into the meat, just into the fat layer. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- If you are working with one large breast, pre-heat your oven to 400F. If you are working with two small breasts, you will finish them on the stovetop.
- Place the duck breast(s), skin side down, in a cold (oven-safe) pan over medium heat. As the fat renders, use a spoon to remove the excess (strain it through cheesecloth and save it; never let duck fat go to waste). Render until the skin is crispy and a dark golden brown. This may take 10-15 minutes.
- While the duck breasts are rendering, mix the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and sweet soy sauce in a small bowl. If you are adding sugar to regular soy sauce, warm the sauce slightly in the microwave (~30 seconds) to help dissolve the sugar.
- Flip the breast(s) over and cook for a minute or so. Then pour the sauce over the top.
- If you are working with one large breast, move the pan to the pre-heated oven and cook for another 6-7 minutes. With two small breasts, an additional 2-3 minutes on the stovetop should suffice. Cook to an internal temperature of 120-130F, depending on how rare you like your duck.
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