Pan-Seared Duck Breasts With Orange-Thyme Sauce
Recipe: #22497
January 12, 2016
Categories: Duck, Romantic Dinner, Sunday Dinner, Oven Roast, Gluten-Free, High Protein, Low Carbohydrate, Low Fat, No Eggs, Alcohol, Spices, Herbs, more
"These get a crispy skin from the searing and are finished in the oven. Unlike chicken, duck breasts can be served medium-rare. This works best with a well-seasoned cast iron skillet."
Ingredients
Nutritional
- Serving Size: 1 (287.4 g)
- Calories 375.6
- Total Fat - 9.2 g
- Saturated Fat - 3.3 g
- Cholesterol - 332 mg
- Sodium - 1524.7 mg
- Total Carbohydrate - 6.3 g
- Dietary Fiber - 1.8 g
- Sugars - 3.3 g
- Protein - 63.4 g
- Calcium - 73.9 mg
- Iron - 11.2 mg
- Vitamin C - 12.8 mg
- Thiamin - 0 mg
Step by Step Method
TO PREPARE THE RUB
Step 1
Combine salt through lemon zest in a coffee or spice grinder (or mortar and pestle) and grind until smooth.
Step 2
Position oven rack in center of oven and preheat to 425F.
Step 3
Rinse duck breasts and pat dry. Trim any extra skin from meat side of breast, leaving a 1/4-inch overhang on edges. Pull the tendon out of the breast, if needed. With a sharp knife, score the skin in a crosshatch patter, making 6 to 8 cuts 1/2-inch deep, in both directions. be careful not to cut into the meat. Coat both sides of breasts with spice rub mix.
Step 4
Heat a 10 or 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat for 3 minutes. Add breasts skin side down and sear for 5 minutes. The skin should be crsip and golden brown.
Step 5
Reduce heat to medium-low and turn breasts over. Cook for 2 minutes and then place skillet in oven. Roast duck until desired doneness (6-7 minutes for medium-rare. Don not cook too long or meat will be tough.) Transfer duck to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
TO PREPARE THE SAUCE
Step 6
Discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat from skillet and place skillet on medium-high heat. Add sherry, vinegar and orange juice, scraping up the browned bits and stirring them into the sauce. Boil until slightly reduced.
Step 7
Add broth, honey and thyme and gently boil until slightly reduced again, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and whisk in butter.
Step 8
Slice breasts 1/4-inch thick at a 45-degree angle. Serve on warm plates and spoon about 3 tablespoons of sauce over each serving.
Tips
No special items needed.