This duck breast recipe could be one of the best things we’ve ever cooked, and also one of the simplest. Duck is such a wonderful meat because it is so different, and no doubt because it contains plenty of fat. Locally we can regularly find packages of boneless/skin-on breasts, and we’ve been playing around to find the ultimate way of cooking them. A hot sear renders a good bit of the fat and provides a tantalizing layer of caramelized flavor.
Chris Capell used this recipe when he was featured on Kimberly’s Simply Southern. During the throw down, he added a delicious Orange Finish Sauce while Brian Junkins and Brian Walrath used a marinade with Mediterannean-ish. Click here to watch the video!
- Boneless/Skin-On Duck Breasts
Method 1: Dry rub only:
Method 2: Brian Squared Marinade:
- 1/2 cup EVOO
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Juice from one lemon
- 3-4 minced garlic cloves
- 1 Tbsp Dizzy Pig® Mediterannean-ish
Method 3: Chris Capell’s Orange Finishing Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp orange zest (or clementine zest)
- 1 cup orange juice (fresh if possible)
- 1 Tbsp Chinese oyster sauce (use gluten-free oyster sauce to keep recipe gluten-free)
- A squirt of Sriracha Chile sauce (optional)
- Fire up your grill and preheat for a hot fire, at least 450°F. A charcoal fire is best.
- Wash meat in cold water and pat dry.
- With sharp knife, score the skin through, just to the fat layer, in a crosshatch pattern.
- Flip over (skin down) and apply a generous layer of Tsunami Spin. Other Dizzy Pig rubs would also work Red Eye Express, Dizzy Dust or Shakin the Tree), but Tsunami Spin is a perfect match, and really makes this dish special.
- After the seasoning has set up (5 or 10 minutes) flip over so the skin is up, and shake a lighter even layer of Tsunami Spin.
- When grill is hot, put duck breast on skin down on a clean grate. This is the tricky part. You have to keep a close eye on it as the fat can quickly catch fire and scorch your breast. I watch through the top vent of my cooker, and when I get a flare up I close the vents until the flame goes out. In less than 5 minutes (if your fire is hot enough) you should have developed a nice brown crust with a little bit of char. It makes sense to cook in small batches, 1 or 2 at a time, to reduce flare ups from fat.
- Flip over skin up once you get the brown color you want. Take it as far as you can on the skin side to render out as much fat as possible (watch for flames!) without charring it black. Go a few more minutes on the second side, being careful not to overcook.
- Good duck breast is best served rare to medium rare…we pull it off at 130-135°F internal temp, and usually get a carryover to 140°F during the rest. The hotter you cook, the more the internal temperature will rise after removing from heat.
- Let duck breast rest on a cutting board for five minutes.
- Slice with a very sharp knife against the grain so each slice has a piece of skin and fat (yummy fat).
***To do the recipes that were featured on Kimberly’s Simply Southern, follow these.
To use Brian Squared Marinade – Follow Instruction Steps #1-3, then mix marinade ingredients well and place in a zip lock bag along with the duck for at least 2-4 hours. Then go to Instruction Step #6.
To use Chris Capell’s Orange Finishing Sauce – Follow all instructions, then sauté garlic in oil until golden. Add orange juice and reduce by half. Add oyster sauce and cook until desired thickness. Pour over Duck for a tasty finishing sauce.
