Maple Rhubarb Glazed Duck Breast

It’s nearly rhubarb season, and we had some squirreled away in our freezer from the harvest my wife’s grandpa gave us last spring…so we figured we’d cook some in anticipation. Mixed with the maple syrup for the glaze, we ended up with a delightful mix of bitter and sweet as well as a nice balance of spring and fall flavours.

We served this with Roasted Cauliflower Wedges, but it would also pair very nicely with Mashed Celery Root or mashed potatoes. If you’re a big rhubarb fan, we suggest going “all in” and serving this with our Rhubarb Risotto.

Also, if you prefer to purchase a whole duck rather than butchered duck breast to save money and get other cuts of meat as an added bonus, check out our post on How to Break Down a Whole Duck.

Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients:

• For the Glaze:
  • Water
  • Rhubarb Stalks
  • Maple Syrup
• Duck Breast
• Salt

Method:

• Cut your rhubarb into chunks, and add it to a pot. Pour in some water so that the rhubarb is just barely submerged, and bring to a boil.
• While your rhubarb cooks, cut crosshatches in your duck skin (being careful not to cut into the meat) so that fat can render as you cook. Then, give the top and bottom of your duck breast a little salt sprinkle, and set aside.
• When your rhubarb has broken down nicely, hit it with an immersion blender to puree (can always use a food processor/Ninja/Blender if you haven’t got an immersion blender…but immersion is the easiest for convenience and cleanup).
• Add your maple syrup to the pot, and simmer over low heat so that everything cooks down to a nice thick glaze. Stir intermittently, and adjust temperature as needed to prevent burning.
• After you add your syrup to the pot, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
• When your glaze has reduced a little, but is still thin, heat a cast iron pan up. When it’s hot, add your duck, skin side down, and cook for about 7-8 minutes.
• When the skin is nice and golden brown and has rendered a bit, flip, and cook for another minute or two with the skin facing upward
• Transfer to your oven, and roast for about 15-20 minutes. When your meat registers 165-170 degrees F, you’re good to go. That will give you a “well done” duck breast per FDA guidance. Up to you if you want to cook more or less. As a note, ours was well done and very tender.
• When your duck is cooked to your desired level, remove from the oven, and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
• Keep stirring your glaze (which should be just about ready) while your duck sits.
• Slice into your duck, plate, top with your glaze, devour, and enjoy!