While on vacation over the holidays, my wife and I cooked some Duck Breast for dinner after a long hike. For her, I made Pesto Duck Breast, and I went with a different preparation for myself. I remembered back to a Duck Tikka Masala I had on a business trip in Boston a few years ago, and since it was phenomenal, I decided to try going with an Indian flavour profile for my duck. Keeping it simple, I ended up seasoning the skin with Garam Masala and then searing it to make it crispy before finishing the duck in the oven. The flavour was subtle, but it worked very well.
We served our duck with a baked potato and Roasted Asparagus. However, it would also be great over Riced Cauliflower Biryani or alongside Baked Veggie Samosas.
Time: 15 Minutes
Ingredients:
- Duck Breast
- Garam Masala or Curry Powder. We used Garam Masala.
- Salt
Method:
- About 30-40 minutes before you want to start cooking, pull your duck breast out of the fridge, and set it on a cutting board. Give both sides a light salt sprinkle, and let sit so it can warm to room temperature.
- When it’s time to cook, make cross-hatched slices in the skin to allow for rendered fat to drip during cooking. Be careful not to cut through the meat itself.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat a little butter in a cast iron skillet. When it is melted and begins to bubble, add your duck breast so the skin side is facing down against the pan.
- Sear for 6-7 minutes to brown your skin while the fat renders.
- Flip your meat, and sear on the bottom for another 2 minutes. Then, transfer your pan to the oven.
- Roast for 5-10 minutes until your meat reaches your desired internal cooked temperature. We normally target around 150 degrees F, but as a little disclaimer, the FDA suggests 165 degrees F as the safe temperature. Do your research, and make your call.
- When your meat reaches your desired level of doneness, remove it from the oven and then subsequently the pan. Place your duck breast on a cutting board, and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Slice, plate, devour, and enjoy!
