Pan Fried Duck Breast - Easy French Recipe | Greedy Gourmet

Q: Which wine best goes with duck?

To really take this dish to another level, you simply have to serve it with wine. Well-cooked food on its own is delightful. Served with a fine wine – well, now we’re talking blissful. A ripe, delicate Pinot Noir would be a fantastic wine pairing with duck breast. With a bright, fruity character, Pinot Noir makes an excellent match for earthy rich flavours like duck, especially when served with an orange sauce (see my recipe above). You could also pair it with a heavy-bodied red such as a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Bordeaux Blend . The richness and fattiness of the duck and the boldness of heavy, fruity reds with high tannins goes together very well indeed. Try these wines with this fantastic Braised Short Ribs recipe too.

Question 1

Why do you need to score the skin?

Accepted Answer

When cooking a duck breast, scoring the breast skin gives you a bigger surface area of fat. This helps it to render away, giving you crispier skin.

Once you’ve rendered the fat, don’t throw it away. Duck fat is an amazing ingredient, especially when used with roast potatoes. In fact, you can use it to cook up some of the roast potatoes recipes at this end of this article.

Question 2

How do you know when pan fried duck breasts are cooked?

Accepted Answer

The easiest way to find out if it is properly cooked is to use the finger test – just press your forefinger on the cooked meat. It should be quite firm but springy.

To be more accurate, use a meat thermometer. Aim for an internal temperature of between 57ºC for medium rare and 74ºC for well-done.

Question 3

Do you need to let duck breasts rest after cooking them?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! It’s important to let all meat rest after you’ve cooked it. This allows it to absorb all the juices and spread them throughout the cut of meat.

If you cut meat before it’s been properly rested, all the juices will spill out onto the chopping board.

Question 4

What’s the best sauce to serve with pan fried duck breasts?

Accepted Answer

Some people will call for a simple jus to serve with duck breasts. Others will opt for a plum sauce.

For me, there’s a clear winner when it comes to serving a sauce with duck. Orange sauce is absolutely to die for when served with duck.

Why not try for yourself? Make this duck breast recipe alongside my easy orange sauce recipe. You won’t be disappointed!

Question 5

What other seasoning can you add to duck breasts?

Accepted Answer

For me, this recipe is all about simplicity. Get yourself a quality duck breast, add a pinch of salt, cook it well and you’ll be in heaven.

Sometimes simplicity is bliss.

However, if you want to bring a little more flavour to the table, feel free. Duck loves sweet and sour, as well as spicy flavours, and there are many ingredients you can add that will bring an extra dimension to the flavour of this dish.

Chinese five-spice powder, cinnamon, fennel and allspice are all spices that will add a really interesting angle to duck breast. If you’re going for that Asian-inspired taste, any of these ingredients would be fantastic. Add a bit of black pepper for good measure.

You could also add that magic ingredient Worcestershire sauce for an extra hit of unami.

Question 6

Is duck healthy?

Accepted Answer

It is absolutely healthy. Okay, so it is a high fat meat. Hence it’s reputation for being unhealthy.

In fact, not only are the fats found in duck the healthy kind, but it is absolutely jam-packed with nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Just a 100g serving of duck contains 20% of your daily value (DV) of vitamin B3, or niacin, which helps to lower cholesterol and keep your nervous system, digestive system and skin healthy.

It also contains 13% of your DV of vitamin B1, or thiamin, an essential vitamin for maintaining a healthy nervous system.

This delicious meat also contains copper, iron, phosphorus and selenium, all very important minerals for maintaining a healthy immune system.

In addition to all this, duck meat contains healthy essential fats like omega-3 and omega-6. Omega-3 helps to regulate blood pressure and maintain a healthy heart, while omega-6 helps to lower cholesterol, maintain a healthy heart and reduce the risk of cancer.

Question 7

Which wine best goes with duck?

Accepted Answer

To really take this dish to another level, you simply have to serve it with wine. Well-cooked food on its own is delightful. Served with a fine wine – well, now we’re talking blissful.

A ripe, delicate Pinot Noir would be a fantastic wine pairing with duck breast. With a bright, fruity character, Pinot Noir makes an excellent match for earthy rich flavours like duck, especially when served with an orange sauce (see my recipe above).

You could also pair it with a heavy-bodied red such as a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Bordeaux Blend. The richness and fattiness of the duck and the boldness of heavy, fruity reds with high tannins goes together very well indeed.

Try these wines with this fantastic Braised Short Ribs recipe too.

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