How to Cook Crispy Skin Duck Breast Recipe
This recipe shows how to cook a perfectly crispy skin duck breast with tender, flavorful meat inside. Using a combination of stovetop cooking to render and crisp the skin and finishing in the oven ensures the duck breast is cooked evenly with a golden, crunchy exterior. The method requires minimal seasoning and no added oil as the duck fat is rendered naturally, resulting in a rich, indulgent dish perfect for a special meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 19 minutes
- Total Time: 29 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop and Oven Baking
- Cuisine: Western
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 duck breast, boneless, skin on
- 1/8 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt
- Pinch white pepper (substitute finely ground black pepper if unavailable)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). This ensures your duck finishes cooking evenly after stovetop searing.
- Prepare Duck Breast: Sprinkle half the salt and pepper on the flesh side of the duck breast. Turn the breast over and use a sharp knife to score 5 or 6 diagonal cuts into the skin, being careful not to pierce the flesh or cut through the edges. Pat the skin dry with paper towels and season the skin side with the remaining salt and pepper.
- Start Cooking in a Cold Pan: Place an oven-proof pan on the stove but do not turn on the heat yet. Place the duck breast skin side down in the cold pan—no oil is needed as the duck fat will render. To keep the skin flat against the pan, place another pan or heavy object on top to weigh it down.
- Cook Skin on Medium-Low Heat: Turn the stove on to medium-low heat and cook the duck for 10 minutes or until the skin is golden brown and crispy, allowing the fat to melt out naturally from the skin.
- Flip and Oven Finish: Flip the duck breast and cook the flesh side for 1 minute on the stovetop. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Cook for 6 minutes for medium-rare doneness (internal temperature 54°C/130°F) or 8 minutes for medium (60°C/140°F), depending on your preferred level of doneness.
- Rest Before Serving: Transfer the duck breast to a rack or plate and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. This step lets the juices redistribute for a juicier bite. Serve the duck breast whole or sliced as desired.
Notes
- Ensure the duck skin is thoroughly dried before scoring for maximum crispiness.
- Scoring should not cut through the skin edges to keep the breast intact while rendering fat.
- Weighing the duck down helps keep the skin flat for even crisping.
- Cooking on medium-low heat is crucial to slowly render the fat and prevent burning the skin.
- Use a meat thermometer for perfect doneness.
Keywords: duck breast, crispy duck skin, duck recipe, stovetop duck, oven-finished duck, quick duck breast
