Best Pan Fried Duckling Recipes

PAN FRIED DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Score each duck breast's skin with a sharp knife, ensuring not to cut into the meat.
• Season generously with salt and leave the duck breasts to stand for 15 minutes. Pat both sides dry with a paper towel.
• Place the duck breasts skin side down in a cold frying pan and switch on the heat to a medium-high setting.
• Wait. Leave the duck undisturbed for around 3-5 minutes (depending on size of breasts) and watch as the fat melts, which lubricates the meat. Using a spatula or tongs, you can press down on the meat side to ensure the skin is evenly cooked.
• Flip the breasts over and cook for 3-4 minutes, all depending on how well you like your duck cooked.
• We advise medium-rare pink. If the duck is thicker on one side, tip the breasts onto the thick sides and allow to cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
• Serve with your choice of vegetables and accompanying sauce. I suggest dauphinoise potatoes, steamed broccoli and orange sauce. Enjoy!

PAN-SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH ORANGE PAN SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• Season duck breasts with salt, heavily on the skin side and lightly on the flesh side.
• Increase heat to medium and further brown skin if needed, about 1 minute, before flipping and cooking on the flesh side. For medium-rare meat, cook until breast registers 130°F (54°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 to 2 minutes. Continue cooking until duck registers 140°F (60°C) for medium or 155°F (68°F) for well-done. Remove duck from pan and set aside to rest.

PAN-SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH BLUEBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl mix together the salt, ground black pepper, thyme, and rosemary; set aside. This will be your spice blend for seasoning the roasted potatoes and the duck breasts.
• Place cubed potatoes into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of your spice blend over the top of the potatoes. Toss the potatoes in the pan until they are evenly coated with oil and seasonings. Spread into a single layer across the bottom of the baking dish and bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven.
• While the potatoes are roasting, stir together the blueberries, water, apple juice, sugar, and jalapeno in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, and simmer until the mixture has reduced to the consistency of syrup, about 10 minutes.
• Cook the pancetta in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove the pancetta to drain on a paper towel, leaving the drippings in the skillet. Add the shallots and the mushrooms to the hot skillet; stir and cook them until soft and just beginning to brown. Remove the shallots and mushrooms and set aside. Increase heat to medium-high and place the bok choy in the hot skillet. Stir and cook the bok choy until the leaves are wilted and the white stalk pieces are tender, about 5 minutes. Return the shallots, mushrooms, and pancetta to the skillet, turn off the heat and set aside.
• Rinse the duck breast halves and pat dry. Rub the remaining spice blend onto both sides of the duck breasts. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat, when the pan is hot put in the vegetable oil and butter. Immediately place the duck breasts in the pan, skin and fat side down. Do not move the duck breasts until the skin is deep brown, about 5 minutes. Turn the breasts and cook until the internal temperature of the thickest part is 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) for well done. Remove the duck from the pan and place on a plate, covered with foil to rest for 5 minutes. While the duck is resting, place the skillet with the bok choy mixture onto a burner over medium heat to warm through.
• Slice each duck breast diagonally into 1/2 inch strips. Divide the bok choy mixture among four plates and drizzle each serving with 1/2 tablespoon of aged balsamic vinegar. Arrange the sliced duck breasts on top of the bok choy mixture; ladle on blueberry sauce. Serve with oven-roasted potatoes on the side.

PAN ROASTED DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• With a sharp knife score the fat of the duck breasts in a criss-cross pattern. Season the duck with salt and pepper. Warm a heavy bottomed ovenproof skillet over medium heat.
• Place the duck breasts, fat side down, in the skillet to render off the fat, about 6 minutes. Reserve rendered duck fat. Turn the duck breasts over and sear for 1 minute. Turn the fat side down again and place the skillet into the oven to roast for 7 to 9 minutes, until breasts are medium rare. Let the duck breasts rest for 5 minutes then thinly slice.
• Grate the potatoes and squeeze out excess liquid using your hands. Toss the potatoes with the melted butter, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of duck fat in a 6-inch cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Press some of the potato mixture into the hot pan to make a 1/4-inch thick cake. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the rosti is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip the rosti in the pan and add more duck fat. Continue cooking until golden and crisp. Place the finished rosti onto an unlined baking sheet and continue cooking the rest of the potato mixture. Reheat rosti in a 400 degree F oven for 10 minutes.
• Combine the brown sugar, raspberry vinegar, red wine vinegar, and white wine vinegar in a medium pot. Place over medium-low heat and stir to dissolve the brown sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the blueberries, onion, green peppercorns, lemon juice, and ginger. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
• The chutney will keep for several weeks stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

JACQUES'S SKILLET DUCK WITH PARSNIPS AND SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Separating the duck:
• Cut off most of the fatty flap of neck skin and reserve. Insert a sharp knife into 1 breast near the shoulder joint and slice - in a semicircle - around the wishbone. Slide your finger in back of wishbone and pry it out.
• To remove the legs, lift the duck by one leg and cut through the skin all around the thigh, including the meaty piece along the backbone, called the "oyster." Grasp the leg at the knee and pull back the thigh, to expose the joint. Cut through it and pull the leg off the carcass in 1 piece. Repeat to remove the other leg. Cut the drumsticks from the thigh pieces.
• To remove the breast halves, slice along both sides of the breastbone. Lay the duck on its side, and cut through the upper shoulder joint. Hold the carcass down by the neck with one hand, grasp the shoulder section with the other, and pull off the entire breast half, in 1 piece. Repeat on the other side. Pull out the 2 slim meaty filets that remain on either side of the breastbone.
• Chop off the wing tips. Cut around the wing on 1 breast piece to free it from the breastbone; separate the largest wing joint from the other 2. Repeat on the other side.
• You should now have 12 pieces to put in the pan: 2 large breast pieces, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, 2 small breast filets, and 4 wing pieces.
• Finally, trim any loose, fatty flaps of skin from the carcass, the breast, or the leg pieces.
• Frying the duck:
• Set the pan over moderate heat. Slice the reserved neck skin into 3 or 4 strips and put them in the pan to begin rendering fat. Season the duck pieces with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the 1/4 teaspoon pepper. When there's enough fat to film the pan bottom, lay in all the pieces, skin side down (you can push aside the strips of neck skin, but leave them in the pan).
• Raise the heat to medium-high, and cook skin side down and uncovered. The duck skin will shrink and color, and lots of fat will accumulate in the pan. Check the underside of the pieces once or twice t make sure they are not burning; lower the heat slightly if necessary. Fry until the skin on all the pieces is well browned and quite crisp; the whole process should take 20 to 25 minutes.
• Turn the heat down to low. Leave the duck pieces on their skin - they should be half submerged in fat - and strew the parsnip pieces, shallots, and garlic cloves all around them in the pan. Add the rosemary and bay leaves, and sprinkle over 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cover the pan, turn down the heat to low, and cook for 30 minutes. Check occasionally to make sure that the duck is gently steaming; adjust the heat as necessary.
• When the duck and vegetables are tender - pierce with a sharp knife to check - turn off the heat. Immediately lift the duck and vegetable pieces from the pan with the spoon or skimmer, allowing the fat to drain, and arrange on a serving platter.
• Pour off the clear duck fat from the pan - you will have 1 1/2 cups or so - and save for other uses. Add 1 cup of water to the pan, bring to a boil, scraping with a wooden spatula to melt all the solidified juice, and pour over the duck. Scatter chopped parsley over and serve.
• A Côtes du Rhône, Syrah, or Grenache-type wine would be good with this duck.

PAN-FRIED CHICKEN DUMPLINGS WITH SWEET AND SPICY DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• For the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the ponzu, hot sauce and stir-fry seasoning.
• For the wontons: In a bowl, add the chicken, scallions and stir-fry seasoning. Mix with a spoon until well combined.
• Put a wonton wrapper onto your work surface. (Keep the wonton wrappers covered with a damp towel so they don't dry out.) Place 1 heaping teaspoon chicken mixture in the center of the wrapper. Coat the edges of the wrapper with a little water using your finger or a brush. Fold the circle to form a half moon, pressing out any air bubbles Set aside, covered with a damp towel, while you make the rest.
• When you are ready to cook, place a large, nonstick skillet fitted with a lid over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, place the wontons in a single layer in the pan; they should be close together but not touching. Depending on the size of the skillet, you may need to cook the dumplings off in 2 or 3 batches. Cook, uncovered, until the bottoms are browned, about 4 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low, carefully pour in 2 tablespoons water and immediately cover the pan with a lid. Cook until the wontons are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and serve hot with the dipping sauce.

PAN-FRIED DUCKLING

Steps:

• Cut the duck into 6 or 8 serving pieces, reserving the wing tips, back and neck for stock. (Cut the gizzard into 1/8-inch thick slices, and fry it along with the duck if you like; reserve the liver for another use.) Place the duck pieces, skin side down, in a 12-inch skillet, and sprinkle it liberally with salt and pepper. Add garlic and thyme sprigs if desired, and turn the heat to medium-high. When the duck begins to sizzle, cover the skillet and lower the heat to medium.
• After 15 minutes, turn the duck, season the skin side, then cover and cook for 15 minutes more. Uncover the skillet and turn the heat back to medium high. Cook the duck, turning it as necessary, so that it browns nicely on both sides; this will take 15 minutes more.
• Serve hot or at room temperature. Strip some of the leaves from the remaining thyme sprigs, and use them as a garnish.