Duck with Black Berry Balsamic Sauce

Seared Duck with a Blackberry Balsamic Reduction

NOTHING cooks duck like cast iron. Find the largest breasts you can. Cook them skinside down for ¾ of the cooking time. I’ve always served my duck with some kind of fruit-based sauce. While the French duck à l'orange is more famous, I prefer my duck with a blackberry sauce made from fresh blackberries.
Servings

4

Prep time

45 min

Ingredients
  • 4 duck breasts
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon duck fat or olive oil
  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar 
  • 1 cup blackberries
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Preparation

Blackberry Balsamic Reduction - In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar, blackberries and brown sugar. Lightly crush the berries. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer (stirring occasionally) until reduced by half. 

Remove from heat. Run reduction through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds and pulp. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

Duck - Score the skin (but not the meat) in a cross-hatch pattern. Lay the duck breasts out on a cutting board. Salt the duck breasts on both sides, then let stand for at least 15 minutes. Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels before cooking.

Heat 1 teaspoon of duck fat or olive oil in a large cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat. When hot, lay the breasts skin-side down. Depending on the size of the duck breasts, follow these instructions:
  • For small duck breasts: cook for about 3 minutes on the skin side, 1-2 minutes on the meat side. 
  • Medium-sized duck breasts: cook 3-5 minutes on the skin side, 3-4 minutes on the meat side.. 
  • Larger sized duck breasts: cook 5-8 minutes on the skin side, 4-6 minutes on the meat side. 
When the sizzle starts to die down, turn the duck breast over and lightly salt the skin side for more flavor and crispier skin. ¾ of the total cooking time should be on the skin side.

Remove the ducks from the pan and let them rest on a cutting board, skin side up, for 5 minutes.
 
Slice the breasts, drizzle with blackberry sauce and serve.

Source: The Cast Iron Chef. © Copyright 2020 The Cast Iron Chef, Inc.

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