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Duck Breast with Blackberry Sauce Recipe

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4.3 from 1 review

  • Author: Sara
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Description

This elegant Duck Breast Recipe with Blackberry Sauce combines crispy-skinned duck breasts with a rich and flavorful blackberry bourbon pan sauce. The duck is pan-seared to a perfect medium-rare, rendering out the fat to create a golden crust, while the sauce is made by sautéing shallots and simmering a blend of blackberry jam, bourbon, beef stock, and fresh thyme. This sophisticated dish is perfect for impressing guests or enjoying a gourmet dinner at home.

Ingredients

Duck Breasts

  • 2 Magret Duck Breasts (about 12-16 ounces each)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

    • Sauce

    • 2 shallots, peeled and diced
    • 1/2 cup good-quality blackberry jam
    • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
    • 1/4 cup bourbon
    • 2 cups beef stock
    • Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
    • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Duck Breasts: Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels. Score the fat on the top of each breast in a crosshatch pattern, cutting carefully down to the flesh but not through the meat. This helps render the fat and crisps the skin.
  2. Season and Heat Skillet: Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Liberally season both sides of the duck breasts with salt and pepper to enhance flavor.
  3. Render Duck Fat: Place the duck breasts skin-side (fat side) down in the skillet. Cook for 10-12 minutes, allowing the fat to melt away and the skin to develop a dark golden, crispy crust.
  4. Cook the Other Side: Flip the duck breasts and cook the flesh side for an additional 6-10 minutes to reach medium-rare doneness. Adjust time depending on thickness and desired doneness.
  5. Rest the Duck: Remove the duck from the pan and tent loosely with foil to rest while you make the sauce. Resting allows juices to redistribute for juicy meat.
  6. Save Duck Fat: Carefully pour the rendered duck fat from the skillet into a glass container for future use in cooking. Duck fat adds incredible flavor to many dishes.
  7. Sauté Shallots: Raise the skillet heat to medium and add the diced shallots. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until softened and lightly browned, building the flavor base for the sauce.
  8. Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix the all-purpose flour into the blackberry jam to combine. Add this mixture to the skillet with shallots, then pour in the bourbon, beef stock, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh thyme leaves.
  9. Simmer and Thicken: Stir well and bring the sauce to a low boil. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until the sauce thickens to a luscious texture. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Serve: Thinly slice the rested duck breasts and serve topped generously with the blackberry pan sauce for a rich, fruity complement to the savory duck.

Notes

  • Scoring the duck fat helps render it slowly, producing a crispier skin and saving flavorful fat for cooking other dishes.
  • Medium-rare duck typically cooks to about 135°F internal temperature; use a meat thermometer for precision.
  • Reserved duck fat can be stored in the refrigerator and used for roasting potatoes or sautéing vegetables.
  • The blackberry sauce can be adjusted in sweetness and spice by modifying the jam quantity and crushed red pepper.
  • Letting the duck rest before slicing is key to maintaining juices and tender texture.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Frying
  • Cuisine: French

Find it online: https://sarabaking.com/duck-breast-with-blackberry-sauce-recipe/