Maple Glazed Duck Breast

Prep 15 min
Total 40 min
Servings 4

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Duck doesn't have to be scarry. Here's how to cook it right. The duck breasts get a fall flavour boost with a slightly spicy maple syrup glaze. ...MORE + LESS -

Ingredients

4 duck breasts, skin on

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 pinch salt and pepper

Steps

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1

Using a sharp knife, trim off any extra skin around the duck breasts. The skin should just cover the meat, not overhang at all. Also, slice a few slits into the skin with your knife, being careful not to cut into the meat.
2

Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper and place them, skin side down, in a dry, cold, large skillet.
3

Place the skillet over medium-high heat and cook for about 5 minutes. Starting the breasts in a cold pan will help the fat render out of the skin.
4

After five minutes, the skin should be starting to brown and the fat should be rendering out nicely. If it isn't browning, turn up the heat a bit.
5

If the skin is browned, flip the breasts so they sear on the bottom side. Cook for about 2 minutes, then flip back over to the skin side.
6

Add breasts to a 400°F oven and bake for 4 minutes, skin side down. If your pan is oven safe, you can move it right to the oven, otherwise transfer your duck breasts to an oven-safe dish.
7

Remove breasts from oven, flip them (skin side up now), and baste them with maple glaze. Return to oven for 4 more minutes.
8

Remove from oven and glaze again. Let breasts rest for 5 minutes.
9

Slice duck thickly (1 breast should be 4-5 slices) and serve immediately.

Expert Tips

Duck is one of those things that most people only think of as a restaurant food. Meaning they would only order it in a restaurant and never in a million years think of cooking it at home.
But, there's no need to be intimidated! Duck is just a bird, like chicken, and honestly it is pretty easy to prepare. Also, as people get more adventurous, duck is available in most good supermarkets and almost every butcher worth their salt will have some ready for you.
For this maple glazed duck breast, just make sure that you get the breasts with the skin on. You can get duck breasts without the skin, but really, you should get them with the skin still on. The skin on a duck is the best part!