Delicious Pan Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Sauce

Here’s my favorite recipe for pan seared duck breast with cherry sauce, featuring crispy skin, tender meat cooked to a nice medium-rare, and a simple sauce made with fresh cherries, red wine, and a touch of honey.

This duck breast recipe has become my go-to dish when I want to make dinner feel a bit special. I always serve it with roasted potatoes, and there’s rarely any leftovers – though when there are, they make the best sandwich the next day!

What Kind of Duck Breast Should I Use?

Muscovy or Pekin (also called Long Island) duck breasts are your best options for this recipe, with Pekin being more commonly available in most grocery stores. Pekin duck has a milder flavor and tends to be a bit smaller, while Muscovy offers a more robust, gamey taste and typically comes in larger portions. For the best results, look for duck breasts with the skin on – this is crucial for getting that crispy exterior we’re after. When shopping, choose breasts that have a rosy pink color and feel firm to the touch, avoiding any that appear dark or have a strong odor. If you can only find frozen duck breasts, that’s perfectly fine – just make sure to thaw them completely in the refrigerator before cooking.

Options for Substitutions

While some ingredients in this recipe are key, there’s room for flexibility with others. Here’s what you can swap:

• Duck breast: Duck breast is really the star here and hard to substitute, but if you must, you could use chicken breast or turkey breast – just know it won’t have the same rich flavor or crispy skin. The cooking time will need to be adjusted since poultry cooks differently than duck.
• Cherry liquor: No cherry liquor? Try port wine, red wine, or even cranberry juice mixed with a splash of brandy. If you want to skip alcohol altogether, use additional chicken broth with a tablespoon of cherry juice.
• Fresh/frozen cherries: While fresh or frozen dark sweet cherries work best, you can use dried cherries (soak them in hot water for 30 minutes first) or even cranberries for a different twist.
• Shallots: A small red onion or 2-3 tablespoons of finely diced yellow onion can replace the shallot.
• Balsamic vinegar: Red wine vinegar mixed with a teaspoon of honey can work instead of balsamic. You might need to adjust the honey in the sauce accordingly.
• Fresh thyme: Dried thyme works too – just use 1/2 teaspoon since dried herbs are more concentrated. Rosemary or sage could also work nicely here.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when cooking duck breast is achieving that perfectly crispy skin while maintaining a juicy, medium-rare interior – the key is to score the skin in a diamond pattern without cutting into the meat, which helps render the fat properly. Starting with a cold pan (not preheated) is crucial, as it allows the fat to render slowly and prevents the skin from burning before it gets crispy. Another common mistake is flipping the duck breast too early; let it cook skin-side down for about 6-8 minutes until golden brown, and resist the urge to move it around in the pan. When making the cherry sauce, avoid rushing the process – let the liquor reduce properly before adding the cherries, and always add the cold butter at the very end with the heat turned off to achieve that perfect silky texture.

What to Serve With Duck Breast?

This rich and fancy duck breast calls for sides that can hold their own without stealing the show. A classic French-style pairing would be roasted fingerling potatoes, which are perfect for soaking up the cherry sauce. For a green vegetable, try some simple roasted asparagus or haricots verts (those skinny French green beans) – they’re light enough to balance out the rich duck. I also love serving duck with wild rice pilaf, which adds a nice nutty flavor and interesting texture to the plate. If you want to keep things simple, some wilted spinach with a touch of garlic works great too.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Got leftover duck breast? Place it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store the cherry sauce separately in its own container – this way, both components stay at their best. The sauce will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freeze: While you can freeze the cooked duck breast for up to 2 months, I recommend only freezing it if you really need to – the skin won’t stay as crispy after thawing. The cherry sauce freezes really well though! Pour it into an ice cube tray or freezer-safe container and it’ll keep for up to 3 months.

Reheat: To bring back that lovely crispy skin, warm the duck breast in a skillet over medium heat, skin-side down first. The sauce can be warmed gently in a small saucepan over low heat or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring occasionally. Just be careful not to overheat the duck, or it might become tough.

Preparation Time	60-120 minutes
Cooking Time	30-40 minutes
Total Time	90-160 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2800-3200
• Protein: 140-160 g
• Fat: 180-200 g
• Carbohydrates: 120-140 g

Ingredients

• Four duck breasts, each 6 oz, with skin intact
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup cherry liquor
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 pound dark sweet cherries, fresh or frozen
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

Step 1: Prepare the Duck Breast

Remove the duck breast from the refrigerator 1-2 hours before cooking to allow it to reach room temperature.

Score the fat on top of the duck breast in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the flesh.

Season the duck on both sides with salt and pepper for enhanced flavor.

Step 2: Cook the Duck Breast

Place the duck fat side down into a cold cast iron skillet.

Set the heat to medium-high and let the duck cook undisturbed for about 10 minutes to allow the fat to render and the skin to become golden brown and crispy.

Use tongs to flip the duck breast and cook the other side for 2 minutes.

The duck is cooked when a meat thermometer reads 135°F when inserted into the thickest part of the breast.

Remove the duck breast from the skillet and allow it to rest while you prepare the sauce.

Step 3: Prepare the Cherry Sauce

Drain all but one tablespoon of the rendered duck fat into a heat-safe, air-tight container for storage.

Return the skillet to the stove over medium heat.

Add shallots and garlic to the skillet and sauté for 1-2 minutes until soft and translucent.

Add balsamic vinegar, Hotel Tango cherry liquor, chicken stock, and fresh thyme, then bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes.

Add cherries to the mixture and continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid coats the back of a spoon.

Step 4: Finish the Sauce

Remove half of the cherry mixture and puree it in a food processor until smooth.

Return the puree to the skillet and mix well.

Stir in honey and cold butter until the butter has melted completely, giving the sauce a rich finish.

Step 5: Slice and Serve the Duck

Slice the rested duck breast into even pieces.

Arrange the slices on a serving platter or plate and generously spoon the cherry sauce over the top of the duck.

Enjoy the harmonious flavors of your perfectly cooked duck and cherry sauce.