Cooking duck is surprisingly easy if you give up on the idea of cooking it whole. Sure that whole duck a l'orange looks nice on the magazine cover (except for that damn curly parsley), and your cookbooks are filled with seemingly simple roast duck recipes, but if you follow the technique shown here, you'll be enjoying duck at it's absolute best.In the kitchen, a duck's breast and leg could not be more different. The legs need long, slow cooking to tenderize the succulent meat, while the breasts beg to be quickly pan-seared to a juicy pink. If you roast the duck whole, the best you can hope for is one of the two pieces to be okay, but usually what you get is a too-done breast and under-cooked leg.
By the way, the sauce you'll see in the clip is a Black Currant and Balsamic Gastrique, and you can see how to make that recipe here.
I did this video for About.com a long time ago, but it just recently aired. I'll remind you again that I'm no longer able to embed my videos from their site here (also no podcast) - so when you click the video player below, you'll be taken to another window where the video will begin. You'll also get the ingredients and a complete transcript. Enjoy!
29 comments:
Hi Chef John,
Is it safe to eat duck breast when it is slightly pink?
yes. i would be dead.
What did you do with the reserved duck breast skin? I thought that the idea was that duck breast skin with its relatively thick layer of fat should insulate the duck breast from overcooking. I like the idea of detaching most of the skin from the breast for some added insulation but doing away with the skin entirely? Isnt that a fowl?
This video was done with the novice home cook in mind. The breasts are very easy to cook skinless, and actually are trickier with the skin and fat. Believe me, I didnt throw it away! it was cut in strips, fried crisp and used on a salad.
Chef! SKINLESS duck breast? WHY!
I just answered that! This was an About.com assignment - u get 3 min. max so it has to be quick and easy. I leave it on, but you have to cook the skin side longer and the other side less. tough to explain without the time. I would have left on for FW video. But, still delicious and plenty of fat and skin on the leg!
Duck looks great... but to be honest, the long movie trailer at the beginning kinda sucked. I know you're just tryin' to do your thing, and you do it well, but the ads make you a bit more inaccessible.
It's an About.com video. I have no control over the ads they run. You read about being taken off the site, and that I can't embed those videos right?
Looks fantastic! As a side-note, you don't want to throw out that duck skin that you separated from the breast. You can cook it alone at ~250F for 5 hours or throw it into your smoker if you have one, or 30 minutes in your saute pan with the heat at its lowest.
Whichever way you choose, you'll end up with a crispy delight that adds to the presentation value of the dish. As if being served duck wasn't enough :).
Oops. I just read the comments and see that you don't toss the skin in the trash. I'd never thought of deep-frying the skin. Now I can't wait to get a duck!
Chef John--
Thanks for all the great posts; you've brought a great deal of joy into my culinary life. I was wondering, could you cook chicken thighs and legs the same way you cooked those duck legs? They looked particularly delicious.
Thanks!
sure, but duck legs are much fattier so they get really crisp
love your videos!
I hope you saved that duck fat, I think it's one of the most flavorful things in the culinary world. Adding it to salad is especially nice.
Chef -
About how long should I cook each side of the duck breast if I leave the skin on? I know it's slightly more skin side, slightly less other side, but I'm not familiar with how much more/less. An estimate is more than good enough, I'm sure I can make it happen with a rough guess. Thanks in advance!
i dont think ive ever timed it. maybe 6 minutes on the skin and 4 on the other?
thats a beautiful plate dude
My hubby loves duck. I made this dish using boysenberry preserve. it was great. the duck brests were crispy outside and tender inside.
Hi Chef John! I was wondering, do you recommend crispy skin-on duck over the skinless, or are they both just as tasty? I thought it might have more flavor with the skin and the fat...
It's always better with the fat and skin, but if you read the above comments I explain.
Great video, great process.Thanks! Separated meat and seasoned the day before. Rendered unused duck fat/skin in a covered dish in the oven. A 5.5 lb duck provided about 1/2 pint of clear fat. Used just a little for frying the breasts and to season some egg noodles with dish. Plenty of beautiful fat remaining to fry a hash brown potatoes and other dishes. Thanks again!!!!!
i have a question can you road the whole duck like this? meaning covered with alumni foil the whole duck or just cover the train and roast it? or do i have to cut it in many peaces @_@ and do separate cooking for each? cause i want to just roast the whole duck please help!
Sorry, but too complicated to explain in a comment! I'd do a search for "how to cook a whole duck" and get a recipe or video, as we haven't posted one yet.
Chef John first I'd like to say that I love every one of your recipes I have tried and they come out outstanding I'm trying to do a full roasted duck and I've been searching for recipes but I see that you only have either the breasts legs but I need a full recipe for roasted duck can you please help me
HI John.....Your videos are amazing...Your sense of humor is awesome! Please keep it up! Back in the 80's i use to make a cherry-chocolate duck which was outrageous! They dont make the cherry chocolate liquor anymore...have any ideas for an extremely flavorful roast whole duck? Please come up with one...Thank you.....Love your subtle sense of humor!!!
You stated in your video that no one has duck stock. I buy duck backs and necks (25 lbs) twice a year and make duck demi glace. It's so rich and flavorful. I use it in all kinds of sauces. Particularly a mushroom sauce for a filet minion.
I did find a veal duck demi glace online and I might try that the next time.
it may just be me, but i dont see the video when i click the link :(
anyway you could help?
thank you so much for all you do CJ!
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Roast Duck
The link takes me to a site called culinary school. After looking through all the duck recipes I do not find yours. it would be nice if there were a direct link or if you are able to redo this and not require a link.
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