Duck Breast
With a sharp knife, lightly score the fat cover on the duck breast diagonally in a cross hatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat.
Season on both sides with salt and pepper and allow the breast to sit for 1 hour at room temperature.
Place pan over medium heat. Place the breast skin side down and turn up heat to medium-high. Put a weight on it to assure full contact with the pan. I use an old iron. You can use a dish with a soup or tomato can on top. Let it sizzle for about 8 minutes (for a1 lb. breast) until skin is crisp and golden. Take a peek about half way through to see how dark it’s getting and adjust the heat if necessary.
Turn breast over and cook 6 to 8 minutes more. If you have one, check temperature with an instant-read thermometer. It should read about 125 degrees when it’s done. It’s not chicken so don’t be afraid to serve it rare.
Let the breast rest on a warm platter for about 10 minutes before slicing.
A properly cooked duck breast can be eaten as-is, but if you’d like a semi-sweet sauce try this one.
“Duck Shooting” print by Chet Reneson
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