Seared Duck Breast with Lingonberry Sauce | Tried and True Recipes (2024)

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Who says you can only serve lingonberries with Swedish meatballs? This perfectly seared duck breast with lingonberry sauce is a simple and beautiful meal.

Seared Duck Breast with Lingonberry Sauce | Tried and True Recipes (1)

I absolutely love lingonberry jam. It’s a sweet and tart combo that works so well with rich or fattier dishes. That’s why it pairs perfectly with seared duck breast.

In this recipe, perfectly seared duck breast is paired with mashed potatoes seasoned lightly with nutmeg, duck fat fried arugula, and lingonberry sauce for an easy dinner that comes together surprisingly quickly.

Seared Duck Breast with Lingonberry Sauce | Tried and True Recipes (2)

How to Cook a Perfectly Seared Duck Breast:

Cooking duck breast is not terribly difficult, so if you’re feeling intimidated, stay with me! You’ll be surprised at how easily you can whip up a delicious and perfectly cooked duck breast meal.

Start with a larger duck breast. I love moulard magret duck breast, from D’Artagnan. The duck breasts are quite large; typically about 1 pound per breast. My husband and I usually split one and it’s plenty, so if you need to serve 4 people, you will likely be fine with just two breasts.

Bring the duck breast to room temperature by allowing it to set out on the counter for 15-20 minutes as you prepare the rest of the ingredients. It’s much easier to cook the duck breasts after the temperature has been brought down as opposed to cooking it straight from the refrigerator.

When you’re ready to cook the duck, you will want to score the skin. This allows the fat to render more evenly and gives you crispy skin. You can score in a cross-hatch pattern, however, I prefer to score at an angle, with score marks about 1/8” apart across the entire length of the breast.

After the duck as been scored, season liberally with salt and pepper. Place the breast, skin-side down, in a cold skillet and turn the heat to medium. Allow the skin to cook for about 15 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary. Be careful not to burn the skin! You may choose to spoon out fat from the skillet and into a heat-proof dish and save it for another use.

Flip the duck and cook an additional 7-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breast, until an instant-read thermometer reaches your desired internal temperature. If you want medium rare, cook the breast until 140ºF at the thickest part. Transfer the duck breast to a plate and cover loosely with foil and rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

That’s it! While it may seem intimidating, it’s really more about just waiting for the breast to render the fat from the skin.

How to Make Duck Breast with Lingonberry Sauce:

To make this dish, you’ll start with the mashed potatoes. Boil Yukon gold potatoes until very soft. Use a hand-mixer or potato masher to blend with ricotta cheese, whole milk, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper until smooth and creamy. Keep warm.

Next, move on to the duck breast following the instructions above.

While the duck breast is cooking, prepare the lingonberry sauce by sautéing shallots in a touch of duck fat and butter. Once soft, add the lingonberry jam, water, sugar, and juice of a small lemon. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about 15-25 minutes until reduced and thickened. Turn off the heat and mount butter into the sauce, whisking until emulsified. Set aside.

Finally, prepare the arugula. Remove all but a tablespoon or two of duck fat from the skillet (reserve it for another use!). Sauté a sliced shallot in the oil until softened and then add the arugula. Cook for a few minutes until wilted and season with salt and pepper. That’s it!

To serve it up, divide the mashed potatoes between shallow bowls and pile the arugula on top. Arrange the duck breast on top of each dish and drizzle the lingonberry sauce on top. It’s restaurant-quality food cooked at home!

Looking for more duck recipes? Check my archives!

If you made this recipe, please rate the recipe below and leave a comment to tell me how you liked it! If you take a picture of it, please tag me on Instagram so I can feature you in my feed!

Seared Duck Breast with Lingonberry Sauce | Tried and True Recipes (3)

Who says you can only serve lingonberries with Swedish meatballs? This perfectly seared duck breast with lingonberry sauce is a simple and beautiful meal.

4.62 from 13 votes

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 547kcal

Equipment

  • Skillet

  • Sauce pan

  • Large pot

  • Colander

  • Hand mixer

Ingredients

Ricotta Mashed Potatoes:

  • pounds Yukon gold potatoes peeled and quartered
  • ½ cup ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup whole milk plus more, as necessary
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg plus more as desired
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper
  • Salt to taste

Duck Breasts:

  • 2 Moulard magret duck breasts skin scored and breasts seasoned all over with salt and pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Lingonberry Sauce:

  • 2 teaspoons reserved duck fat
  • 3 tablespoons butter divided
  • 1 shallot peeled and minced
  • ½ cup lingonberry jam
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • ¼ cup water

For Serving:

  • 1 shallot peeled and thinly sliced into rounds
  • 4 ounces arugula
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

Prepare the Potatoes:

  • Cover the diced Yukon gold potatoes with water and add salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 25 minutes until very soft. Drain into a colander and transfer to a large bowl.

  • Add the ricotta, milk, butter, nutmeg, and white pepper to the bowl and use a hand mixer or potato masher to blend until smooth and creamy. If desired, add a few splashes more of milk until desired consistency is reached. Taste and season with salt. Add more nutmeg or white pepper to taste, as desired. Keep the potatoes warm as you prepare the rest of the meal.

Start the Duck:

  • Place the duck breasts, skin-side down, in a skillet (ensuring that there is enough room for both of them without them touching each other). Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes until the skin is very deep, golden brown and the fat has rendered out. As you cook the duck skin, use a spoon to remove some of the duck fat and transfer to a heat-proof bowl.

  • Flip the duck breasts and cook an additional 7-10 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 140ºF when inserted at the thickest part of the duck breast. Transfer to a wooden cutting board and cover with foil. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Prepare the Lingonberry Sauce:

  • While the duck is cooking, prepare the lingonberry sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and two teaspoons of the reserved duck fat in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened.

  • Add the lingonberry jam, lemon juice, ¼ water, and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Once thickened and reduced, turn off the heat. Mount the butter into the sauce and stir until emulsified and glossy. Set aside.

Cook the Arugula:

  • Immediately after the lingonberry sauce is cooked, prepare the arugula. Remove all but a tablespoon or two of duck fat from the skillet and transfer to the heatproof bowl.

  • Turn the skillet to medium heat and add the sliced shallot. Cook for 2 minutes until softened.

  • Add the arugula and cook for 3-4 minutes until mostly wilted. Turn off the heat and allow the residual heat to cook the arugula the rest of the way. Season with salt and pepper.

To Serve:

  • Divide the mashed potatoes between shallow bowls. Pile the arugula on top and arrange the sliced duck breast on top. Spoon the lingonberry sauce on top. If you like, sprinkle a touch of nutmeg on top of the mashed potatoes and garnish with just a hint of flaky sea salt on top of the lingonberry sauce. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 547kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 25g | Sodium: 255mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin C: 60mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @triedandtruerecipes or tag #triedandtruerecipes so I can feature you in my feed!

Seared Duck Breast with Lingonberry Sauce | Tried and True Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to sear duck breast? ›

Note: If working with a skinless duck, or a duck with virtually no fat under the skin to render, pre-heat a drizzle of rendered duck fat or neutral oil (such as avocado or grapeseed) in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the breasts for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until the meat hits about 128°F - 130°F.

Do you have to soak duck breast before cooking? ›

I do not cook a duck or goose without first soaking it overnight in brine. Those of us who have discovered how much better the Thanksgiving turkey tastes after a brine bath for 24 hours know that the bird will not only cook a little faster but it will also be more moist and flavorful than an unbrined bird.

What compliments duck breast? ›

Red Wine Gravy A luxurious, rich red wine gravy perfect with roast duck and all the trimmings. A zesty cranberry sauce perfect with a roast duck or with Christmas dinner. Duck and cherries, the perfect combination! Duck breast with rich cherry sauce The classic combination of duck and cherry!

What do you season duck with? ›

Season the duck all over with salt and pepper. Place the duck on a rack in a roasting tin and roast in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes per KG plus 10 minutes extra. When the duck is cooked cover with foil and rest for 10-20 minutes before serving.

What temperature is seared duck breast done? ›

For medium-rare meat, cook until breast registers 130°F (54°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 to 2 minutes. Continue cooking until duck registers 140°F (60°C) for medium or 155°F (68°F) for well-done.

Why do you soak duck in milk? ›

Some soak duck breast in milk, wine, bourbon, salt water and probably a bunch of other stuff. For baking or crock pot cooking this does seem to keep the duck moist and tender through the process. As with most fresh meat, slow cooking demands a minimum of blood and thus the soaking helps in that regard.

Why do you pour boiling water on duck? ›

The boiling water helps pull the skin taut, making it easier to score in a crosshatch pattern.

Do you season duck before cooking? ›

For the tastiest Sunday roast, season your duck with Cornish Sea Salt Crystals and black pepper the night (or ideally 24 hours) before. Not only will this help crisp up the skin, but it'll keep your duck nice and moist while roasting.

How do you make duck taste good? ›

-Place sliced duck meat in a bowl of milk, cover and place in refrigerator overnight. This step helps pull more of the blood out of the meat which, in turn, pulls some of the gamy flavors out as well. -Rinse meat in cool running water. -Place duck meat in a seal-able bag/container with marinade of your choice.

Do you cook duck breast side up or down? ›

Place duck, breast side down (wings up), on a rack in a roasting pan; add water to come just below the rack. Sprinkle duck with pepper and brush with a little soy sauce. Roast 30 minutes, undisturbed.

What is the best vegetable to serve with duck? ›

Mashed Pumpkin – A common side dish for duck meat meals are mashed pumpkins. Its sweet and earthy flavour is improved by mashing the vegetable with milk, pepper, butter, and salt. Cabbage – Cabbage is most likely the most common side dish that's paired with duck meat.

What fruit goes best with duck? ›

Mouth-watering duck was made to pair with fruits, like blueberries, cherries, cranberries, apricots, currants, dates, figs, citrus fruits, mangoes, peaches, pears, pomegranates, prunes, and grapes. Seared Duck Breast with Pear Chutney not only has pears, but raisins and orange juice.

Is duck breast healthy? ›

Duck meat is an excellent source of iron, providing 50% of the iron we need in a day. Iron helps make healthy blood that flows through our bodies, giving us energy and making us grow. Healthy blood keeps us from getting tired. Duck eggs are an excellent source of B vitamins such as riboflavin and B12.

How long should you cook duck for? ›

How to cook duck. Roast (whole duck: 2 ¼ hours for ducks weighing 1.75-2 kg, 2 ¾ hours for ducks weighing 2.5-3 kg; breasts, 30 mins). Dry fry, grill or barbecue (3-4 mins on each side). Stir fry (cubes or strips, 5-7 mins).

Should I sear a duck before roasting? ›

The journey towards perfectly roasted or baked duck breast entails commencing with a searing process. This initial step sets the foundation for achieving the ideal oven-roasted duck breast—a tantalizingly golden and crisp exterior juxtaposed with a succulent, flavorful interior.

Can you overcook duck breast? ›

Duck breast is best served medium rare and pink in the middle as overcooking can cause it to dry out.

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