How to perfectly cook crispy duck breast

Step 1

Remove the duck breasts from their packaging and pat them dry with a paper towel.

Step 2

Use a sharp knife to score the skin – I make them every 1/2 inch but you can also crosshatch. Season the meat side only with salt and pepper.

Step 3

Place a stainless, carbon steel or cast iron pan over medium low heat and immediately place the duck breast in, skin side down. Press them down lightly to ensure the skin has made total contact with the pan.

Step 4

Leave the duck skin side down for 12-15 minutes. You should start to see a lot of fat pool in the pan – this is the duck fat rendering out, and is also the reason you do not need to put fat in the pan to start with.

Step 5

Flip the duck over and cook a further 3-5 minutes. If you’re using a meat thermometer, it should read about 130f internal temp.

Step 6

Remove the duck from the pan, then rest it skin side up for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.