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Sliced seared steak arranged on a white plate with grilled mushrooms on the side, drizzled with a light brown sauce.

Crispy Duck w/ Orange Gastrique

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This crispy duck breast gets slow-rendered for golden, crackling skin, finished in the oven, and served with a deeply flavorful orange gastrique that balances sweet, sour, and rich. A dish built for a date night or dinner party.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 1
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Meat
Cuisine: French Inspired
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the duck
  • 1 duck breast 9 oz
  • 2 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoon five-spice seasoning
  • 6 thyme sprigs
  • 4 garlic cloves crushed
  • salt and pepper to taste
For the orange gastrique
  • 1 orange zested and juiced
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

Equipment

  • cast iron or carbon steel pan
  • Thermometer
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Sheet Pan
  • sieve or fine mesh strainer
  • Small saucepan
  • Cutting board
  • Chefs knife

Method
 

For the duck
  1. Bring duck breast to room temperature while preheating oven to 375°F.
  2. Trim and score the skin in a crosshatch pattern, about ⅓ inch deep, avoiding the meat. Reserve the fat trimmings.
  3. Season generously with kosher salt and five-spice. Let sit for 2 minutes.
  4. Heat a cast iron or carbon steel pan over low heat for 3 minutes.
  5. Add duck breast skin side down and slowly raise heat to medium. Add reserved fat trimmings to render.
  6. Cook skin side down for 3–5 minutes, flipping occasionally, until most of the fat has rendered and skin is deep golden brown.
  7. Add thyme and garlic to the pan. Spoon rendered fat, thyme, and garlic over the top of the breast.
  8. Transfer pan to the oven and roast 8–10 minutes or until internal temp reaches 135°F.
  9. Remove from oven and transfer duck to a tray or board to rest for 8–10 minutes. Carryover is the term for when the temperature keeps climbing after something is removed from the pan, which is why you pull a protein below its target and not at it.
  10. Once rested, slice skin side down with a sharp knife and serve.
For the orange gastrique
  1. Boil orange zest for 2 minutes to remove bitterness. Drain and set aside.
  2. Heat sugar in a small pot over medium heat. Do not stir. Let it melt and turn amber, swirling as needed.
  3. Once fully melted, add vinegar and stir with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Add orange juice and zest, and reduce until syrupy, about 5 more minutes. If you're reducing for a sauce, you're looking for nappe. It coats the back of a spoon, and when you draw your finger through it, it leaves a distinct line.
  5. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to serve.

Notes

For seasoning, I always use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you use Morton, use half.
Storage: The gastrique keeps beautifully, store it in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and gently rewarm before serving. The duck itself is best fresh off the pan since reheating tends to overcook the meat past medium-rare; if you do have leftovers, slice thin and eat cold or warm briefly in a low oven.

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