Duck Breast

Name: Duck breast — the large, dark red, rich-flavoured meat from the breast of the duck, covered with a thick layer of skin and fat. It is cooked like a steak, and served pink, with crisp skin, and is a favourite of French and Chinese cuisine.

Description

Unlike chicken breast, duck breast is dark red meat, with a flavour closer to beef, and a layer of fat under the skin, which is scored and slowly rendered to make it crisp. In French cooking, magret is the breast of a fattened duck, such as Moulard, raised for foie gras, and is larger and meatier. It is served with fruit sauces, such as orange, cherry or blackcurrant, which cut the richness.

Duck breast can be cooked pink, unlike chicken, since the risk of bacteria in whole muscle meat is on the surface, though safety authorities advise cooking poultry fully. Many chefs serve it medium-rare.

Main nutrition value

Duck is a good source of protein, iron, selenium, niacin and B vitamins, but is considerably fattier than chicken or turkey, because of the thick layer of skin and fat. The breast meat itself is fairly lean, but the skin and fat layer is rich.

How best to be consumed

Duck breast is cooked skin-side down, slowly to render the fat.

1. Score the skin in a crosshatch pattern, season with salt, and place skin-side down in a cold pan.
2. Cook gently over medium-low heat for 8 to 12 minutes, until the fat has rendered and the skin is crisp, then flip for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Cook to 57 to 60°C for pink, or 70°C+ for fully cooked, as safety authorities advise for vulnerable groups.
4. Let cooked meat rest for 3 to 5 minutes before slicing, so it stays juicy. Rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Save the rendered fat, which is excellent for roasting potatoes, and serve the meat with a fruit sauce or greens.

Overconsumption could cause…

Duck breast is healthy in moderation, with the skin treated as a rich extra.

1. Food poisoning from Salmonella and Campylobacter, which are common on raw poultry, so cook it to 74°C, avoid washing raw poultry (which spreads bacteria), and keep it away from ready-to-eat food. Pink duck breast carries a higher risk, so pregnant women, young children, older people and the immunocompromised should have it well cooked.
2. High saturated fat and calories from the thick layer of duck skin and fat, which can be removed or drained off.
3. Raised LDL cholesterol and heart disease risk from the saturated fat in fattier cuts, skin and processed products, so choose lean cuts and trim visible fat.
4. Gout flare-ups in people with gout, since meat and especially organ meats are high in purines.
5. Rich, sugary fruit sauces, which add sugar.

GroupsTurkey and DuckPoultry and game birdsFresh

Related foodsDuck ConfitDuck LegGooseQuailTurkey BreastTurkey Mince / Ground Turkey

Wikipedia — Duck as food, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_as_food