Who says you can only serve lingonberries with Swedish meatballs? This perfectly seared duck breast with lingonberry sauce is a simple and beautiful meal.
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 a sweet-tart lingonberry sauce. Serve it with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or sautéed greens for a restaurant-quality dinner that everyone will love.
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 skin-on duck breast, which should weigh about 1 pound. I love Moulard magret duck breast from D’Artagnan. For two people, one breast is plenty. If you need to serve 4 people, you will likely be fine with just two breasts.
How to cook duck breast:
Bring the duck breast to room temperature by allowing it to sit out on the counter for 15 to 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 has been scored, season it with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a bit of black pepper. Place the breast, skin-side down, in a cold skillet and turn the heat to medium. Allow the skin to cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary. Be careful not to burn the skin! Remove
Flip the duck and cook an additional 2 minutes before transferring it to a preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches your desired internal temperature. I aim for 130ºF to 135ºF for a lovely medium-rare breast, but 140ºF is delicious too. In my opinion, anything beyond 140ºF will make the duck breast tough with a stronger gamey flavor.
Seared Duck Breast with Lingonberry Sauce
Ingredients
Duck breasts:
- 1 duck breast (about 1 pound)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Lingonberry sauce:
- 2 teaspoons duck fat (reserved from cooking the duck breasts)
- 3 tablespoons butter (cold; divided)
- 1 shallot (peeled and minced)
- ½ cup lingonberry jam
- 1 lemon (juiced; about 2 tablespoons juice total)
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
For serving:
Instructions
Start the Duck:
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Using a sharp knife, score the duck breast at an angle in ⅛-inch increments. Be careful not to puncture the flesh of the breast. Season the scored duck breast with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Place the duck breast, skin-side down, in a cold skillet. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 to 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 it to a heat-proof bowl.
- Flip the duck breast and cook for 1 to 2 minutes in the skillet.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until the duck breast reaches 130ºF to 135ºF for medium-rare.
- Rest the duck for 5 to 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 minced shallot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.
- Add the lingonberry jam, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ cup water, and 2 teaspoons granulated sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until thickened.
- Once thickened and reduced, turn off the heat. Mount the butter into the sauce by cutting the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter into cubes. Add the cubed butter to the warm sauce and whisk until glossy and emulsified.
To serve:
- Slice the duck and serve with lingonberry sauce on top. Serve with mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables on the side. Enjoy!
