Sweet-Tart Duck Breasts With Fresh Cherry Sauce Recipe

Juicy, crispy duck breast on a pool of cherry sauce that's been amped up with balsamic vinegar and honey. What could be more delicious?

By
Kerry Saretsky
a photograph of Kerry Seretsky, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kerry Saretsky

Kerry Saretsky interned at Serious Eats in 2008, and wrote the French in a Flash recipe column. She also writes her own blog on modernized French cuisine called French Revolution Food.

Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated May 22, 2024
Closeup of Sweet-Tart Duck Breasts With Fresh Cherry Sauce.

Serious Eats / Kerry Saretsky

Why It Works

  • Starting the duck breasts skin-side-down in a skillet crisps the skin.
  • Scoring the skin of the breasts helps subcutaneous fat render out.
  • Finishing the breasts in the oven cooks them through gently, ensuring a perfect medium-rare.
  • Adding balsamic vinegar and honey to the cherry-red wine reduction adds a balanced acidity, creating a sweet-tart sauce that pairs well with the rich duck breast.

When I was little, my dad used to drive my mom and me hours from Manhattan out onto Long Island so he could have a specific, never-to-be-duplicated duck à l'orange (Long Island has the best duck). Is there anything more French-iconic than that dish?

One of the readers of my blog requested that I make a dish that she had staying with a family in the French seaside city of La Rochelle: duck breast with cherry sauce. I thought it might be an opportunity to revisit why fruit pairs so beautifully with duck, and a chance to bring the haute cuisine gastrique-based à l'orange back down to the family table.

Cooking a terrific duck breast is actually very easy, and is a skill worth mastering. Just score the skin and salt the breast, sear over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, then flip and bake for 10 minutes. It just always works, and you have enough fat left over to roast some fabulous potatoes.

In making the cherry sauce, I wanted to hit the right balance of tang and sweetness, the two flavors that make cherries themselves so unique. The sauce took on the shape of a fresh Bing cherry and red wine reduction, amped up with balsamic vinegar and honey. It's sharp enough to cut the gaminess of the duck, but mild-mannered and sophisticated enough to compliment it.

I know we're still a month out, but it's never too early to prepare: I think this is the perfect stay-at-home Valentine's Day meal. The cherries themselves look like little crimson hearts, and this dish is decadent and different while being really easy to pull off.

This recipe originally appeared as part of the column "French in a Flash."

January 2012

Recipe Details

Sweet-Tart Duck Breasts With Fresh Cherry Sauce Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 55 mins
Active 10 mins
Total 60 mins
Serves 2 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • Two 5- to 6-ounce duck breasts

  • Coarse sea salt, such as Maldon

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil

  • 1 small shallot, finely diced

  • 1/2 cup dry red wine

  • 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock

  • 7 ounces Bing cherries, pitted, stemmed, and halved

  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

  • 10 twists on the black pepper mill

  • 1 teaspoon honey, preferably orange flower

  • 1/2 tablespoon very cold unsalted butter

Directions

  1. Take duck breasts out of the fridge 15 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Score the skin on top of the breasts in a crosshatch fashion, being careful to score only the fat and not the flesh beneath it. Season the duck on all sides with salt.

  2. Preheat an ovenproof nonstick skillet on medium heat. Place the duck, skin-side-down, in the hot pan and leave it alone for 10 to 12 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the fat has rendered.

  3. Take the pan off the heat, and turn the duck breasts over so the bottom of the breasts are coated in the rendered duck fat. Pour the excess fat into a heat-proof container, and keep for frying potatoes.

  4. Turn the breasts skin-side-up, transfer pan to the oven, and cook for 10 minutes. The internal temperature will be about 135°F (57°C). Let the duck breasts rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing.

  5. To make the cherry sauce, heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil and the shallots. Cook for 1 minute, just to soften the shallots. Add the wine, stock, and cherries. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add the balsamic vinegar, salt to taste, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes.

  6. Remove a 1/4 cup combination of liquid and cherries and purée in a mini food processor. Return the puréed mixture to the pan with the rest of the sauce, and stir in the honey and the cold butter.

  7. Slice the duck. Pour the sauce onto a serving plate, and arrange the slices of duck on top. Finish with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with tender greens lightly dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, or rich and creamy puréed potatoes.

Special Equipment

Nonstick skillet, mini food processor, instant-read thermometer

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
418Calories
20gFat
25gCarbs
30gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories418
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g26%
Saturated Fat 6g29%
Cholesterol 162mg54%
Sodium 1042mg45%
Total Carbohydrate 25g9%
Dietary Fiber 3g11%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 30g
Vitamin C 12mg60%
Calcium 39mg3%
Iron 5mg25%
Potassium 338mg7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

More Serious Eats Recipes