A roasted duck and pear dish combines the succulent, rich and slightly gamey flavour of duck with the mellow sweetness and soft, juicy texture of roasted pears.
This preparation features a beautifully seared or roasted duck complemented by tender, caramelized pears.
This balance of savoury and sweet creates a complex and deeply satisfying flavour profile.
Ingredients
The hallmark of a well-prepared duck is its perfectly rendered, golden-brown, and crispy skin, which provides a satisfying textural contrast to the tender meat.
There are a minimal number of ingredients for this recipe:
- 2 Ripe Pears
- 2 tbsp Sesame Pil
- 2 Duck Breasts, skin on, approximately 1 1/4 lb in total
- Salt and Pepper
How to Make It
In this method, the skin-on duck breast is scored and pan-seared until the skin is golden and crisp, and the fat is rendered. The pear wedges are roasted in the oven, sprinkled with salt and pepper and drizzled with sesame oil.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the pear halves on a baking sheet, cut sides up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1 tbsp of sesame oil. Roast in oven for 15 – 20 minutes until very tender when pierced with a fork.
Put the duck breasts on a cutting board skin side up and score all over in a crosshatch pattern, so the fat will render and the skin will crisp.
Season all over with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1 tbsp of sesame oil.
Add the breasts to a stainless steel pan over medium heat, skin side down and cook slowly covered for 12 minutes until the fat is rendered and the skin is brown and crispy.
Turn the breasts over and cook for 2 minutes approximately for medium well.
Transfer to a cutting board to rest.
To serve, cut the breasts crosswise, on an angle, into 8 slices.
Making Ahead
For dinner parties or meal prep, you can cook duck breast in advance by preparing it to a near-finished stage and completing the final cooking just before serving. This allows you to serve a perfectly juicy and crisp duck breast without rushing, as the most time-consuming steps—scoring the skin and rendering the fat—are done beforehand.
Cook and hold method
This technique is favored by restaurants and is a reliable way to make duck breast ahead of time while retaining its quality.
Finish cooking: About 20 minutes before you are ready to serve, place the pan in a preheated oven to finish cooking. This warms the meat to your desired doneness while keeping it juicy
Prep the breasts: Score the skin in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat.
Dry-brine: For up to three days before cooking, season the duck with salt and leave it uncovered on a wire rack in the refrigerator. This dries out the skin for maximum crispiness and seasons the meat.
Render the fat: On the day of the dinner, place the breasts skin-side down in a cold, oven-safe pan. Turn the heat to low-medium and slowly cook until the skin is golden and crisp, and most of the fat has rendered out. This can take 10 to 15 minutes.
Cool and store: Remove the duck from the heat and let it cool completely. Store the breasts, skin-side up and uncovered, in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.
Leftovers
Duck breast can be a delicious and versatile leftover, as the rich, flavorful meat can be reinvented in many new dishes. The key is to avoid overcooking it when reheating, which can cause the meat to become tough and dry. Cooked duck breast can be safely stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating methods
- Air fryer: The air fryer is one of the best methods for reheating leftover duck breast, as it can restore the skin’s crispiness. Place the duck skin-side up in the basket and heat it at 360°F (180°C) for about 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness.
- Oven: This is a reliable method for gently reheating the duck without drying it out.
- Place the duck in an oven-safe dish with a splash of broth or water.
- Cover the dish loosely with foil to create moisture and protect the meat.
- Reheat at 350°F (175°C) for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Pan-sear: For a quick reheat, you can pan-fry slices of the duck breast.
- Place the duck slices in a dry, preheated skillet, skin-side down.
- Flash-sear the slices for a minute or two until heated through and the skin is crispy again.
- Enjoy it cold: Sliced, cold duck breast is perfect for salads, sandwiches, and appetizers, and requires no reheating at all
Creative uses for leftover duck breast
- Duck fried rice: Use shredded duck meat in place of other protein for a richer version of this classic dish. Cook the meat with sesame oil, leftover cooked rice, vegetables, and scrambled egg.
- Duck pasta or ragu: Transform the leftover duck into a rich pasta sauce. Sauté shredded duck meat with shallots and garlic in leftover duck fat, then add wine, broth, and herbs.
- Salad: Add slices of cold duck breast to a salad for a substantial meal. Pair it with fruit, like peaches or oranges, for a Chinese-inspired twist.
- Sandwiches and wraps: Use slices of cold duck breast in sandwiches, wraps, or tacos. For a delicious sandwich, try it with a hoisin glaze and crunchy slaw.
- Duck noodle soup: Add shredded duck meat and duck bones to a pot of boiling broth to create a flavorful stock. Serve with noodles and vegetables.
- Shepherd’s pie: Use shredded duck meat as the filling for a twist on a classic shepherd’s pie. Top it with mashed potatoes and bake until golden.
Duck Breast with Roasted Pears
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the pear halves on a baking sheet, cut sides up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1 tbsp of sesame oil. Roast in oven for 15 – 20 minutes until very tender when pierced with a fork.
- Put the duck breasts on a cutting board skin side up and score all over in a crosshatch pattern, so the fat will render and the skin will crisp.
- Season all over with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1 tbsp of sesame oil.
- Add the breasts to a stainless steel pan over medium heat, skin side down and cook slowly covered for 12 minutes until the fat is rendered and the skin is brown and crispy.
- Turn the breasts over and cook for 2 minutes approximately for medium well.
- Transfer to a cutting board to rest.
- To serve, cut the breasts crosswise, on an angle, into 8 slices and add a pear slice to plate.
