Duck Recipes
Grilled Duck Breast with Cherry Chipotle Sauce
Of the our grilled duck recipes, we like the smokiness of the chipotle coming through the cherry flavors; one of those great flavor combinations.
4 servings
4 boneless duck breasts
To prepare the duck breast for the grill there are two ways to go to assist the rendering of the fat. One is to poke the fat layer many times with a sharp fork to allow the fat to render out. The second is to light cut or score the fat (not penetrating the meat of the breast) in a criss cross pattern. Chipotle Ancho Chile Spice Rub
1.5 tablespoon Chipotle Powder
1/8 cup ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 oregano
1 ½ kosher salt
combine all
4 tablespoons olive oil
Lightly sprinkle the duck breasts with the chipotle ancho rub. Since there is also chipotle in the sauce this serves mainly as a flavor bridge between the duck and the sauce. Use the oil for prepping the duck for the grill.
Make your sauce while the rub marinates a bit on the duck breasts.
Cherry Chipotle Sauce
¼ cup dried Bing cherries pitted and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo finely chopped
2 tablespoons shallots finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped fine
1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence or thyme
¼ cup dry red wine, I used an
¾ cup prepared Demi-glace or Veal Glace *follow link below
3 tablespoons butter
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan, add the shallots and cook over low heat until clear and soft. Add the garlic and sauté an additional 3 minutes. Add the rosemary and Herbs de Provence. Add the cherries and red wine; simmer for until the liquid is reduced by 1/3. Adjust the salt. Hold in a warm place.
Have your grill nice and hot, two zones in case you get some flares. Typically the duck breasts are not too thick so the cooking time is pretty quick. You do have to watch for flares since duck breast have considerable fat. If you have to leave the grill go to the indirect or cooler side of the grill. Duck breast are usually cooked medium-rare or medium. They may toughen up if grilled well-done, so medium well at the most is my recommendation.
Grill you duck breasts, keeping watch you want them to get golden, not black. Put nice crossed grill marks before cooking the meat side. We really want to cook in mostly from the fat side and render that fat off. Once that fat side looks good then grill the meat side.
Pull the breast off the grill and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. While the duck is cooling heat the sauce to simmer, turn off the heat and whip in the last tablespoon of butter.
Slice you duck breast at an angle, put some of the sauce on the plate then arrange the slices of duck over the sauce.
Nice sides would be wild rice pilaf, Baked yams, etc. I think of fall produce with this dish.
Serve and enjoy! We will share more duck recipes soon.
