Old Timber Outdoors
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Wild duck breast fillets

Seared Wild Duck Breast Salad with Pear, Blue Cheese and Balsamic

Duck breasts marinated briefly in balsamic, garlic and rosemary, seared hard in cast iron and pulled rosy at medium-rare, sliced thin over greens with ripe pear, blue cheese and a balsamic-maple dressing.

Serves
4
Hands-on
25 min
Total
1 hr 5 min
Skill
Some experience

Cooks on: Stovetop or campfire · Lunch

Ingredients

  • 1¼ lbWild duck breast fillets, skinless breast fillets from 4 to 6 ducks
  • 2 clovesGarlic, minced
  • 1 tbspMaple syrup
  • 1Shallot, minced
  • 1 tspSalt, divided
  • ½ tspBlack pepper, ground
  • 7 tbsp olive oil, divided: 2 for the marinade, 1 for the pan, 4 for the dressing
  • 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar, divided
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled
  • 5 oz mixed salad greens
  • 1 ripe pear, cored and thinly sliced
  • ½ cup crumbled blue cheese

You'll need

  • Large skillet, ideally cast iron
  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Stovetop or Campfire with grate or coals

Contains

Dairy. Blue cheese varies; check the label.

Method

  1. Lay the duck breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound the thick ends to an even ¾ inch. Mix 2 tbsp of the balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp of the olive oil, the garlic, rosemary, ½ tsp of the salt and the pepper. Coat the duck and keep it cold, in the refrigerator or a cooler, for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
  2. Whisk the dressing: the remaining 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 4 tbsp olive oil with the maple syrup, shallot and remaining ½ tsp salt. Let it sit so the shallot mellows.
  3. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, or over a bed of hot coals, until it shimmers. Lift the duck from the marinade, scrape off the garlic, pat it very dry, and discard the marinade. Sear the breasts without crowding and without moving them until a brown crust releases, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn, lower the heat to medium, and start checking the thickest breast with an instant-read thermometer after 1 minute. Take each breast off at 130 to 135°F, usually 1 to 3 minutes after the turn; small teal breasts get there sooner. For well done, keep going to 165°F, which takes only a minute or two more.
  4. Rest the duck 5 minutes, then slice it thin across the grain on a sharp angle. Spoon any juices from the board into the dressing.
  5. Toss the greens and pear with most of the dressing. Lay the duck over the salad, scatter the blue cheese on top, and drizzle the duck with the rest of the dressing.

When it's done: off the heat at 130 to 135°F, 135 to 140°F after resting (medium-rare to medium)

Take each breast off the heat at 130 to 135°F in the thickest part and rest it 5 minutes; it rises a few degrees to 135 to 140°F, rosy and tender. Wild duck breast is dark, lean meat that turns livery and tough when cooked well done. Thin breasts get there in a minute or two, so check early.

If it goes wrong

Dry, livery duck
The breast went well past medium-rare. Pound them even, start checking right after the turn, pull at 130 to 135°F, and slice thin across the grain.
Breasts sticking or scorching
Pat them dry after the marinade, since balsamic sugars and garlic burn, let the pan get fully hot, and do not turn them until they release.
Uneven doneness between birds
Sear similar sizes together and take each breast off as it reaches its temperature.
Dressing too sharp
Balsamic vinegars vary. Whisk in a little more maple syrup or olive oil.

Leftovers. Keep the marinating duck in a refrigerator or cooler at 40°F or below. Serve right away. Refrigerate leftover duck and dressing separately within 2 hours and eat it cold within 3 days.