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Prep 1 hr
Cook 15 mins
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
▢1 1/2 pounds duck breasts
▢1 cup dark, malty beer
▢1 small onion, minced, about 3/4 cup
▢1 bay leaf
▢2 teaspoons peppercorns
▢5 juniper berries, smashed
▢2 teaspoons salt
▢2 tablespoons beer vinegar or malt vinegar
▢1 tablespoon duck fat, lard, butter or cooking oil
▢3 cups duck stock or beef stock
▢A handful of currants, lingonberries, cranberries or some other, tart berry
▢Smoked salt (optional)
Instructions
In a lidded container large enough to hold all the duck breasts in one layer, stir together the beer, onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, juniper berries, salt, and beer or malt vinegar. Add the duck breasts skin side up. Ideally, you keep the skin out of the marinade; this will help it crisp better later. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
Remove the duck breasts from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Pour the marinade in a pot with the 3 cups of stock and turn the heat to high. You want to boil this down 10 about 1 1/2 cups, for the pan sauce.
While the marinade is boiling, heat the duck fat in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Sear the duck breasts in the usual way, and set on a cutting board to rest.
Taste the sauce as it boils down so it doesn't get too salty; store-bought broths and stocks can be really salty, and you don't want to ruin your sauce. It will be a little bitter -- that's the beer. Once the salt content is to your liking, turn off the heat and adjust with a little more beer vinegar.
To serve, slice the duck breast and salt it with the smoked salt. Pour some of the sauce down on the plate, top with the duck and toss a handful of berries on the plate. Serve with dark, crusty bread or with mashed root vegetables or potatoes.
Cook 15 mins
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
▢1 1/2 pounds duck breasts
▢1 cup dark, malty beer
▢1 small onion, minced, about 3/4 cup
▢1 bay leaf
▢2 teaspoons peppercorns
▢5 juniper berries, smashed
▢2 teaspoons salt
▢2 tablespoons beer vinegar or malt vinegar
▢1 tablespoon duck fat, lard, butter or cooking oil
▢3 cups duck stock or beef stock
▢A handful of currants, lingonberries, cranberries or some other, tart berry
▢Smoked salt (optional)
Instructions
In a lidded container large enough to hold all the duck breasts in one layer, stir together the beer, onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, juniper berries, salt, and beer or malt vinegar. Add the duck breasts skin side up. Ideally, you keep the skin out of the marinade; this will help it crisp better later. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
Remove the duck breasts from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Pour the marinade in a pot with the 3 cups of stock and turn the heat to high. You want to boil this down 10 about 1 1/2 cups, for the pan sauce.
While the marinade is boiling, heat the duck fat in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Sear the duck breasts in the usual way, and set on a cutting board to rest.
Taste the sauce as it boils down so it doesn't get too salty; store-bought broths and stocks can be really salty, and you don't want to ruin your sauce. It will be a little bitter -- that's the beer. Once the salt content is to your liking, turn off the heat and adjust with a little more beer vinegar.
To serve, slice the duck breast and salt it with the smoked salt. Pour some of the sauce down on the plate, top with the duck and toss a handful of berries on the plate. Serve with dark, crusty bread or with mashed root vegetables or potatoes.
