Gas-Grilled Duck Breasts
By America's Test KitchenPublished on January 31, 2011
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Optional Curry Rub
2 tablespoons curry powder ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepperFor Duck
2 whole boneless duck breasts (about 12 ounces each), split and trimmed of excess skin and fat; remaining skin scored 3 or 4 times diagonally (see illustrations below)Before You Begin
Duck breasts tend to cause flare-ups on a gas grill. Be ready to move duck breasts to a cooler spot on the grill if flare-ups occur in the first half of the cooking time. Trimmed and scored duck breasts may be rubbed with a mixture of spices, or simply sprinkled with salt and pepper before being placed on the grill. (For an accompaniment, see the related recipe, "Peach-Habanero Chutney.")
Instructions
- Optional Curry Rub: Combine curry powder, salt, and pepper in small bowl.
- Turn all burners on grill to high, close lid, and heat until grill is very hot, about 15 minutes. Use grill brush to scrape cooking grate clean. Turn burners down to medium-high.
- Sprinkle duck breasts with either curry rub or salt and pepper to taste. Place duck breasts, skin-side down, on grill. Grill duck breasts, covered, until skin is nicely browned, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, turn duck breasts and continue grilling, covered, until medium-rare (instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast will read 140 degrees), 3 to 4 minutes more.
- Remove breasts from grill, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Slice breasts diagonally into 8 slices, 1/2 inch thick, and fan 1 sliced breast half on each dinner plate. Serve immediately.
Yield
Serves 4Ingredients
Optional Curry Rub
For Duck
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Optional Curry Rub
For Duck
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Optional Curry Rub
For Duck
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We found that the keys to a grilled duck breast recipe that would produce crisp-skinned but still juicy breasts were first removing excess fat and scoring the skin with a sharp knife to render the maximum amount of fat, then cooking the breasts longer on the skin side and just turning them to finish the cooking.
Before You Begin
Duck breasts tend to cause flare-ups on a gas grill. Be ready to move duck breasts to a cooler spot on the grill if flare-ups occur in the first half of the cooking time. Trimmed and scored duck breasts may be rubbed with a mixture of spices, or simply sprinkled with salt and pepper before being placed on the grill. (For an accompaniment, see the related recipe, "Peach-Habanero Chutney.")
Instructions
- Optional Curry Rub: Combine curry powder, salt, and pepper in small bowl.
- Turn all burners on grill to high, close lid, and heat until grill is very hot, about 15 minutes. Use grill brush to scrape cooking grate clean. Turn burners down to medium-high.
- Sprinkle duck breasts with either curry rub or salt and pepper to taste. Place duck breasts, skin-side down, on grill. Grill duck breasts, covered, until skin is nicely browned, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, turn duck breasts and continue grilling, covered, until medium-rare (instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast will read 140 degrees), 3 to 4 minutes more.
- Remove breasts from grill, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Slice breasts diagonally into 8 slices, 1/2 inch thick, and fan 1 sliced breast half on each dinner plate. Serve immediately.
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