Duck Breast with Cranberry Sauce

5 from 1 vote

Duck Breast with Cranberry Sauce

Rich duck breast with crispy skin is complimented by a sweet and tangy cranberry sauce with hints of orange and star anise. You can cook the breast sous vide and finish it in a pan or cook it entirely in the pan.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Christmas, cranberry, dairy-free, dinner, duck, egg-free, holiday, lunch, main, nightshade-free, nut-free, thanksgiving

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 12

Servings

Calories 345kcal

Author Jenny Ross

Ingredients

Duck

2 boneless duck breasts 6 ounces each
salt
2 sprigs of thyme optional

Sauce

1/2 cup cranberries fresh or frozen
1 bay leaf
1 star anise
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon stevia glycerite or to taste
1 drop orange oil
1 tablespoon butter optional, omit for dairy-free

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Season the duck with salt. Place in a sous vide-safe bag along with a sprig of thyme. Use the water displacement method to remove air from the bags. (Seal the bag, leaving one corner open. Place the bag in water, submerging it almost to the top - this will push the air out. When the air is expelled, close the open corner.)
Using a sous vide machine, heat a water bath to 135ºF for 2 1/2 hours (and up to 4). When done, dry well with paper towels. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before searing.
Add skin side down to a cold cast iron pan. Weigh down the duck with another heavy pan to keep the skin in contact with the pan to snsure crisping. Turn the heat on and let it cook until well browned, about 8 minutes. The pan will heat slowly, helping the fat render. When the skin is well crisped, flip and very briefly sear the second side. Let rest while preparing the sauce.
Add the cranberries to the pan along with the stock. Add the bay leaf, star anise, and stevia. Cook until the stock is reduced by half and the cranberries have burst, pressing on any that have not burst on their own. Off heat, stir in the orange oil and butter.
Slice the duck breast and then serve sauce over top.

Notes

To cook the duck in a pan, without sous vide, see directions here.

Nutrition