Savory Duck Breast

This pairs well with our Parsley, Garlic Butter & Lemon Rice recipe

I like to prep & refrigerate 1 to 2 days ahead of cooking for the meat to be really tender & not taste ‘gamey’

Can be done 2 hours in advance or up to 2 days ahead of cooking

I usually take any meat I am cooking out of the refrigerator between 30-45 minutes prior to cooking to get the meat closer to room temperature

To make life easier, click on any underlined items and there is a direct link to purchase - these are the items I swear by…

INGREDIENTS:

1.2 - 1.5 lb Duck Breast (with skin on) I have had great luck finding fresh locally at Whole Foods 

½ - 1 Cup Marjoram 

¼ Cup Kosher Salt - Fine

KITCHEN ESSENTIALS FOR THIS RECIPE:

Air Fryer

Pam (or equivalent cooking spay)

Tongs for Flipping or long fork

Air tight container

Sharp knife

Cutting board

Tweezers (yes - you should have a pair of tweezers which are allocated to to the kitchen)

PRE-COOKING PREP DIRECTIONS:

1. Portion out salt & marjoram into smaller bowls as you will be handling the meat with your hands and this helps avoid cross-contamination 

2. Rinse the duck breasts and pat dry, place onto cutting board

3. Closely check the skin of the duck for any residual feathers which can be seen - If you use tweezers and pull quickly, they come out quite easily - I am a bit OCD so I really examine the skin but most people probably won't notice more than a few  

4. With a sharp knife, cut a ‘diamond shape’ into the skin side the duck (see picture). Cut deep enough that it penetrates the fatty part - this will allow the fat to seep out while cooking - but try not to cut into the pink/meat part

5. Now generously salt both the meat and skin side of the duck, set aside for a few minutes

6. Now have your storage container ready,  generously cover both sides of the duck with marjoram, I would say the minimal amount would be to use enough that you cannot see the whte color or the skin 

7. Place both pieces of the breast in the conainer and cover securely - refrigerate at least 2 hours 

NOW FOR THE FUN & EASIEST PART - COOKING!

1. Remove meat from refrigerator at least 30 min before cooking &  place on counter

2. Preheat airfryer to 400° for 8-10 minutes

3. Once airfryer is ready, spray the basket with Pam cooking spray

4. Set airfryer to 400° for 8 minutes and place duck breast into airfryer skin side up

   1. This is Med-Rare, for Medium  400° for 9 minutes 

5. Next set airfryer to  400° for 5 minutes skin side down

   1. This is Med-Rare, for Medium  400° for 6 minutes 

6. Finally, set airfryer to  400° for 2 minutes skin side up

7. Remove and place onto cutting board, let rest for 3-5 min and slice into ½” pieces (or your desired thickness)

This recipe is also absolutely delicious the next day on a slice of fresh baked bread with light mayo, tomato, or whatever you prefer