Want to impress with a festive dish that exudes luxury? Duck breast with cranberry compote is just the thing! Juicy, tender duck with a fresh, sweet sauce that perfectly balances the flavors. And the best part? It's surprisingly easy to make. This dish is perfect for the holidays or a dinner party where you want to make a splash.
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How to Fry Duck Breast with Cranberry Sauce
For me, duck breast is a recipe that I like to make for the holidays. Duck breast fillet is something special. The meat is tender, juicy, and has just a little extra flavor. Combine that with the fresh-sweet cranberry sauce, and you have a winner. The great thing is that you don't need complicated techniques, hard-to-find ingredients, or to buy a device. You can make this with ingredients from the supermarket on the stove. With the clear steps below, you are guaranteed to succeed!
What do you require?
Which orange do you use?
It doesn't matter what kind of orange you use. But make sure to
choose an organic orange and wash it well.
What is cranberry compote?
Cranberry compote is a mix of cranberries, sugar, and water. It looks like jam, and you can buy it ready-made. Select a natural variant without extra additives, so you can flavor it yourself.
Which meat do you use?
Duck breast (without bone) is the star of this dish. Select a fillet with a layer of fat on top. This fat melts during baking, making the meat extra juicy and providing a deliciously crispy layer. Duck breast has a deep flavor and requires little more than a pinch of salt and pepper.
Preparation in 4 steps
- Prepare duck breast: Cut a diamond pattern in the fat of the duck breast. Do this carefully so that you do not cut into the meat. This helps to crisp up the fat.
- To fry the duck breast: Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Place the fillets, fat side down, in the pan. Fry for 5–6 minutes until the fat is golden brown and crispy. Turn the fillets over and fry the meat side for another 5 minutes for a pink result (core temperature: 126 - 131 °F / 52-55 °C). Remove the duck breast from the pan, wrap it in aluminum foil, and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then, cut into thin slices.
- To make the cranberry sauce: Combine the orange juice, orange zest, cranberry compote, balsamic vinegar and cinnamon in a saucepan.
- Heat over low heat and add brown sugar. Simmer gently until the sugar has dissolved.
To serve: Place the slices of duck breast on a plate and spoon the cranberry sauce over them. Or serve the sauce separately.
Did you make this recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram. I enjoy seeing what your creation looks like. Video recipes can be found on my YouTube channel. And don't forget to save the recipes on Pinterest so you can easily find them next time!
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Ingredients
For the cranberry compote
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 5 tablespoons cranberry compote
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
For the duck breast
- 4 duck breast, without bone
- 2 tablespoons butter
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Make the cranberry compote
- Pour the orange juice, zest, cranberry compote, and balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan. Add the cinnamon and heat over low heat.½ cup orange juice, 1 teaspoon orange zest, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 5 tablespoons cranberry compote
- Stir in the brown sugar. Simmer gently and keep stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. Set the pan aside.¼ cup dark brown sugar
Prepare the duck breast
- Using a sharp knife, cut a diamond pattern into the fat of the duck breast. Note: only cut the fat, not the meat.4 duck breast
- Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat.2 tablespoons butter
- Place the duck breast fillets, fat side down, in the skillet. Fry for 5–6 minutes until the fat is golden brown and crispy.
- Fry the other side of the duck breast for 5 minutes until the meat is pink. Check the temperature with a core thermometer in the thickest part of the duck breast. It should be between 126–131 °F / 52-55 °C.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper over the fillets. Wrap them in aluminum foil and let them rest for 5 minutes.salt and pepper
Serving
- Cut the fillets into thin slices and place them on a serving dish.
- Spoon the cranberry compote over the duck slices or serve separately in a bowl.
Notes
Nutrition
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