Asian-style grilled duck breasts
- Preparation 30 min
- Refrigeration 24 h
- Cooking 15 min
- Servings 4
- Freezing Absolutely
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🦆 Grilled duck that impresses with its explosive marinade
These Asian-style grilled duck breasts transform a classic ingredient into a spectacular dish thanks to a marinade that hits hard. The soy-hoisin-honey combination creates a deep sweet-salty base, while fresh ginger, toasted sesame oil and sriracha bring that typically Asian aromatic heat. The citrus fruits—lime, lemon and orange—add a bright acidity that balances the natural richness of duck. After 24 hours of maceration, the meat completely absorbs these flavors that penetrate to the heart of the breasts. The fat caramelizes on the grill, creating an irresistible golden crust.
🔥 A two-step cooking method for perfectly juicy duck
The indirect then direct cooking technique guarantees perfectly rendered fat without uncontrollable flames that would burn the meat. The duck starts fat side down on indirect heat to gently melt the fat, then finishes flesh side down on medium heat to create that beautiful grilled color. The result: crispy skin, melted fat, and tender pink flesh that slices beautifully. An impressive dish that just requires a little patience for the marinade.
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🔪 Score the fat without cutting the flesh
Making crosshatch incisions in the fat every 2 cm allows the marinade to penetrate more deeply and the fat to melt more easily during cooking. Never cut through to the flesh as this dries out the meat and causes juices to leak during cooking. Clean, shallow cuts are sufficient.
⏰ Marinate a full 24 hours for maximum flavor
The Asian marinade contains many powerful ingredients that need time to penetrate the dense duck meat. A 24-hour marinade allows the flavors to fully develop and balance. Less than 12 hours gives a superficial result without depth.
🔥 Start with indirect cooking fat side down
Placing the duck fat side down on indirect heat for 5 to 6 minutes allows the fat to melt gently without creating uncontrollable flames. This crucial step makes the fat crispy without charring the meat. Skipping this step leads to flames that burn the outside before the inside is cooked.
🍖 Watch constantly during direct cooking
Dripping duck fat easily creates flames on a gas barbecue. Keep a constant eye and move the meat if flames rise too high. A 45° rotation mid-cooking creates beautiful grill marks without burning. Vigilance here makes the difference between success and disaster.
💤 Let rest 5 minutes before slicing
This rest allows the juices to redistribute in the meat rather than running onto the cutting board. Slicing immediately creates dry meat and significant loss of flavorful juices. Covering with aluminum foil keeps the heat without continuing cooking.
Ingredients
- 3 Lac Brome duck breasts of 400 g (14 oz) each
- 125 ml (½ cup) soy sauce
- 125 ml (½ cup) hoisin sauce
- 60 ml (¼ cup) honey
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) finely grated fresh ginger
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp (5 ml) sriracha
- 2 limes
- 2 lemons
- 1 orange
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- Finely chopped fresh chives (for garnish)
- Salt and pepper from the mill
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Preparation
- Place the duck breasts on a work surface and make crosshatch incisions in the fat every 2 cm (¾ in). Do not cut through to the flesh. Set aside.
- In a large airtight container, pour the soy and hoisin sauces, honey, ginger, toasted sesame oil, sriracha, zest of 1 lime and juice of both limes, zest of 1 lemon and juice of both lemons, zest and juice of the orange and garlic. Salt, pepper and mix well.
- Place the breasts in the marinade, flesh side down, and close the container. Shake well to coat the duck. Place in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Preheat the barbecue to high heat. Turn off the burner on one side of the grill and place the duck there, fat side down, for indirect cooking. Close the barbecue lid and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. It is very important to keep an eye on your duck, as flames can rise and burn it.
- Reduce the lit side of the barbecue to medium heat and transfer the duck breasts there, flesh side down. Grill 4 minutes, rotate 45° and continue cooking another 4 minutes. If there are too many flames, move the meat on the grill.
- Remove from heat, place on a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest 5 minutes, cut into thin slices and garnish with chives.
Absolutely. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Place the breasts fat side down in a cold oven-safe pan, then heat over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes to render the fat. Flip flesh side up and transfer to the oven 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare cooking.
For the best flavors, yes. But if you’re in a hurry, 6 hours minimum still gives good results. Less than 6 hours and the marinade stays on the surface without penetrating the dense duck meat. Patience here is really worth it.
The ideal internal temperature is 135°F (57°C) for perfect medium-rare cooking. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part. Duck continues cooking during rest, reaching about 140°F (60°C) in the end.
Yes, prepare the marinade up to 3 days ahead and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Shake before placing the duck in it. The flavors blend even better over time.
Collect the rendered duck fat in a container and store in the refrigerator up to 3 months. Use to sauté potatoes, roast vegetables, or cook eggs. It’s liquid gold in the kitchen.
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