Wild duck is an absolute treat and a breeze to prepare. It is an entirely different culinary experience from domestic duck and benefits from a bit of something sweet and tangy to balance its strong flavor. Traditionally, our family serves this delicacy with a red currant sauce my father makes from currant jelly. It used to be readily available in our small-town grocery, however he now must order it online. And it’s fabulous in this recipe as well, simply swap the cranberry jelly, should you wish.
We’ve adapted his recipe to work beautifully with whole cranberry jelly–the kind you buy in a can–because it’s widely available in even the most remote, rural groceries. And if you don’t have any Grand Marnier on hand? Not a worry. Swap in the zest of one orange and a bit of its juice, to taste.
Duck pairs beautifully with whole grain wild rice, which can also be tricky to find in rural grocery stores. If you can’t locate any, try roasting new potatoes with fresh rosemary. And perhaps a green salad tossed with blackberries, a smoky blue cheese, and a simple vinaigrette. Serve with an earthy Pinot Noir, great music, beloved hunting partners, and you’ve got the quintessential upland evening.
This recipe makes about 2 Cups of sauce. If you have leftovers? Or don’t have any wild duck in your life? It would be exceptional with wild turkey. Or even a humble roast chicken. If you are making ahead of time? And you have Ball Jars on hand? It can be canned perfectly using the boil-seal method; we follow the directions from America’s Test Kitchen because they’re very straightforward. This would be a fabulous sauce to have in the pantry to quickly elevate a variety of simple dishes.
Pan-seared Wild Duck with Cranberry Wine Sauce (Yields 2 Cups Sauce)
Ingredients
Duck breasts, cleaned and boned (skin on or off; typically one breast per person)
Avocado or other neutral oil
2-3 large shallots, diced
1 cup red wine (Pinot Noir works well here)
1 14 oz. can whole cranberry jelly
1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. Grand Marnier
Directions
Prepare Sauce
- In a hot saucepan over medium heat, sautée shallots in avocado oil until soft; approximately 3-5 minutes.
- Add red wine and continue cooking uncovered, over medium heat until reduced; approximately 10 minutes.
- Add whole cranberry jelly and butter; cook on medium-low until heated through.
- Before serving, pull from heat and stir in Grand Mariner. This can be done to taste.
- Salt and pepper, again, to taste.
Prepare Duck
- Bring duck to room temperature, resting in a simple marinade of avocado oil, salt/pepper . About 30 min.
- For skinless breasts: Heat a large cast-iron or cast-enamel skillet coated with neutral oil over medium heat. Once hot, add breasts and cook 3 min. per side for thin breasts, 3-5 min. per side for thicker breasts. (about 140°F) Pull from pan and allow to rest for 5 min. under loosely tented aluminium foil.
- For skin-on breasts: Place breasts skin-side down on a large and unheated, cast-iron or cast-enamel skillet. Turn heat to medium. Once you hear the fat begin to sizzle, nudge heat a bit higher (but not quite to medium-high) and cook for 5 min. Flip, placing skinless side back in pan carefully so that it rests atop the rendered fat. Cook an additional 3 min. (about 140°F). Remove from pan and rest, loosely tented with aluminium foil for 5 min.
* Note: Because it is lean, wild duck cooks quickly and will dry out if reheated. So ensure side dishes are ready to go before you start searing the duck.
Recommended Products
When choosing a cast-iron or cast-enamel skillet, ensure it is large enough not to crowd the duck breasts. This version from Le Creuset is great. I strongly suggest keeping a healthy supply of Minnesota wild rice on hand in your pantry. In an airtight container, it should last up to 2 years. And finally, you cannot have enough beautiful linens, glasses, and tableware! I’ve included some Spode cork-backed placemats by Pimpernel available through Perigold (linked below). If you’ve never owned Pimpernel placemats or coasters, they are fabulous and wonderfully protective of wood tables. You can search antique shops for some of their vintage prints as well, which are absolutely beautiful. So, happy hunting!
