Skillet Duck
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- 2ducks, about 4½ pounds each, defrosted if frozen
- 1teaspoon salt
Preparation
- Step 1
Cut each duck in half lengthwise, slicing through the carcass bones. Then cut each half duck into two pieces (the leg, and the breast with wing attached).
- Step 2
Heat two large skillets or saucepans that have lids, either nonstick or heavy aluminum, until hot. Place one duck (4 pieces) skin side down in one layer in each of the hot skillets. Sprinkle with the salt, and cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Lift the pieces to dislodge them from the bottom of the skillets, then return to the skillets, skin side down.
- Step 3
Add the duck necks and gizzards to the pans, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. (The skin on the duck pieces should be very brown at this point.) Reduce the heat to very low, cover, and cook for 25 minutes. Add the livers and hearts, cover, and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
- Step 4
Place the duck pieces on a large tray, and keep them warm until serving time in a 170-degree oven. Pour the fat (about 4 cups total) from the two skillets into a bowl, and reserve 1½ tablespoons of it for the green salad (see recipe). Cover and refrigerate the remainder. (It can be used for up to two months for sauteeing potatoes or other vegetables.)
- Step 5
There should be a residue of glaze or solidified juices in the bottom of the skillets. Add ¼ cup of water to each skillet, and stir to melt the solidified juices. Set these drippings aside.
- Step 6
Serve the pieces of duck sprinkled with the reserved drippings and with the green salad (see recipe.)
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
This recipe seemed so simple and a little less messy than the others so I had to try it. Since we had only one 5lb bird I think ours were probably not the desired results (the bird barely fit in the 12” skillet, the cook times probably should have been adjusted, etc.) Some of the breast meat came out a little tough, but otherwise it was moist/crispy/delicious - it’s a great and easy recipe. I will be trying this again soon, but with the correct sized birds. Bonus for all the leftover fat!
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