I know that duck is a bit extravagant and costly for most people out there, but I found some beautiful looking duck breasts in the co-op and decided that I had to try it. I’d never tried it or cooked it before, so I figured why not?
If you’re not the type that wants to use duck, you can easily sub the duck breast out for a chicken thigh. Just remember that chicken thighs want to go into a hot pan (rather than a cold pan, since there isn’t as much fat to render), and that they take longer to cook. That said, chicken would still taste fantastic with this sauce!
Note: This is also a pretty heavy meal, so if you feel like it wouldn’t fit into your macros, you could always use a smaller duck breast, or slice it in half to save some for another meal.
Yields 1 serving of Orange and Sage Glazed Duck Breast
The Preparation
- 16 ounces duck breast
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon stevia/erythritol blend, such as Swerve
- 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup spinach
The Execution
1. Score the duck skin on top of the breast.
2. Season duck breast on both sides with salt and pepper.
3. In a pan over medium-low heat, add butter and swerve. Let this cook down until the butter has slightly browned.
4. Once butter has turned a dark golden color, add sage and orange extract. Let this cook until butter is a deep amber color.
5. In the mean time, put the duck breast into a cold pan. Set the pans heat to medium-high on the stove.
6. After a few minutes, flip the duck breast and see the delicious crisp skin.
7. Add heavy cream to the orange and sage butter, then stir together well. Pour this over the duck breast in the pan and let mix with the duck fat. Cook for a few minutes longer.
8. Wilt some spinach in the pan you used to make the sauce.
9. Let the duck rest for 2-3 minutes, then slice and place on top of wilted spinach with sauce.
This makes a total of 1 serving of Orange & Sage Glazed Duck Breast. The serving comes out to be 828 calories, 47.8g fats, 1.2g net carbs, and 91.6g protein.
| NUTRITION | CALORIES | FAT | CARBS | FIBER | NET CARBS | PROTEIN |
| 16 ounce duck breast | 558 | 19.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 |
| — salt and pepper | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 tablespoon butter | 203 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 |
| 1 tablespoon stevia/erythritol blend | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1/4 teaspoon dried sage | 1 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1/2 teaspoon orange extract | 6 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 |
| 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream | 51 | 5.4 | 0.4 | 0 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| 1 cup spinach | 7 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.9 |
| Totals | 828 | 47.8 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 91.6 |
Orange & Sage Glazed Duck Breast
Ingredients
- 16 ounce duck breast
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon stevia/erythritol blend such as Swerve
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon orange extract
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup spinach
Instructions
- Score the skin of the duck breast.
- Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add the butter and sweetener to a pan over medium-low heat. Let cook until the butter is slightly browned.
- Once the butter is a dark golden color, add the sage and orange extract. Let cook until the butter takes on a deep amber color.
- Meanwhile, place the duck breast in a cold pan, skin side down, on the stovetop. Turn the heat on to medium-high.
- After a few minutes, flip the duck breast — the skin should be deliciously crisp.
- Stir the heavy cream into the orange and sage-infused butter. Pour the butter over the duck breast in the pan and let it mix with the duck fat. Cook for a few minutes longer. Once done, remove from the heat and rest for 2–3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, wilt the spinach in the pan used to make the sauce.
- Slice the duck and place it on top of the wilted spinach. Drizzle the sauce over and serve.
That’s an awful method of cooking duck fillet! Start with cold pan, lay the fillet skin side down then slowly raise the heat till fat is melting, then turn over and seal the fillet.Place in pre-heated oven at 200c for around 8 minutes, then take out and rest. cut into generous slices and serve. It’s a pinkish fillet and very tasty.
I’m not sure if you even read the recipe or not. The duck starts in a cold pan and renders the fat. The sauce is made in a separate pan. Then you glaze the duck with the sauce. You shouldn’t need the oven for this method – I actually followed Gordon Ramsey’s advice on how to cook the duck, so I’d trust him.
He does have a second video on doing pan to oven, but he says both ways are fine.
Aha, yes you do mention it, but the order of photos confused me. I am a trained chef and actually cooked duck breast today using the oven for 8 minutes. Have you tried that method? It gives a pure taste, and only the duck’s own fast was used
Yeah. It was the first time getting duck before. I got 2 breasts and the first one got cooked this method except I cooked it for 7 minutes rather than 8 in the oven. It came out delicious and really tender (this one did also). I just thought adding a bit more flavor into a sauce would appeal to people on keto a bit more. This also cooks in its own fat for most of the time, you mostly add the brown butter sauce at the end. Both ways are definitely great!
Yes, it’s a great bird isn’t it. How about a red wine reduced sauce with blackberries for extra flavour, but I always think it’s best not to overpower the true flavour of a gorgeous piece of duck.
That sounds awesome but a little bit too carby for me, personally.
I made this last night for my husband and subbed out chicken breast cutlets for me. I cooked the chicken in the duck fat when the duck was done and followed the recipe from there. I’ve never had duck before but the duck fat in the sauce was tasty! This was an easy recipe that we both enjoyed. My husband said the duck was very good. I sprinkled a little orange zest on top of everything at serving time but otherwise followed the recipe as written. It seemed to turn out just fine without putting it into the oven. Thanks Craig – I’ll be making this one again.
Thanks a lot Noelle! After trying duck for the first time (a little bit before this recipe), I started buying duck fat from the store. Now I use it in a lot of recipes just to add flavor – it’s delicious 🙂
I have a whole 3 lb duck and want to roast with oranges. any ideas?