Grilled Duck Breasts
Duck is a protein we aren’t cooking enough. These grilled duck breasts are seasoned with a bold Chinese five-spice-inspired paste before they head to a grill fueled by the sweet smoke of applewood. The result is nothing short of flavor-packed, tender, and juicy duck breasts with crispy, crackling skin!
Equipment
- Z Grills 7052B Wood Pellet Grill with Wi-Fi
- Z Grills Apple Wood Pellets
- wire rack
- Baking Sheet
- Blender
- Cast iron skillet
- Tongs
- Probe Thermometer
Ingredients
- 4 duck breasts, skin-on
- ½ yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground star anise
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Pat the duck with paper towels to dry, then place the breasts on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Leave to dry out at room temperature for 30 minutes. This will result in super crispy skin.
- Meanwhile, blend the onion, garlic, salt, orange zest, and spices into a paste using a high-speed blender.
- Preheat your Z-Grills (preferably with branded wood pellets) or other wood pellet grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once hot, transfer a cast iron skillet or griddle to the grill to heat up. Any duck fat that renders will make a mess of your pellet grill if you don’t use a skillet or griddle.
- Apply the paste to the duck breasts, then transfer them to the skillet/griddle skin-side down, close the lid, and grill for 15 minutes or until they are a beautiful golden brown.
- Transfer the breasts directly to the grates skin-side up, close the lid, and grill for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove from the grill, rest for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Notes
If you don’t have a probe thermometer, you can use the finger test to determine doneness. To test, press the duck breast with your finger. It should feel firm yet tender and spring back slightly.
