Sous Vide Duck Breast with Crispy Skin

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Sous vide is the best way to perfectly cook duck breast for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or a weeknight treat! The duck cooks evenly in a temperature-controlled water bath, so there’s no guesswork! With Sous Vide Duck Breast, you’ll get tender, juicy meat that’s ready for a quick sear to crisp the skin and is ready for your favorite side dishes.

When the holidays come around, duck always feels like a special treat along with juicy turkey breast. While a whole roast duck often takes center stage for Thanksgiving or Christmas, I think a perfectly cooked duck breast or even sous vide duck legs are just as exciting!

Sous vide, which means “under vacuum” in French, is a simple way to seal food in a bag and cook it in a precisely controlled water bath. This cooking method makes sure the duck cooks evenly and stays juicy and tender all the way through. The best part is that it takes the guesswork out of cooking, so there’s no worrying about overcooking or undercooking. It’s a fun way to achieve restaurant-quality results right at home, and I can’t wait to show you how!

🍗What You’ll Need

Duck Breast – You can find duck breast or wild duck breast at your local grocery store or butcher either fresh or frozen.
Seasonings – The options for how to season duck breast are endless. You can use your favorite seasoning blend or a simple mix of garlic, salt, and garlic powder.

Equipment

Immersion Circulator – The best immersion circulator is by Anova because it’s top-of-the-line quality and has a great app that connects with your phone. You can also use a budget-friendly brand such as the SAKI or InkBird brand.
Vacuum Sealer – Use any basic vacuum sealer with your sous vide. You can also use these sous vide bags with hand pump for about $15.
Vacuum Sealer Bags – Purchase a set of different sizes for ease and variety.
Large Pot or Sous Vide Container – If you’re cooking a lot with the sous vide, it’s helpful to have a container that’s perfectly sized to hold the immersion circulator and the food its cooking. Otherwise, you can use a large pot or heat-safe container.
Sous Vide Clips or Sous Vide Weights – These accessories are made to keep the food submerged in the water while it cooks to make sure it cooks evenly. You can purchase these or use a heavy kitchen utensil and binder clips.

🫕How To Sous Vide Duck Breast

1️⃣Prepare the water bath: Fill a large pot or sous vide container with enough water to fully submerge the duck breast, leaving space to prevent overflow. Attach the sous vide immersion circulator and set it to your desired temperature based on the level of doneness you want (see chart below). Make sure the water bath stays at a consistent temperature throughout the cooking process.

2️⃣Season the duck breast: Start by patting the duck breast dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps the skin crisp up later. Score the skin in a crosshatch pattern without cutting into the meat. Generously season both sides of the duck with salt, black pepper, and optional seasonings such as thyme, smoked paprika, or garlic powder for added depth of flavor.

3️⃣Vacuum seal the duck breast: Place the seasoned duck breast into a vacuum-sealed bag, ensuring it lays flat and spaced evenly. Use a vacuum sealer to remove as much air as possible. If you don’t have one, use the water displacement method by slowly submerging the bag into the water, allowing the pressure to push out the air, then seal it tightly.

4️⃣Cook sous vide: Submerge the sealed duck breast into the preheated water bath. Use sous vide clips or a weight to keep the bag from floating and ensure it doesn’t touch the sides or bottom of the container. Cook according to the desired temperature and time guidelines to achieve the perfect doneness.

⏲️Time and Temperature Cooking Chart

The best time and temperature to sous vide duck breast will depend on how you like the texture of your meat. If you use a finishing method, it’s best to cook at 150F. You can sous vide duck breast anywhere from 3 hours to 8 hours. You may need more cooking time if you are cooking the duck breast and thighs together.

Doneness	Temperature	Time	Texture Description
Medium Rare	130°F (54°C)	2 hours	Juicy with a tender, pink center
Medium	135°F (57°C)	3 hours	Moist with a slight pink hue; between juicy and firm.
Medium Well	140°F (60°C)	3 hours	Tender with minimal pink.
Well Done	150°F (65°C)	3 hours	Firm texture but still retains moisture.

🔥Finishing For Crispy Skin

There are 3 ways to finish your duck breast after it has been cooked sous vide in order to get crispy skin. Keep in mind that duck breast can be extremely delicate after cooking with all of its moisture so handle your duck with care to prevent it from breaking.

Broiling – Place duck breast on a greased baking sheet and broil for about three minutes per side or until crisp and slightly charred.
Air Fryer – Place duck breast in the air fryer and cook at 400F for about five minutes or until crisp.
Cast Iron Skillet – Place duck breast in a heavy-bottomed skillet with a bit of oil over medium-high heat. Cook for about two minutes per side or until crisp and slightly charred.

🧂Seasoning Ideas

Smoked duck breast – Add a few drops of liquid smoke to the seasoning blend.
Cajun duck breast – Season with a Cajun spice blend or make your own using paprika, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and thyme.
Herb duck breast – Mix together dried rosemary, sage, and thyme. Add some fresh chopped rosemary, sage, and thyme to the bag as well.
Lemon pepper duck breast – Season with a store-bought blend or make your own using lemon zest, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

❄️Storage, Reheating and Freezing

Refrigerate: Place the duck breast in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze: If you’re not planning to eat it soon, freeze the duck in a vacuum-sealed bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze it before finishing (i.e., searing or broiling).
Reheating: To reheat sous vide duck breast without compromising texture, keep things gentle. The best way is to place the duck (still sealed) in a 125°F (52°C) sous vide bath for 30-45 minutes. Or warm it in a 275°F (135°C) oven for 10-15 minutes on a baking sheet, loosely covered with foil to avoid over-crisping the skin. For an extra crispy finish, give the skin a quick 1-2 minute sear in a hot cast-iron skillet, skin-side down.

❔FAQ

Can I sous vide duck breast from frozen?

Yes! Cook it exactly the same as you would fresh duck. The sous vide bath will thaw it while cooking, so no need to adjust the cooking time.

How can I prevent the skin from getting soggy when reheating?

Make sure the duck is patted dry before reheating, and use a skillet or air fryer to refresh the skin right before serving.

What finishing method gives the crispiest skin?

Using a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat is the best way to get ultra-crispy skin. Start with the duck breast skin-side down and cook for 2-3 minutes without moving it. Flip for just 30 seconds to brown the other side. This technique renders out the fat and crisps the skin beautifully.

Should I marinate the duck breast before sous vide?

Marinating the duck with flavors like garlic, rosemary, or citrus enhances the taste. Alternatively, you can add aromatics such as thyme sprigs or smashed garlic directly into the vacuum-sealed bag. If marinating, refrigerate the duck for at least 2 hours or overnight before sealing and cooking.

Do I need to let the duck breast rest after sous vide?

Yes, it’s a good idea to let the duck rest for a few minutes after cooking. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring every bite is juicy and flavorful. Resting also makes it easier to handle the meat when you’re ready to finish it in a pan or broiler.

Is it okay to cook duck breast and thighs together sous vide?

Yes, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time. Since duck thighs are tougher, they require more time, around 8 hours at 165°F (74°C) for tender results. If cooking both, finish the breast first and leave the thighs in the water bath until they’re ready.

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