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Balsamic and Honey Glazed Duck Breast

Balsamic and Honey Glazed Duck Breast is perfect date night food, fancy enough to impress but simple enough so you don’t spend all night at the stove.

Close up portrait image of pan fried glazed duck breast with walnuts and cabbage in a balsamic sauce on a black plate

Balsamic and Honey Glazed Duck Breast.

Having recipes that look great, sound impressive and taste million dollars but are easy is the thing all cooks really yearn for. This balsamic and honey glazed duck breast ticks all of those boxes!

In fact, duck recipes are so often the ones I fall back on when I am looking for tasty, impressive and fast. It has amazing flavour, always looks great and is really versatile.

Most importantly it always feels like a bit of a treat but cooks in no time at all.

This Balsamic and Honey Glazed Duck Breast is all done in just 25 minutes. Pretty quick for a European style meal rather than a stir-fry.

It stands in stark contrast to my recent duck recipes, duck ragu and duck salad salad with roasted radish and asparagus.

Portrait image of pan fried glazed duck breast with walnuts and cabbage in a balsamic sauce on a black plate

Versatile Duck Recipes!

I am sure a lack of familiarity puts many people off eating duck, but you really should ‘hunt’ it down.

It is every bit as good as any steak you will eat. In fact, in my opinion, better than any steak you will eat!

Duck is so versatile and is capable of standing up to pretty much anything you can throw at it. It does work exceptionally well with sweetness so this honey and balsamic number is spot on for this glazed duck breast.

I like to serve this with cabbage, apple and walnuts at this time of the year to give it an autumnal feel. Of course, those walnuts passed through the glaze are delicious all by themselves let alone with the duck.

But duck is not a one trick pony it lends itself to cuisines from all over the world so well. Here on Krumpli alone, I have an Indian Duck Tikka Masala and an Italian Duck Ragu Pasta. But no that is not all, we can go to the good ol US of A with a Duck Burger or Thailand with Thai red Duck Curry.

Of course, we can nip to France for Duck a l’Orange. Naturally, we can just stay at home grab a beer and knock up some simple Duck Kebabs! Do you get the feeling I like duck?

Seriously, go buy some duck, even if it isn’t for this Honey Glazed Duck Breast!  Your belly will thank you.

Overhead portrait image of pan fried glazed duck breast with walnuts and cabbage in a balsamic sauce on a black plate

Duck Breast Cooking Temperatures.

I have written at length here about the importance of cooking food for you. I like my meat cooked pretty rare. That is of no importance to you what so ever, cook your meat the way you like it.

Anyone who tells you otherwise is an A grade asshole, I have no time for that bullshit. Food is to be enjoyed and loved not to be used to pass judgement on others.

As a result, here are some temperature guides for cooking your duck for this honey glazed duck breast. They represent internal temperature after your duck has rested.

If you are pan frying duck like this, then you should ‘budget’ for an increase of 5-8°C in internal temperature during the resting period of 5-7 minutes.

So go on, step outside your comfort zone.

Head out find some duck and see what you can do and if you have any questions shout up, I’m happy to help where I can.

  • Medium Rare:  55°C, 130°F.
  • Medium:  62°C, 145°F.
  • Well Done:  67°C, 153°F.
Close up square image of pan fried glazed duck breast with walnuts and cabbage in a balsamic sauce on a black plate
Yield: 2 Servings

Balsamic and Honey Glazed Duck Breast

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Balsamic and Honey Glazed Duck Breast is perfect date night food, fancy enough to impress but simple enough so you don't spend all night at the stove.

Ingredients

  • 2 Duck Breasts
  • 50g (1/4 Cup) Shelled Walnuts
  • ½ Small (250g Shredded Weight) Savoy Cabbage
  • 40g (2 Tbsp) Honey
  • 4 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 30g (2 Tbsp) Butter
  • 1 Granny Smiths Apple
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions

  1. Trim up the duck breasts and then score the skin in a cross-hatch pattern (roughly 1cm or ½" diamonds) being careful to only score the skin and not to cut through the flesh. Then thoroughly dry the skin.
  2. Remove the tough heart from the cabbage, then finely shred the leaves.
  3. Core the apple, peel it and then cut the flesh into a 5-6mm (¼") dice. Place the diced apple into some acidulated water to prevent it from going brown.
  4. Heat 2 frying pans one with a lid, both over a medium high heat.
  5. Season the duck with salt and pepper.
  6. When the pans are to temperature add the butter and one tablespoon of balsamic to one and then add the duck to the second pan skin side down. The pan for the duck should be dry.
  7. Add the cabbage to the second pan, reduce the heat to medium and put on the lid.
  8. Try and leave the duck alone on the skin for 5 minutes, you will need to sneak a peak to make sure it is not burning and you have your temperature correct.
  9. After 5 minutes flip over the duck and allow to cook for a further 5-6 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 50°C, this is for how I like my duck cooked but there are further instructions in my blurb.
  10. When the duck reaches temperature remove from the pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes, by this time the internal temperature should reach 55°C.
  11. Whilst the duck is resting add the apple to the cabbage along with salt as required and stir.
  12. Drain off most of the fat from the duck pan and then add the honey and remaining balsamic vinegar and bubble up to form a syrup.
  13. Add in the walnuts and duck to the syrup when rested and spoon over the syrup to coat, slice and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 729Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 353mgSodium: 442mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 3gSugar: 33gProtein: 60g

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

Wendy

Friday 12th of January 2024

This duck, cabbage, and apples recipe is EXCELLENT! Served with simple buttered noodles with a touch of ground cardomom. Yum!

Brian Jones

Sunday 21st of January 2024

Glad you enjoyed it Wendy, thanks for taking the time to write to me and let me know :)

Sara-Jayne Nixon

Tuesday 2nd of January 2024

This duck was absolutely beautiful! My other half said it’s the best duck I’ve ever cooked. The cabbage was very apply though so tasted like apple pie filling 😅 not to our personal taste but would probably be lovely without the apple in it. Thanks for a lovely and easy to follow recipe x

Brian Jones

Sunday 21st of January 2024

So glad you liked it, we all like different flavours and that is perfectly ok :)

Gina Strauch

Sunday 1st of January 2023

I made this last night for New Year's Eve, using regular "new england" ball cabbage and it was truly outstanding, coming together quickly and plating attractively. I saved the drained duck fat to make the cabbage and glaze tomorrow as a side with venison.

Excellent with a sparkling Riesling for the holiday, but a burgundy would have been a good choice too.

I used the cold pan start for the duck.

Many thanks, Brian, I have made a number of recipes from your site now, and all have been keepers. Happy new year.

Brian Jones

Monday 2nd of January 2023

Glad you enjoyed it Gina... I haven't made this in an age, I must put that right, it is a delicious and simple little dish!

Happy Bew Year to you and yours too :)

Brian

Alan

Friday 10th of June 2022

Absolutely astounding. The kids love it. When having it on my own I catch myself talking aloud saying “man this is good.”

I add a bit of butter to the honey balsamic mix all at one. The dish is amazing with dauphinois potatoes. You can search a recipe out but I used 300ml dbl cream and about 200 milk and parmagianno regianno (at Lidl). An amazing side dish.

I start duck from a cold pan to let skin carmelizebin it’s own fat for 3 and 1/2 min, turn over and 3and 1/2 before resting which produces pink in middle. It’s not streaming blood like a steak as it has rested and then cooked some in the glaze. It’s simply how I think duck should be. Thanks Brian

Brian Jones

Monday 11th of July 2022

You are welcome :)

This recipe is one of the earliest on my site and I have taken to the cold pan method of cooking duck in recent years too. I just have not updated this recipe yet, but I am sure that I will eventually.

Glad you liked this, it is one of my favourite recipes.

Vruab

Ramona

Saturday 10th of February 2018

Oh Brian, you’ve hit me hard with this dish. I absolutely love duck and this recipe sounds absolutely amazing quick to make and contains my favourite ingredients. What a beautiful combination. I have to say I really love your recipes and now I’m saving your website and add it to my reading list. ???

Brian Jones

Saturday 10th of February 2018

Thank you so much Ramona, you are far too kind... I love duck, in fact I have another recipe I have been working on going under the camera tomorrow with a great 'sardine sauce' and chicory, sounds odd but it is incredible. Should be hitting you up in a couple of weeks :)

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