Author: Annie Weisz of Peak to Plate

Duck breasts can be difficult to cook to a perfect medium-rare. Using a sous vide machine takes the guesswork out of cooking them to the proper temperature. Sous vide translates to "under vacuum" in French. Sous vide is a method of cooking that involves the process of vacuum-sealing food and immersing it in a precisely controlled warm water bath.

The result is tender, succulent duck meat with a perfectly uniform doneness throughout. A blackberry pan sauce with notes of fresh sage and red wine perfectly complements the earthy flavor of wild duck meat. The presentation of this dish exudes a stunning elegance and is sure to impress in both looks and flavor!

Tips and Tricks:

• You can use skinless duck breasts instead of skin-on and decrease the searing time.
• Fresh blackberries are used for this recipe but you can also use thawed frozen blackberries.
• If your vacuum bags have a smooth side, place the skin on the smooth side so that the pattern doesn't change the appearance of the skin.
• This sauce is also delicious with steak and meaty fish like salmon. You can cook your steak or fish in a cast iron pan, then follow the same instructions for the sauce.

Recipe:

 Sous Vide Duck with Blackberry Pan Sauce

 Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

 Equipment:

• vacuum sealer
• sous vide machine
• cast iron pan
• fine mesh strainer

 Ingredients:

Duck Breasts:

• 4 duck breasts, skin-on
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 4-6 fresh sage leaves
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon duck fat (or other cooking fat)

Blackberry Pan Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 2 tablespoons shallots, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons blackberry brandy (optional)
• ¾ cup red wine
• 1 ½ cup fresh blackberries
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Duck Breasts:

• Preheat a sous vide machine to 120°F.
• If your duck breasts have a thick layer of fat under the skin, score the skin of each duck breast with a sharp knife in a diamond pattern. If your duck breasts do not have a layer of fat under the skin, don't worry about scoring them.
• Season duck breasts all over with salt and pepper.
• Place sage leaves and butter in the vacuum bag then place duck breasts in the bag in a single layer on top of the butter and sage.
• Seal the bag with a vacuum sealer.
• Place the sous vide bag in the preheated water bath and cook for 1 hour.
• When the meat has about 5 minutes left in the water bath, preheat a cast iron pan over high heat. Watch it carefully so it doesn't start smoking.
• Remove the bag from the water bath. Cut the bag open with scissors and remove the meat. Remove the sage leaves and carefully pat the meat dry with a paper towel. Re-season with salt and pepper if it looks like it has lost the seasoning.
• Once the pan is really hot, add the duck fat and let it melt. Immediately add the duck breasts, skin side down.
• Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the skin is crispy and golden brown.
• Flip and cook an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 125-130°F for medium-rare.
• Remove the breasts from the pan and let them rest while you prepare the sauce.

Blackberry Pan Sauce:

• Turn the heat down to medium. Add butter to the pan and swirl to coat the pan. Add in shallots and sage. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until shallots are starting to soften and the sage is fragrant.
• Add in blackberry brandy and red wine to deglaze the pan. Bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine then add in the blackberries. Gently squish the blackberries while they're cooking. Simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce is reduced by half, stirring frequently.
• Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer. Use a spoon to squish the blackberries through the strainer, leaving the seeds and skins behind.
• The sauce should be the consistency of a thick syrup. If it is not thick enough, return the strained sauce to the pan and simmer, stirring frequently, until the desired consistency is achieved. Remove the sauce from the pan immediately or it will continue to reduce.
• Slice duck breasts into ½" slices. Drizzle blackberry sage sauce over the top and sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Enjoy!