Tea-Brined Duck Breast
Kristina Cho
4-6
8-12 hours
15-20 minutes
"Chili House in the Inner Richmond District of San Francisco makes one of the best ducks I’ve ever had. While most people call in advance orders for the restaurant’s Peking duck, I opt for their tea-smoked duck instead. It’s equally succulent, with crispy skin and an earthy, complex flavor. Making a similar version at home is surprisingly simple when you use duck breasts, which are much more manageable than an entire bird. Instead of smoking, a potent brine of black tea steeped with spices permeates the duck and keeps the meat incredibly juicy as it cooks. The key to cooking duck breast properly at home is to not rush the process."
See more from Kristina at eatchofood.com and @eatchofood
Ingredients
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2 cups (480 ml) water
¼ cup (22 g) loose black tea leaves
¼ cup (50g) sugar
3 Tbsp kosher salt
2 tsp dark soy sauce
3 star anise pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 (1-inch/2.5cm) piece fresh ginger, smashed
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1 tsp whole black peppercorns, or ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
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1½ pounds (681g) duck breasts (about 4 medium)
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Green onions, thinly sliced on a bias, for garnish
Dark soy sauce or hoisin, for serving
Directions
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In a medium saucepan, combine the water, tea leaves, sugar, salt, dark soy sauce, star anise, cinnamon stick, ginger, cloves, five spice, and black peppercorns. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, then turnoff the heat and allow the brine to cool completely. Strain the tea brine through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass measuring cup.
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Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels and place in a resealable container or zip-top bag. Pour in the tea brine and cover with a lid or seal the bag. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
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Thirty minutes before cooking, transfer the duck to a cutting board or plate (discard the brine) and pat the skin dry with paper towels. Allow the duck breasts to come to room temperature.
Drizzle the olive oil into a large cast-iron pan; do not heat the oil. Place the duck in the pan, skin-side down, and set the pan over medium-low heat. Cook the duck breasts until the skin is deeply browned and crispy, 12 to 15 minutes (it will look dark from the dark soy sauce, but that doesn’t mean it’s burnt!). Flip the duck and cook until it has reached your desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes more for medium.
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Transfer the duck to a cutting board and allow it to rest for at least 15 minutes. Cut the duck into 1/2-inch-thick (1 cm) slices at a slight angle and transfer to a platter. Garnish with green onions and serve with a small dish of dark soy sauce or hoisin for dipping.