How to Cook Duck in a Skillet

You'd never guess it takes something as heavy and hard as cast iron to bring out the delicate richness and buttery mouthfeel of duck. Duck renders a lot of fat during cooking, so you need an evenly heated skillet to crisp the skin quickly before the meat starts cooking in its own juices. Unlike thin-metal pans, cast-iron skillets retain heat uniformly with little or no temperature fluctuation during cooking. Ten-inch-wide-and-larger cast-iron skillets manage heat so well you can simultaneously cook two duck thighs and two duck breasts at once on the stove without having to finish them in the oven.

Things You'll Need

Paper towels
Sharp knife
Kosher salt
Pepper

Well-seasoned cast-iron skillet
Oil
Herbs, pungents and spices, such as thyme, shallots and allspice
Carving board

Instructions

Take the duck thighs and breasts out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you start and pat them dry with paper towels. Score breast skin with a sharp knife, then season the breasts and thighs to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Oil the cast-iron skillet just enough to coat the bottom. You don't need to use much oil; about 1/2 tablespoon or less is enough for a large skillet if you coat it evenly.
Heat the skillet on the stove on a large burner over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. It takes cast iron a little longer to heat than other materials. Don't worry if you see the oil start to smoke a little; the oil polymerizes onto the pan, it doesn't burn.
Lay the duck thighs and duck breasts skin-side down in the skillet and sear them without moving them. Sear the duck until fat starts rendering out of the duck heavily and the skin turns golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium-low and turn the duck thighs and duck breasts over. Add whole spices, fresh herbs and pungents to the skillet. Fat mobilizes the esters and volatile oils in herbs, pungents and spices, which transfer to the duck during cooking. Allspice, shallots, thyme and garlic are common pungents and aromatics that work with duck, but they're only suggestions.
Spoon the fat over the duck thighs and breasts as it renders in the pan. If so much fat renders that it covers the duck by half, pour some off until it's about 1/4 up the sides of the duck.
Cook duck breasts and thighs for about 15 to 20 minutes. Cooking time depends on the size of the duck. Check the thighs for an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit with an instant-read thermometer if in doubt. Turn the heat up to medium-high.
Return the duck thighs and breasts to skin-side down in the pan and cook them until the skin crisps, about 3 or 4 minutes. Transfer the duck to a carving board and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Slice the breast meat from the duck with a sharp knife. Leave the thighs whole if you like. Strain the fat and reserve it for chips, confit or any sauteed, pan-fried or deep-fried dish.

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