Duck Breast with Porcini Sauce
Duck Breast with Porcini Sauce is a medium French recipe that serves 2. 1050 calories per serving. Recipe by Philippe's Kitchen on YouTube.
Prep: 25 min | Cook: 34 min | Total: 1 hr 14 min
Cost: $20.45 total, $10.23 per serving
Ingredients
- 550 g Duck breast (Remove excess fat and score the skin in a criss‑cross pattern)
- 10 g Dried porcini mushrooms (Rehydrate in hot water 15 min then drain and press)
- 10 cl Chicken stock (Prepare in advance or dilute a cube in hot water)
- 2 pcs Shallots (Finely minced)
- 20 cl Whole milk cream (At room temperature)
- 1 pinch Nutmeg (Freshly grated)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil (For cooking the shallots)
- to taste Salt
- to taste Ground black pepper
- 1 sheet Aluminum foil (To rest the breast after cooking)
Instructions
Rehydrating the porcini
Place the dried porcini in a bowl, cover with very hot water, let soak for 15 minutes. Drain, gently press to remove excess water.
Time: PT15M
Preparing the shallots
Peel the shallots and mince them finely.
Time: PT5M
Sweating the shallots
Heat olive oil in the small saucepan, add the shallots, season lightly with salt and cook over low heat for 3 minutes without browning.
Time: PT3M
Temperature: low heat
Toasting the porcini
Add the rehydrated porcini to the pan, stir frequently for 1 minute until they begin to lightly brown.
Time: PT1M
Temperature: medium heat
Deglazing with stock (first part)
Pour about 75 ml (three quarters) of chicken stock, bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Time: PT10M
Temperature: boiling
Completing the stock
Add the remaining 25 ml of stock, continue cooking for 2 more minutes.
Time: PT2M
Temperature: boiling
Incorporating cream and seasoning
Stir in the cream, add pepper, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle boil again and let thicken for 3 minutes.
Time: PT3M
Temperature: gentle boil
Blending the sauce
Transfer the mixture to a tall bowl and blend with an immersion blender until smooth and glossy.
Time: PT2M
Keeping the sauce warm
Keep the sauce in a bain‑marie or on very low heat until serving.
Time: PT0M
Temperature: very low heat
Preparing the duck breast
Remove the central vein, trim excess fat from the edges, then score the skin in a diagonal criss‑cross without cutting into the meat.
Time: PT5M
Skin‑side cooking – first phase
Place the breast skin‑side down in a cold skillet. Turn the heat to high. Cook for 3 minutes until the fat begins to melt.
Time: PT3M
Temperature: high heat
Skin‑side cooking – second phase
Continue cooking for another 3 minutes (total 6 minutes) until the skin is deeply golden and crisp.
Time: PT3M
Temperature: high heat
Removing excess fat
Take the breast out, place on a plate. Pour most of the rendered fat from the pan into a heat‑proof container (be careful of the heat). Leave only a small tablespoon in the pan.
Time: PT1M
Cooking the flesh side
Return the pan to the heat, add the breast flesh side and cook 6 minutes over medium‑high heat for a pink centre.
Time: PT6M
Temperature: medium‑high heat
Resting the breast
Transfer the breast onto aluminum foil, loosely cover and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Time: PT5M
Plating and serving
Slice the breast into thin ribbons, arrange on plates, generously drizzle with porcini sauce and serve immediately.
Time: PT5M
Nutrition Facts
- Calories
- 1050
- Protein
- 80 g
- Carbohydrates
- 5 g
- Fat
- 70 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Dietary info: Gluten-free, High-protein, low-carb, keto-friendly, high-protein
Allergens: Milk
Ingredient Substitutions
- Instead of Dried porcini mushrooms: fresh porcini, dried porcini, dried shiitake
- Instead of Chicken stock: vegetable stock
- Instead of Shallots: sweet onion
- Instead of Whole milk cream: thick cream, double cream
- Instead of Olive oil: canola oil
Equipment Needed
- Small saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Immersion blender
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Heavy‑bottomed skillet
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Kitchen tongs (optional)
- Measuring glass
- Aluminum foil
Critical Steps — Do Not Skip
- Proper rehydration of the porcini to avoid hardness
- Precise scoring of the duck skin for even fat rendering
- Do not overcook the duck to keep the meat pink
- Blend the sauce until perfectly smooth
Chef Tips from the Video
- For ultra‑crisp skin, lightly sprinkle salt on the skin before cooking
- Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine before adding the stock for extra depth
- Stir in a teaspoon of cold butter into the sauce just before serving for extra shine
Troubleshooting
Sauce is too thick
Add 1‑2 tbsp of water or hot stock and blend again to desired consistency.
Duck is overcooked (well done)
Rest less next time and monitor internal temperature (55 °C for pink).
Porcini remain hard after rehydration
Extend soaking to 30 minutes or use boiling water, then press out excess water thoroughly.
Storage
Refrigerator: Porcini sauce: up to 3 days in an airtight container. Sliced duck: 2 days, consume quickly.
Freezer: Sauce: up to 1 month, thaw in refrigerator before reheating. Duck breast does not freeze well as it loses texture.
Room temperature: Do not keep longer than 2 hours at room temperature.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Porcini sauce can be prepared a day ahead and gently reheated in a bain‑marie
- Duck can be cooked ahead, sliced and stored in the refrigerator, then lightly reheated before serving
Last updated: August 21, 2026
