Grilled duck breast, watermelon and apple on the barbecue, mint-skyr sauce

Ingredients

• 2 magrets Duck breast (Remove excess fat, score the fat in a crosshatch pattern)
• 1 c. à café Fine salt
• 0.5 c. à café Ground black pepper
• 2 c. à soupe Cajun spice blend (cayenne, oregano, dehydrated onion, dehydrated garlic) (Prepared or bought at a specialty barbecue shop)
• 1 unité Small watermelon (Cut into thick wedges)
• 2 unités Apple (Granny Smith type) (Cut into wedges)
• 300 g Plain skyr
• 200 ml Olive oil
• 30 g Fresh mint (Chopped leaves)
• 2 unités Shallot (Finely chopped)
• 2 tiges Spring onion (Chopped)
• 5 g Fresh oregano (For garnish)

Instructions

1. Prepare the duck breast

   Remove the skin and excess fat from the breast, then score the fat layer in a crosshatch without reaching the meat.

   Time: PT5M

2. Season

   Evenly sprinkle the Cajun spice blend over both sides of the breast and press lightly to adhere.

   Time: PT2M

3. Marinate

   Place the seasoned breast in a dish, cover and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

   Time: PT1H

4. Prepare the fruit

   Cut the watermelon into thick wedges and the apples into similarly sized wedges.

   Time: PT8M

5. Prepare the mint‑skyr sauce

   In a bowl, mix the skyr, olive oil, chopped mint, minced shallots, spring onion, season with salt and pepper. Keep chilled.

   Time: PT5M

6. Preheat the barbecue

   Light the charcoal, let the embers reach about 300 °C then reduce to 250 °C for indirect cooking.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: 300°C

7. Sear the breast (direct zone)

   Place the breast fat side on the direct zone, sear for 3 minutes until colored, flip and sear the other side for 3 minutes.

   Time: PT6M

   Temperature: 300°C

8. Indirect cooking

   Move the breast to the indirect zone, cook 5 minutes each side until internal temperature reaches 55 °C (medium‑rare).

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 250°C

9. Grill the fruit

   Place the watermelon and apple wedges on the grill, cook 4 minutes each side until grill marks appear.

   Time: PT8M

   Temperature: 250°C

10. Rest the breast

    Remove the breast from the grill, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes.

    Time: PT5M

11. Slice the breast

    Cut the breast into thin diagonal slices and arrange on a serving platter.

    Time: PT3M

12. Plating

    Arrange the sliced breast, grilled watermelon and apple wedges, drizzle with mint‑skyr sauce and sprinkle with fresh oregano.

    Time: PT3M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

420

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

15 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Duck breast: Duck filet
• Instead of Cajun spice blend (cayenne, oregano, dehydrated onion, dehydrated garlic): Smoked paprika, Espelette pepper
• Instead of Small watermelon: Melon
• Instead of Apple (Granny Smith type): Pear
• Instead of Plain skyr: 0% Greek yogurt
• Instead of Olive oil: Canola oil
• Instead of Fresh mint: Chives, Basil
• Instead of Shallot: Red onion
• Instead of Spring onion: Shallot

Equipment Needed

• Charcoal barbecue
• Barbecue tongs
• Sturdy kitchen knife
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Cooking brush (optional)
• Meat thermometer (optional) (optional)
• Spatula or small scoop (optional)
• Clean kitchen towel
• Heat‑resistant gloves

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Remove the skin and score the fat of the duck breast (step 1)
• Preheat the barbecue to the proper temperature (step 6)
• Sear the breast in the direct zone (step 7)
• Indirect cooking to reach medium‑rare (step 8)
• Let the breast rest before slicing (step 10)

Chef Tips from the Video

• Scoring the fat in a crosshatch creates a “lid” effect that keeps the duck breast juicy.
• Let the meat rest after cooking to allow the fibers to relax and retain juices.
• Using 0 % fat skyr gives a creamy sauce without weighing down the dish.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Sliced breast and sauce can be kept for 2 days in the refrigerator in airtight containers.

Freezer: Raw breast can be frozen for 2 months; the sauce freezes up to 1 month.

Room temperature: Grilled fruit can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Marinate the breast the day before to save time on the day of.
• Prepare the mint‑skyr sauce 2 hours ahead and keep it chilled.
• Cut the fruit and store in an airtight container until ready to grill.