Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
Serves 6 to 8
- 1 duck breast (magret)
- 500g (2¼ cups) coarse salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- thyme or rosemary
- Place the duck breast skin-side down on a cutting board and trim excess fat with a knife, but don’t touch the fat layer on the skin side. On a cutting board, lay down plastic wrap leaving extra on each side, spread half the salt, place the duck breast flesh-side down and cover with the remaining salt. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap (you can double-wrap if needed) and refrigerate for about 12 hours. Be careful not to exceed 24 hours or the result will be too salty.
- Once the time has elapsed, unwrap, rinse the duck breast under cold water and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Generously coat with pepper on the flesh side only. Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, or other aromatics. Rub them onto the duck breast.
- Wrap the duck breast in plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and place it in a small shallow dish (smaller than the breast itself) so air can circulate underneath. Let the duck breast cure for three weeks in the refrigerator, wrapped in a clean kitchen towel in the vegetable drawer at the bottom of the fridge.
To serve, slice thinly and serve as an appetizer or in a Southwest French salad.
Tips
- Since the duck breast will be cured but not cooked, it’s essential to be very rigorous about the hygiene of your utensils and the kitchen towel you’ll wrap it in.
- You can replace duck breast with goose breast.