Magret de canard — the breast of a duck that has been used to produce foie gras — has a different fat content, flavour, and texture from a standard duck breast. The foie gras production process (gavage — force-feeding to expand the liver) increases the fat deposition throughout the bird, producing a breast with a dramatically thicker fat layer than a standard duck and a more intensely flavoured flesh. The cooking technique manages this thick fat layer: scored deeply and cooked fat-side down at low-medium heat until the fat renders to a thin, crispy layer before the flesh-side is cooked.
- **Scoring the fat:** A crosshatch pattern, cutting through the fat layer (4–6mm deep) without cutting into the flesh. The scoring opens channels for the fat to render. - **Cold pan start:** Place the duck fat-side down in a cold pan and bring to medium heat together — the gradual temperature rise begins rendering the fat from cold, producing maximum render before the flesh-side cook begins. [VERIFY] Reynaud's cold start specification. - **Fat-side cook:** 8–12 minutes — the fat should reduce to approximately 3mm of crispy, golden layer. Pour off excess rendered fat during cooking. - **Flesh-side cook:** 3–4 minutes for medium-rare. The flesh-side cook is brief — the magret is a red meat, served pink. - **Rest:** 5 minutes — essential. The thick fat layer retains heat and continues cooking the flesh if cut immediately.
France: The Cookbook