Grilled Duck Breast

Take the duck breast fillets out of the refrigerator well in advance so that they can get to room temperature a bit.

Then fire up the BBQ and opt for a combination of direct and indirect heat. The temperature you maintain is about 200 degrees Celsius (392 Fahrenheit).

Pat the duck breast fillets dry with kitchen paper. Cut off loose pieces of meat and fat, but leave the fat layer on. Never cut away the fat layer of the duck breast, as this makes the preparation much more difficult and the fat gives the fillets a lot of flavor. Now take a sharp knife and cut in the fat layer of the fillets crosswise. Try not to cut into the meat, but only in the layer of fat.

Sprinkle the meat side of the duck breast fillets with freshly ground black pepper and coarse sea salt and let the fillets rest for a while until the BBQ is at the right temperature.

Is the BBQ at the right temperature? Put the duck breast fillets on it with the meat side on the direct part, directly above the hot coals, on the grill rack. Grill the duck breast fillets for 2 minutes and then turn them over so that they lie on the grid with the fat side. Grill the fillets for another 3 minutes, making sure that the fillets do not burn too much because of the fat that will cause flames. If necessary, remove the fillets from the hot coals for a few seconds and put them back again.

After 3 minutes, the duck breast fillets can be moved to the indirect part of the cooking grate. Close the BBQ with the lid. The duck breast fillets will now cook slowly until they have reached a core temperature of 52 degrees Celsius (125.6 Fahrenheit). Keep an eye on this by using your core thermometer.

Has the core temperature of 52 degrees Celsius (125.6 Fahrenheit) been reached? Then the duck breast fillets can come off the BBQ. Place them on a cutting board or plate and let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Cut the duck breast fillets into thin slices and serve immediately. Enjoy your meal!