Sticky Sweet Duck Breast And Green Beans

About

Duck is so often overlooked, especially when it comes to diets. Duck breasts are PERFECT for keto because they not only taste delicious, but have a layer of precious fat that is key to a full-flavored meal. The duck and green beans are coated in a keto sauce that is garlicky, sticky, and sweet!

Ingredients

12 ounce duck breast, domestic, skin eaten
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon black pepper, ground
1 ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, fresh
½ tablespoon butter
6 ounce green beans (string beans), raw
1 package stevia leaf noncaloric sweetener (green packet)

Instructions

Start by laying down 2, 6-oz duck breasts, fat side up. Use a paring knife to score a crosshatch pattern or small X’s over the fat. Sprinkle the salt over the duck fat.
In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is evenly hot, place the duck breasts in the skillet with the fat side down. Sprinkle the black pepper over the newly exposed duck breast meat.
After the duck breast cooks for about 60 seconds, gently press down the duck breasts into their layers of fat with the back end of a spatula for just a moment each. This helps the fat adhere to the skin as it releases liquid. Cook the duck on this side for about 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid burning (you may want to use a splatter screen to avoid splattering hot oil). Flip the duck breast over to expose the golden browned fat.
Reduce the heat to low. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, stevia, lemon juice, and minced garlic clove. Pour this liquid over the duck breasts into the skillet. Let the ducks breasts cook for a total of 4-5 minutes on this low heat, but no more.
Place the skillet directly into the hot oven. Roast the ducks breasts for 20 minutes. At every 5 minutes, spoon some of the liquid in the skillet over the duck fat (3 times total). Once done, set the duck breasts aside to rest, leaving all the liquid in the skillet.
Return the skillet to a medium-low heat on the stove. Melt the butter into the liquid.
Chop the green beans if necessary. They should already be blanched or thawed if frozen. Toss the green beans into the skillet and coat them in the sauce. Cook for about 5-6 minutes or until tender with slightly browned edges. You may add more salt to your green beans if you wish, but taste them first before doing so.
Serve the duck breasts with the green beans and all that sweet, sticky sauce!