Internal Temperature for Duck Breast

As for cooking method: you've already named it! :) Score the skin, season, heat the pan, put in skin side down, cook until browned and fat has rendered, flip, cook until rare (touch is a better test here than temp). If you make a pan sauce, pour out the excess fat first -- there will be a lot of it.

For duck breast, 125 is rare, and 130 rides the border between rare and medium-rare. Cooking on the coasts, or for very "sophisticated" judges I'd go to a 122 and let the carry over take me to 125. Cooking anywhere else, I'd go to 130. In either case, don't forget to leave time for the breast to rest.

I start the breasts skin side down, render the fat, turn the breast and cook until nearly done, then crank the heat to brown and crisp the skin.

Carve with slices cut on the bias and on the diagonal. Keep the breast and intact while you transfer it to the plate (or judging box) with your knife and fork. Remove the fork entirely, then withdraw the knife by pulling it towards you, and the slices should open slightly, shingling, and exposing just the right of meat. If not, you can arrange them.

(You may also torch the skin to make sure you have the right texture -- if it's legal to bring a torch. Torch is a good thing to have, but make sure you practice a few times with yours so you know what you're doing. FWIW, I use a plumber's torch. Culinary torches are expensive and run out of fuel too fast.)

Quack,
BDL

I agree with Suzanne, touch is the way to go as a probe will just let all the juices out and render your magret tough and chewy. My rule of thumb for a basic 5/6 once pekin breast is to start on medium heat with very little fat and let it slowly render the fat and let the skin crisp up. On medium heat this may take 5/6 minutes or so. You want it deep golden without any char.

Then remove most of the rendered fat, flip, turn the heat up to high and let it sauté for 3.5 minutes, rest for 6 minutes then slice into thin auquilettes.

Good luck.

A clever technique recommended by Alfred Portale:

Score the skin and so on as usual, then put the breasts skin-side down in a COLD pan. Place over medium-high heat and cook until the skin is crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Flip and cook another 5 minutes, then rest 5 minutes or so and slice. Seems to work very well in my limited experience: crisp skin, rare cooking, surprisingly consistent timing, minimal futzing around.

I do what Chris does, but when I flip, its usually for a quick minute depending on the thickness of the breasts.