Duck Confit

By Cookbook Directory

Recipe overview

Timing details are not provided for this recipe.

This is a classic French recipe for duck confit, which means "preserved duck." Duck legs are cured with salt and herbs, then slowly cooked in their own fat until they become incredibly tender. They can be stored for extended periods or immediately crisped and served.

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Serves:
Miscellaneous
French
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Ingredients

Units: metric

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  • Sea Salt (Handful)
  • 4 nulls - Bay Leaf (null)
  • 4 cloves - Garlic (cloves)
  • Thyme (Handful)
  • 4 nulls - Duck Legs (null)
  • 100 mls - White Wine (null)

Instructions

  1. The day before you plan to serve the dish, prepare the duck legs. 2. Take a small, shallow dish. 3. Scatter half of the sea salt, half of the minced garlic, and half of the bay leaves and thyme onto the bottom of the dish. 4. Place the duck legs on top, with the skin-side facing up. 5. Scatter the remaining sea salt, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme over the duck legs. 6. Cover the dish tightly. 7. Refrigerate the duck legs overnight. You can cure them for up to 2 days.

  2. On the day of cooking, choose a saucepan that can fit all four duck legs in a single layer, snugly. 9. Pour 100ml of white wine into the saucepan. 10. Remove the duck legs from the refrigerator. 11. Brush off all the salt and herbs from the duck legs. 12. Place the cleaned duck legs, skin-side down, into the wine in the saucepan. 13. Cover the saucepan with a lid. 14. Place the saucepan over medium heat. 15. Watch the wine closely. As soon as it starts to bubble, reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. 16. Cook the duck legs for 2 hours. 17. During this time, check occasionally to ensure the liquid is only just barely simmering. There should be very small, gentle bubbles. 18. After 2 hours, the duck legs should be submerged in their own rendered fat. 19. The meat should feel incredibly tender if you gently prod it. 20. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the duck legs to cool completely inside the pan.

  3. At this point, the duck legs are cooked. You can eat them immediately, or follow the next steps to crisp them up. 22. If you are preparing the duck legs ahead of time, carefully transfer them into a clean plastic container or jar. Pack them tightly. 23. Pour the clear duck fat from the saucepan over the legs, making sure they are fully submerged. Do not add any liquid that has settled at the bottom of the pan. 24. Cover the container tightly. 25. Store the duck legs in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. 26. Alternatively, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. 27. The liquid left at the bottom of the saucepan can be used to make gravy. Store it separately in the fridge or freezer.

  4. To reheat and make the duck legs crispy, preheat your oven to 220°C (fan 200°C or Gas Mark 7). 29. Remove the duck legs from their stored fat. 30. Place the duck legs, skin-side down, in an ovenproof frying pan. 31. Roast in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes. 32. After about 15-20 minutes (halfway through cooking), turn the duck legs over so they are skin-side up. 33. Continue roasting until the skin is golden brown and very crispy. 34. Serve the crispy duck legs with any reheated gravy, a fresh salad, and roasted potatoes.