Classic Duck Confit
Succulent duck legs cured with aromatic herbs and garlic, then slowly cooked in their own rendered fat until impossibly tender. Finished with a crispy skin, it's a rich and elegant French classic, scaled for two servings.
Cure the duck legs
Pat **duck legs** thoroughly dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine **coarse salt**, **black pepper**, **chopped thyme**, **crumbled bay leaf**, and **minced garlic**. Rub this mixture generously all over both duck legs, making sure to cover them well. Place the duck legs in a non-reactive dish (one that won't react with the salt, like glass or ceramic) or a large zip-top bag, cover, and put them in the refrigerator for **12 to 24 hours**. This curing process pulls out moisture and adds flavor.
💡 Pro Tips:
- •Make sure the duck is very dry before putting on the cure for the best results.
- •Don't leave it curing for too long, or the duck can become too salty.
Prepare for cooking
After curing, take the **duck legs** out of the refrigerator. Rinse them very thoroughly under cold running water to remove all the curing mixture. This is very important to stop the duck from being too salty. Pat them extremely dry again with paper towels. Any extra moisture will cause the fat to splash when cooking.
💡 Pro Tips:
- •Rinsing very well is key; you can taste a tiny piece of the skin if you're not sure.
- •The dryer the duck, the less splashing when it cooks.
Slow cook the confit
Preheat your oven to **275°F (135°C)**. In an oven-safe pot or Dutch oven (a heavy pot with a lid, just big enough to fit the two duck legs snugly), melt the **rendered duck fat** over low heat on the stovetop. Once the fat is melted, add the rinsed and dried **duck legs**, making sure they are completely covered by the fat. If they are not fully covered, add more duck fat. Cover the pot and move it to the preheated oven. Cook for **2.5 to 3 hours**, or until the duck meat is incredibly tender and easily pulls away from the bone.
💡 Pro Tips:
- •Cooking at a low temperature makes the duck very tender without frying it hard.
- •Use a heavy pot that holds heat well.
Cool and store (optional)
Carefully take the pot out of the oven. Let the **duck legs** cool completely in the fat. Once cooled, you can store the confit. Transfer the duck legs and fat to an airtight container, making sure the duck is fully covered by the fat. Store in the refrigerator for up to **2-3 weeks**, or freeze for several months.
💡 Pro Tips:
- •Duck confit gets more flavorful as it sits in the fat.
- •Making sure the duck is fully covered in fat stops it from spoiling.
Crisp the duck confit for serving
When you are ready to serve, preheat your oven to **400°F (200°C)** or heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Take the **duck legs** out of the fat (scrape off any extra fat). Place them skin-side down in the hot skillet or on a baking sheet. Cook in the skillet for **8-12 minutes**, pressing down sometimes, until the skin is deeply golden and very crispy. If roasting, cook in the oven for **15-20 minutes**, or until the skin is crispy and the meat is heated through.
💡 Pro Tips:
- •A very hot pan or oven is essential for getting crispy skin.
- •Avoid poking the skin too much; let it cook and get crispy.
Serve
Serve the crispy **duck confit** right away with roasted potatoes, a simple green salad, or cooked lentils. The rendered duck fat can be strained (passed through a fine sieve) and used again for future confit or for cooking other dishes.
💡 Pro Tips:
- •Duck fat is like 'liquid gold'; strain it through a fine-mesh sieve and save it!
- •Pair with something a little sour, like a salad with vinaigrette, to balance the richness.
- Non-reactive dish or large zip-top bag (for curing)
- Paper towels
- Small bowl (for cure mix)
- Oven-safe pot or Dutch oven (snugly fits 2 duck legs)
- Heavy-bottomed skillet or baking sheet (for crisping)
- Tongs
- Measuring spoons
- 💡Try to find good quality duck legs; local butchers often have them or can order them for you.
- 💡Making your own rendered duck fat from duck skin (if you're not buying it already melted) is a good way to save money.
- 💡The cured and cooked confit can be stored in the refrigerator submerged in its fat for several weeks, or frozen for months.
- 💡Be patient with the crisping step; truly crispy skin is worth the wait.
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