Duck Confit, the Right Way recipe

All Recipes Meat and Poultry Recipes Game Meats Duck

Ingredients

1 shallot, minced
¼ cup evaporated cane sugar
¼ cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 sprigs thyme, chopped
4 duck legs with thighs
4 duck wings, trimmed
4 cups duck fat

Nutrition Info

554.4 calories
carbohydrate: 5.3 g
cholesterol: 137.8 mg
fat: 47.2 g
fiber: 0.8 g
protein: 23.5 g
saturatedFat: 13.2 g
servingSize: -
sodium: 3103 mg
sugar: 2.3 g
transFat: : -
unsaturatedFat: : -

Directions

  1. Combine shallot, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic, and thyme in a small bowl. Rub all over duck legs, thighs, and wings.

  2. Arrange duck parts skin side-up in a dish and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the seasoning is well absorbed, 24 to 48 hours.

  3. Rinse off the seasoning and pat the duck dry. Arrange duck in a single layer in a 9x13-inch baking pan. Let duck stand until it reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes.

  4. Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).

  5. Melt duck fat in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbles begin to form, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour duck fat over the room-temperature duck.

  6. Bake duck in the preheated oven until tender and the juices run clear, 2 to 3 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 135 degrees F (57 degrees C). Pour off the duck fat.

  7. Brush a grill pan with some of the used duck fat and heat over medium-high heat until smoking. Add baked duck, cook in batches until skin is crispy, about 90 seconds per side.

Recipe Yield

8 servings

Recipe Note

Duck confit takes a while to prepare properly but is well worth the effort. This melt-in-your mouth duck treat will become a favorite. I buy whole ducks and then remove legs/wings whole and breasts from the bone. Always keep the skin on duck! You can easily double this recipe if you're having a dinner party. I learned this method from Chef Uriah of the Columbian Cafe of Astoria, Oregon. The breasts become pan roasted Muscovy duck (see my recipe) and the legs/wings become confit. Never roast a Muscovy duck whole: the breast comes out dry, musky, and bitter tasting.

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