Duck Confit
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
6 hrs
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Curing Time
8 hrs
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Total Time
14 hrs 15 mins
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Servings
6 people
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Calories
343 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
French
Duck Confit
Description
Duck Confit features legs or wings of goose or duck that are cured with salt, dried thyme, and freshly ground black pepper. After curing, the meat is rinsed and dried, then slowly cooked in goose, duck, or pork fat at a low temperature, either in a water bath or oven, for several hours until tender. This slow, gentle cooking in fat produces a richly flavored, tender outcome that holds moisture well.
The resting step in ice water chills the cooked meat, helping it firm slightly and develop texture. Traditionally, the confit is finished by crisping the skin in a pan or oven before serving. The preserved duck confit can be stored under fat for later use as well.
This method is ideal for creating a richly flavored poultry dish with a melting texture inside and the option of a crispy finish outside.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds goose leg or goose wing or duck leg or duck wing
- salt (See "curing" above)
- 1 tablespoon thyme dried
- 2 teaspoons black pepper freshly ground
- 3 bay leaf optional
- 1 cup goose fat or 5-6 cups for traditional method, or duck fat or pork fat
Instructions
- Mix the salt, thyme and black pepper together. Massage the mixture into the legs and wings. Make sure every part has some on it. Vacuum seal or put into a sealed container and refrigerate overnight, or up to a few days.
- When you are ready to cook, rinse off the legs, then dry well. If you are vacuum sealing, make sure the legs are not stacked. They need to be in one layer. Divvy up the fat into the bottom of each vacuum bag. Divide up the bay leaves into each bag. If you are not vacuum sealing, put the bay leaves in the pot of fat.
- Get a large stockpot mostly full of water and bring that to a bare simmer, a shimmy, really. Set the sealed vac bags in the water and cook at about 180°F for at least 3 hours, for store-bought ducks, and 6 hours or more for wild geese. The cooking time is about the same for the traditional method, which I do in an oven-proof pot in a 200°F oven.
- Remove the bags from the water and plunge into an ice water bath to cool. Remove them to a rack to dry, and when they're dry on the outside, store in the fridge for up to a month.
- To eat, you can shred the meat and use it that way, or eat whole and cold (a very good duck blind snack!), or crisp up the skin in any of the ways mentioned above.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 343 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 343kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 1g | 0% |
| Protein | 42g | 84% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 178mg | 59% |
| Sodium | 173mg | 7% |
| Potassium | 9mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 25IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 31mg | 3% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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