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5.0 from 51 votes

French Duck Stew

This is a French garbure, a thick, country stew great for duck or goose legs. Venison shoulder, shanks or neck work well, too, as do turkey legs or pork shoulder.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 368 kcal
Course: Main Course , Appetizer , Soup , Lunch
Cuisine: French

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups dried white beans, 1 one 16-ounce can
  • 3 quarts water
  • 2 to 3 pounds duck or goose legs
  • 1/4 pound bacon or salt pork
  • 1 head garlic, cloves whole and peeled
  • 3 tablespoons duck fat, butter or olive oil
  • 2 yellow onions, sliced thin
  • 3 talks celery, sliced
  • 1 leek, split and sliced thin
  • 2 turnips, cut into chunks
  • 3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 small cabbage, chopped (Ideally a Savoy cabbage)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • salt and black pepper

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. If you are using dried beans, pour boiling water over them and let them sit. If you are using canned beans, rinse them and set them aside.
  2. In a large soup pot, add the water, duck legs, bacon and garlic and bring to a boil. Drop to a simmer and cook until everything is soft, about 2 to 3 hours. The garlic will be done after 1 hour. Fish it out and set it aside.
  3. When the duck legs are tender, fish them out and strip the meat from the bones. Discard the bones. Reserve the bacon and strain the stock. Set it aside. Clean out the pot with a paper towel; no need to scrub it.
  4. Heat the duck fat in the pot over medium-high heat. Cook the onions, leek and celery until soft, but don't brown them. Add the beans, picked duck meat, the turnips, potatoes, carrots and cabbage and pour all the strained stock over it. Bring to a simmer and season with salt. Let this cook until the vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, put the cooked garlic and bacon, along with the cayenne and parsley in a blender. Add a few ladles of the soup stock, or water, to the blender and puree. Pour this into the soup pot. Season with black pepper and serve.

Notes

  • Keep in mind that this should be a thick stew, and it is impossible to cook it too long, so err on cooking it longer, not shorter. 
  • This is a great use for skinned goose legs, turkey legs or duck legs. If you have skin-on legs, it will make the broth richer, but you will want to chop the skin small before it goes back in the soup pot. 
  • You can add other vegetables, if you'd like, such as parsnips, rutabagas, root parsley, salsify, big radishes, and even chestnuts. 
  • That last puree of parsley, garlic and the cooked bacon or salt pork really adds a lot of flavor, so don't skip it. 
  • If you are using salt pork, you might not need any additional salt in the rest of the stew, so be careful before adding any extra. 
  • Drink a big white wine, like a white Cotes du Rhone or Bordeaux, or a lighter red such as a pinot noir or merlot here. For beer, choose an amber or something malty, but not too heavy. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 368kcal (18%) Carbohydrates 40g (13%) Protein 28g (56%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 7g Cholesterol 71mg (24%) Sodium 158mg (7%) Potassium 1147mg (33%) Fiber 10g (40%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 4308IU (86%) Vitamin C 50mg (56%) Calcium 160mg (16%) Iron 6mg (33%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 368

% Daily Value*

Calories 368kcal 18%
Carbohydrates 40g 13%
Protein 28g 56%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 71mg 24%
Sodium 158mg 7%
Potassium 1147mg 24%
Fiber 10g 40%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 4308IU 86%
Vitamin C 50mg 56%
Calcium 160mg 16%
Iron 6mg 33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.