Duck confit is a classic French dish that has been enjoyed for centuries. It is made with duck legs or breasts that are cured in a mixture of salt, pepper, and herbs, and then cooked slowly in their own fat until they are tender and fall off the bone. Duck confit is a delicious and versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer, main course, or even a sandwich. It is also a great way to use up leftover duck meat. If you are looking for the best way to cook duck confit, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will provide you with everything you need to know to make this classic dish at home.
Here are our top 2 tried and tested recipes!
DUCK CONFIT, THE RIGHT WAY
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.
Provided by brujakitty
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Game Meats Duck
Time P1DT3h13m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Combine shallot, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic, and thyme in a small bowl. Rub all over duck legs, thighs, and wings.
- 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.
- 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.
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 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, Sodium 3103 mg, Sugar 2.3 g
EASY DUCK CONFIT
The name of this recipe may seem laughable. Isn't confit meant to be an arduous, messy, not-really-easy thing to make at home? Doesn't it involve large quantities of hot liquid fat and even larger reserves of patience? Surely chefs have a trick to getting those duck legs to be so rich, so luxurious? This version is not traditional, and it is still a time investment for home cooks (the legs are cured for 24 hours, and then cooked for about 3 ½ hours more). But by allowing the duck legs to cook in their own rendered fat, rather than adding quarts of extra fat to the pan, you have a recipe that is far less of a pain to both prepare and clean up. And the method is truly simple, with results that are just as outrageously good. The duck lasts for at least 5 days in the refrigerator, and should be reheated in a 350-oven until warm. Then run the legs under the broiler until crisp.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories dinner, easy, main course
Time 3h30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf pieces. Sprinkle duck generously with mixture. Place duck legs in a pan in one layer. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- The next day, heat oven to 325 degrees.Place duck legs, fat side down, in a large ovenproof skillet, with legs fitting snugly in a single layer (you may have to use two skillets or cook them in batches). Heat duck legs over medium-high heat until fat starts to render. When there is about 1/4 inch of rendered fat in pan, about 20 minutes, flip duck legs, cover pan with foil, and place it in oven. If you have used two pans, transfer duck and fat to a roasting pan, cover with foil and place in oven.
- Roast legs for 2 hours, then remove foil and continue roasting until duck is golden brown, about 1 hour more. Remove duck from fat; reserve fat for other uses.
- Serve duck hot or warm, over roasted potatoes or noodles or sturdy salad greens.
Tips:
- Choose the right duck. Look for a duck that is plump and has a good amount of fat. The duck should also be fresh, not frozen.
- Cure the duck. Curing the duck helps to preserve it and develop its flavor. There are two main methods for curing duck: dry curing and wet curing. Dry curing involves rubbing the duck with a mixture of salt, sugar, and spices. Wet curing involves submerging the duck in a brine solution.
- Confit the duck. Confiting is a method of cooking duck that involves cooking it slowly in its own fat. This helps to tenderize the duck and develop its flavor. To confit the duck, place the duck in a large pot or Dutch oven. Cover the duck with duck fat or olive oil. Cook the duck over low heat for several hours, or until the duck is tender.
- Serve the duck. Duck confit can be served in a variety of ways. It can be served whole, or it can be shredded and used in salads, sandwiches, or tacos. Duck confit can also be used as a pizza topping.
Conclusion:
Duck confit is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. By following these tips, you can make sure that your duck confit turns out perfect every time.
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