Myra's Kitchen Blog » Duck Confit

Duck confit is arguably the tastiest way to eat duck. The legs are slowly cooked in a low oven until all of the fat is rendered, leaving a skin that is super crispy – tastes fried – and flesh that pulls off the bone. It’s a dish that lots of folk are fearful of making at home (the thought of cooking in all that fat can be scary) Confit tastes rich, so a little goes a long way. If you get your duck from a purveyor that raises the ducks traditionally, the dish is healthy as well.

Duck Confit, Sautéed Corn, and Romaine Salad

I paired the Sautéed Corn with Balsamic and Shallots (last post) with the duck confit and a romaine salad that had pea shoots, dill, and a lemon olive-oil dressing. The whole meal took only half an hour of active time.

Start with the plumpest duck legs you can find. At Union Square Greenmarket, Hudsen Valley Duck farm are out on Mondays, so that’s the day I usually buy the legs. I get the Moulard, which is a cross between a Pekin and Muscovy. These are large birds with rich flavor. The duck legs make terrific confit – no need to add any extra fat.

Remove the ducks from the refrigerator about an hour before you want to get them in the oven. They take about two hours in the oven, so plan accordingly. Prick the skin all over with the tip of a sharp knife, making sure just to prick into the fat, not the flesh. This will help the fat render while the legs cook. Sprinkle an even dusting of salt all over the ducks, both skin side and underneath. Place the legs in a baking pan that holds them snugly, and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

When you are ready to cook, turn the temperature of the oven on to 300F˚ and place the pan in the oven. It’s important not to preheat the oven – you want the fat to start rendering slowly as the oven heats. The duck legs shrink considerably after all that fat drips off of them.

Turn up the heat to 375˚F. and cook for an additional half hour until the skin is evenly golden and crispy looking.

Remove the pan from the oven, lift the legs from the pan with a tongs, and strain the fat. You’ll have quite a bit. Save the fat to use later.

Later on, when the fat cools down, add it to a container and refrigerate. Here’s my container of duck fat that I use it when I want to make confit, and I only have small duck legs. I add a layer of fat to the pan under the legs before I place them in the oven to give them a head start.

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