Confit de Canard, or duck confit, is a classic French dish that has been enjoyed for centuries. It involves preserving duck legs in their own fat, creating a tender and flavorful dish that can be served in a variety of ways. This article provides three unique recipes for duck confit, each with its own distinct flavors and presentation.
The first recipe is for a traditional duck confit, prepared with a simple blend of herbs and spices. The duck legs are cured in a salt and spice mixture for several days before being submerged in duck fat and cooked slowly in the oven. The result is a melt-in-your-mouth confit that can be served with roasted potatoes and vegetables.
The second recipe introduces a modern twist to the classic dish, using a fragrant blend of Asian spices and a sweet and savory glaze. The duck legs are marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, honey, ginger, and garlic before being confit in duck fat. The result is a sticky and flavorful confit that pairs perfectly with steamed rice and Asian greens.
The third recipe is a more rustic take on duck confit, using a flavorful combination of root vegetables and red wine. The duck legs are braised in a pot with carrots, celery, onions, and red wine until fall-off-the-bone tender. The confit is then served over mashed potatoes and topped with a rich red wine sauce.
Whether you prefer the classic, Asian-inspired, or rustic style, these three duck confit recipes offer a delectable and versatile dish that is sure to impress your dinner guests.
EASY DUCK CONFIT
Skip the mess and time of making duck confit the hard way. With our easy method, you get mind-blowing results from nothing but duck legs and salt in 2 hours, not 2 days. It's a game-changer. Bonus by-product: plenty of glorious duck fat.
Provided by Hank Shaw
Categories Restaurant Favorite Duck
Time 2h25m
Yield 2
Number Of Ingredients 2
Steps:
- Dry the duck: Pat the duck legs dry with paper towels.
- Slowly heat the duck in the oven: Put the casserole in the oven and heat it to 300°F (150°C); if you have a digital oven, you could even go down to 285°F (140°C). Do not preheat the oven. You want to cook the duck as gently as possible. Walk away and watch football, go shopping, read a book or something. How long? Every duck has a different level of fat, so I can't tell you exactly. But it will be at least 90 minutes, and 2 hours is better. After 90 minutes, check the duck: It should be partly submerged in melted fat and the skin should be getting crispy.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 492 kcal, Carbohydrate 0 g, Cholesterol 259 mg, Fiber 0 g, Protein 61 g, SaturatedFat 7 g, Sodium 2575 mg, Sugar 0 g, Fat 26 g, UnsaturatedFat 0 g
CONFIT DUCK LEGS
Steps:
- Mince and mash 4 garlic cloves to a paste with a pinch of kosher salt. Stir together paste, kosher salt (1/4 cup), thyme, quatre épices, shallots, and bay leaves in a large bowl. Add duck legs and toss to coat, then marinate, covered and chilled, at least 1 day and up to 2 days.
- Wipe off marinade with paper towels.
- Trim off 1/4 inch from top of garlic head, then stick 2 whole cloves into head. Melt duck fat in a wide large heavy pot over low heat, then cook garlic head and duck legs, uncovered, over low heat until fat registers approximately 190°F, about 1 hour. Continue to cook duck, maintaining a temperature of 190 to 210°F, until a wooden pick slides easily into thighs, 2 to 3 hours more.
- Transfer duck with a slotted spoon to a large bowl (reserve garlic for another use if desired). Slowly pour duck fat through a fine-mesh sieve into a large crock or deep bowl, leaving any cloudy liquid or meat juices in bottom of pot, then pour strained fat over duck legs to cover by 1 inch. (If necessary, shorten drumstick bones 1 to 2 inches using a large heavy knife to fit legs more tightly in bowl.) Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, then chill, covered, at least 8 hours.
- Just before serving, remove duck from fat (reserve fat for another use, such as frying), scraping off most of fat, then cook, skin side down, in a large heavy nonstick skillet over low heat, covered, until skin is crisp and duck is heated through, 15 to 20 minutes
"CHEATER'S" DUCK CONFIT
Steps:
- Season the duck legs with salt. Coat a large wide pot lightly with olive oil. Lay the duck legs skin side down, in a single layer, in the pan.
- Cook the duck legs low and slow over low heat to render the fat. This process will take a while, don't rush it. It is really important to render as much fat out of the duck legs as possible. Once the pan is full of fat, turn up the heat and brown the duck legs on both sides.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Once the legs have rendered and are nice and brown, remove them from the pan and reserve. Add the onions and season with salt. Stir to coat with the duck fat. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the onions are really nice and wilted, remove the lid and cook for another 15 minutes or until the onions start to caramelize. Taste to make sure they are very well seasoned, add salt if needed. Return the duck legs to the pan, snuggle them in with all the onions and add the wine, thyme and bay leaves.
- Cover the pan and place in the preheated oven. Braise the duck in the oven for about 90 minutes. Stir the onion and duck every 30 minutes to be sure that the onions are not burning. When done, the duck should be incredibly flavorful, tender and falling off the bone.
- Remove the tough lower stems from the dandelion greens, wash and spin them dry. Cut them into 1 -inch lengths. Place the greens in a large bowl with red wine vinegar. Season with salt and some of the warm duck fat. Strain some the onions out of the duck fat and toss them in with the greens.
- Place a large mound of the dressed dandelion greens on each serving plate, lay a duck leg on the greens and top with a little more of the onions.
- It's just ducky!!!
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
Tips:
- Choose high-quality duck legs. Look for legs that are plump and have a good amount of fat. Avoid legs that are bruised or have any signs of damage.
- Cure the duck legs for at least 24 hours. This will help to draw out the moisture and flavor the meat.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven for confiting the duck legs. This will help to distribute the heat evenly and prevent the legs from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Cover the duck legs completely with the duck fat. This will help to keep the legs moist and prevent them from drying out.
- Cook the duck legs over low heat for at least 3 hours. This will allow the meat to become tender and fall off the bone.
- Let the duck legs cool completely before serving. This will help the meat to set and make it easier to handle.
Conclusion:
Confit of duck legs is a delicious and versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer, main course, or even a sandwich. It is a great way to use up leftover duck meat, and it can be made ahead of time, making it a convenient option for busy weeknights. With a little planning and effort, you can easily make this classic French dish at home.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love