Confit de Canard
A classic French dish featuring the most tender duck legs, slowly braised in their own fat until perfectly soft. Serve immediately or crispen in the oven for a golden, crackling skin.
Ingredients
- to taste Sea salt
- 4 pcs Bay leaf
- 4 clove Garlic
- to taste Thyme
- 4 pcs Duck legs
- 100 ml White wine
Instructions
- One day before cooking, spread half the salt, half the garlic, and half the herbs on the bottom of a shallow dish. Place the duck legs skin-side up, then scatter the remaining salt, garlic, and herbs on top. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or up to 2 days).
- Pour white wine into a pot large enough to hold the duck legs in a single layer. Shake off the salt from the legs and place them skin-side down in the wine. Cover with a lid and place over medium heat. As soon as the wine begins to boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 2 hours, checking occasionally to ensure the liquid barely simmers. Use a heat diffuser if you have one. After 2 hours, the duck legs should be completely submerged in their own fat, and the meat will be tender as butter. Let cool.
- The duck legs are ready to serve and can be eaten immediately. If you prefer them crispy, pack the legs tightly into a plastic container or jar, cover with fat (not the cooking liquid from the bottom of the pot), lid, and refrigerate for up to one month or freeze for up to 3 months. The liquid from the bottom of the pot will become an aromatic sauce—chill or freeze until ready to use.
- For a crispy finish, preheat the oven to 220°C. Remove the legs from the fat and place them skin-side down in an ovenproof skillet. Bake for 30–40 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crackling. Serve with the warmed sauce, crispy salad, and crispy potatoes.