Why Duck Confit is the Ultimate Culinary Delight

This classic French Duck Confit Recipe is slow-cooked in an herb and garlic-filled pot of duck fat for several hours until crispy on the outside and fork-tender on the inside. To this day, this is one of my all-time favorite things to eat.

Ingredients for this recipe:

• 4 skin on duck legs
• 48 fresh thyme sprigs
• 4 bay leaves
• 14 garlic cloves
• 4 cups duck fat
• coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 8 to 12 peppercorns

Serves 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 4 hours

Marinate Time: 12 hours

Procedures:
1. Add the duck legs to a 13x9 casserole dish and season both sides with coarse salt and cracked pepper.
2. Next, rub in 5 thyme sprigs, ½ crushed bay leaf, and 1 smashed garlic clove into the flesh side of each duck leg.
3. Flip the duck over and repeat the process completely to each duck leg.
4. Cover the pan in plastic and place it in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.
5. Remove the duck and rinse each leg under cold water to remove any leftover thyme leaves or bay leaves. It’s ok if some pepper is still on there.
6. Transfer the duck to a sheet tray or platter and blot them dry on both sides with paper towels.
7. Add the duck fat and any additional lards or oils to a medium-sized saucepot along with the shallot, garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, coarse salt, and peppercorns over low heat, just to a low simmer. This takes about 5-7 minutes.
8. Next, add the duck legs and ensure they are submerged.
9. Place a lid on the pan, place it in the bottom third of the oven, and cook at 250° for 2 ½ hours.
10. Remove the pan's lid and cook for an additional 90 minutes or until the duck is very tender and easily shreds. They will have an internal temperature of around 208° to 210°.
11. The duck can be served as is. However, to crisp up the skin, add ½ cup of the confit oil to a non-stick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat and carefully add the duck skin side down and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the skin becomes more browned.
12. Place the duck on a rack over a sheet tray and bake in the oven at 425° for 25 to 30 minutes.
13. Serve the duck confit on a bed of fresh thyme sprigs or your favorite side dish.
14. If you want to preserve the duck, cool it in the oil to room temperature and then place the duck legs into a container and strain the confit oil into the container, completely covering them.
15. Cool the container in the refrigerator to form a fat cap. This will last cover in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

[danielleshelbourne]

I make a yummy duck confit salad - shredded duck confit, fingerling (kipfler) potatoes (par-boiled, sliced and then roasted in duck fat), cranberries, chives and pistachios with a honey mustard vinaigrette. When I serve it at dinner parties my guests always want the recipe. So quick and easy.

[RedondoBeach]

The effort put into production, lighting, audio, narration, editing, and more, is outstanding. Professionally done. You're engaging, humble and encouraging. This makes you likable. You make every second, every word, count. Your videos are the benchmark for cooking videos.

[kristinbray]

Looks delicious!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes with us. Have a blessed and beautiful day.

[Hdowlznwo]

Chef, you’re an absolute wizard. So glad I found this channel years ago.

[mddelman]

Beautiful. So for the potatoes: cheese, heavy cream, butter, and whisper "potatoes’ over the pan. Got it!

[BakerVS]

Great job! This is way beyond what is done in France by most people. The normal thing there is to buy it in a can (or jar or vacuum packed) and the then roast or fry it at home. I'm lucky enough to live 30 minutes from France, I love buying duck breast or confit legs there.

The potatoes look good too, though personally I would find it a bit heavy with duck. I would probably just fry some potatoes in the extra duck fat.

My favourite duck recipe is to pan fry duck breast mostly on the skin side, then to transfer the meat to a second pan once the fat is rendered out. In the first pan I'll use the fat to fry up some quartered potatoes, and in the second pan I'll continue to cook the meat until medium rare. Reserve the meat, then make a balsamico honey based sauce in the meat juices. Serve the duck and potatoes with seasonal veg.

[samgrant]

I like adding some blade mace or a couple of cloves, also if I'm going to keep it long I will add some pink curing salt (no. 1) and give it up to 48 hours to cure. Another amazing confit is the gizzard (gésiers) and heart, brilliant for very French warm salads.

[isabeltrepatorres]

Yummy!!! I do like the way you talk about your recipes. You are the MUST!!!!

[karsing]

Woooh! I love that potato dish, looks soooo delicious. Can't hardly wait to make one.. A walking heart attack!

[Athea]

I am not serious cooking but it just I have a craving. 😂😂

[cmarnold]

Holy **** those How is that not its own video :)

[truth-mojo]

Nice recipe. You can improve the presentation by taking out the thigh bone and bunching it up like a fist. If you confit it upright it will hold it's shape even while frying to crisp it up. It looks great on the plate.

[dragosalex]

Can you give me one or two examples of sauce that go well with this dish? Thanks

[tgc]

I live in Los Angeles and the whole duck legs are not easily available in the supermarket. The butcher wants $20/lb. I can find them frozen at Whole Foods and Bristol Farms but they are expensive as well. It never occurred to me to buy a whole duck which I can easily find in Chinese markets or Chinese butcher shops. I love Duck Confit. Thanks for the cutting technique.

[EterniR]

So if you store it - whats the best way to *reheat* it?

[taylorlibby]

Don't know if you've already done it, but maybe do a cassoulet recipe soon? Perfect companion to confit imo and I'd be really interested in seeing your take on it.

[raycab]

I just had duck confit at a restaurant and it was prolly the best dish I have ever eaten in my life. The skin was super crisp. I've looked at a couple recipes on you tube and they look great but none of them seem to get that skin crisp like at the restuarant I went to. Any suggestions?

[Wheels_NYC]

Beautiful job, Chef! Duck fat is truly a beautiful vessel to conduct heat... And has definitely produced some of the best fried potatoes I've ever had. I love confit, and keep the breasts for a medium doneness sear as well. I've also started using wagyu tallow at home. An excellent option that is becoming readily available. Let's cook!

[deherre]

I live in the Gers, and we never never Hever use garlic in duck confit. What is it with you chefs and garlic!?

[RodReklai]

Boning knife is very important when you breaking down any protein