Unveiling the Secrets of Succulent Duck Confit – A G

1. Season duck legs with kosher salt on both sides. Place in a large resealable bag. Add lemon zest and slices, garlic, allspice berries, juniper berries, and fresh thyme. Seal the bag; massage duck legs through the bag until all of the ingredients are evenly dispersed. Marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).

3. Remove duck legs from the marinade. Rinse them off and pat dry. Place remaining marinade ingredients in the bag in the an oven-safe dish, preferably enameled cast iron or glass, just large enough to hold the legs in a single layer. Arrange legs skin-side down in the dish.

4. Pour duck fat into a small saucepan and warm over low heat until liquid. Pour over legs until they are completely covered. If the legs are not covered, add olive oil until they are. As the legs cook, more fat will be rendered from the skin. Cover the dish with a lid.

5. Bake in the preheated oven until the meat pulls easily from the bones, 6 to 7 hours.

6. Remove legs from fat and place in a sealable container. You may leave the bones in or remove them. Make sure there is room at the top of the container. Strain all of the solids from the remaining fat and discard the solids. Pour the fat over the duck until it is covered completely. Seal and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cool, refrigerate and let duck meat cure for 2 months. Reserve any leftover duck fat for other uses.

Editor’s Note:

The nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of duck fat. The actual amount consumed will vary.