Completely cover
Only legs covered with fat cook evenly, using a rather small pot to avoid unnecessary use of duck fat.
French Recipe
Confit de canard
This recipe involves salting, slow confusing and final crunching of the duck legs. At low temperature, the meat becomes short while remaining completely surrounded by duck fat.
Total time
15 hr 35 min
Calories
720 kcal
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Why this recipe works
Tender duck legs with crispy skin
Confit de canard thrives on contrast: under the golden brown skin, the meat should be so tender that it easily detaches from the bone. To do this, the legs are first aromatically salted and then cooked in fat for several hours at a low temperature. It is a strong dish that goes well with pan-fried potatoes, lentils or a sour salad.
French Recipes
Dinner
Meat
Recipe
Confit de canard
For Confit de canard, duck legs are cured with salt and herbs, slowly cooked in duck fat and only browned until crispy before serving.
Ingredients
4 servings
Method
-
1
Salt duck legs
Pat the duck legs dry. Spread salt, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns all around. Cover and leave to rest in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.
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2
Remove salt
Remove the salt from the legs thoroughly under a little cold water and pat dry very carefully. Preheat the oven to 120 ° C / 350 ° F / gas mark 4.
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3
Cover with fat
Slowly melt duck fat in an oven-proof pan. Place the legs tightly and cover them completely with warm fat; the skin should not protrude over the surface.
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4
Slow down
Place the pot in the oven and cook the legs for 2 1 / 2 to 3 hours. Do not let the fat shake too much, do not bubble too much, the meat is ready when a thin knife penetrates close to the joint without resistance.
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5
Picking out clubs
Carefully remove the duck legs from the fat and drain for 10 minutes. To serve later, they can now be cooled and well covered.
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6
Tanning skin until crispy
Increase the oven to 220 ° C. Place the legs on a tray with the skin facing up and brown for 12 to 15 minutes until the skin is crisp. Season with pepper before serving.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Confit de canard
Prepare
The legs can be kept well covered in the fridge for up to three days after cooling, and only brown until crisp just before eating.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Before crunching, pour some finely grated organic orange zest over the legs. The fresh citrus note compensates for the strong duck flesh.
Remove the warm meat from the bone and spread sparingly over a lentil salad with Dijon vinaigrette, then spread the crispy skin separately.
Nutrition per serving
720kcal
2.0 gCarbohydrates
45.0 gProtein
59.0 gFat
Values are estimates and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Confit de canard
The salt spices the meat to the depths and removes some moisture from the surface. This makes the skin particularly crispy when it is later browning.
In the oven, about 120 ° C is a reliable setting. The decisive factor is that the fat is only gently heated and does not bubble up as strongly as when deep-frying.
Yes. Filter the still warm fat finely, cool quickly and store in a cool place. It is then suitable for roasting potatoes; work clean and check the odour and shelf life.
A knife slides into the meat at its thickest part almost without resistance, and the joint is easy to move. It takes a second, hot cooking process to make the skin crisp.
pan-fried potatoes in duck fat are classic, and green lentils, beans, red cabbage or a salad with a strong mustard vinaigrette are a little lighter.
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