Duck Confit

Introduced to France by the Romans, ‘confit’ is a French word that means ‘to preserve.’ A traditional food preservation method, the chosen protein is rubbed with salt and then slow cooked at low temperature it in its own fat. The meat becomes fall-off the bone tender and is able to be stored for months at a time- sans refrigerator! In Gascony, France, near the border of Spain, the land is rich with ducks and geese. ‘Confit de Canard’ become a famous regional dish, and is now known world-wide as a gourmet delicacy.

This year, if you are looking for a unique and special flavor, duck confit will fit the bill! Draeger’s has sourced their Muscovy duck from Grimaud Farm in the San Joaquin Valley. Their Muscovy breeding stock is imported from France and are raised without the use of steroids, antibiotics, or growth hormones. Fed a balanced diet and allowed to fully mature, Grimaud Farms lets nature perfect their ducks. They work to provide superior duck with a dedication to excellence.

Side Note: Why is it that we only see duck confit legs? Duck breast is incredibly lean, and the prolonged cooking can make it rather dry. You can confit a duck breast, but they are better served like a red meat, cooked medium rare.

CLASSIC DUCK CONFIT

PREP TIME: 24 Hours

COOK TIME 4 Hours

DIFFICULTY: Intermediate

SERVINGS: 4-6 Servings

ATTRIBUTE: Draeger’s Market

INGREDIENTS:

• 4-6 Duck Legs
• 3 cups Rendered Duck Fat*
• 1 tbsp Kosher Salt
• 1 tbsp Whole Peppercorns
• 4 Shallots, Roughly chopped
• 1 White Onion, Roughly Chopped
• 6 Cloves Garlic, Roughly Chopped
• ¼ cup Chopped Italian Parsley
• 8 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
• 8 Springs Fresh Rosemary

DIRECTIONS:

• The day before you will be cooking your duck, toss together the Kosher salt, peppercorns, shallots, onions, garlic, parsley, thyme and rosemary in a large bowl. Toss the duck legs in the dry rub and select a pan in which they can lay snugly side by side in a single layer. Lay the breast in the pan, cover them, and place them in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• The following day, remove the pan from the fridge and rinse the duck legs in cold water. Pat them dry and place them in a high-sided roasting pan. Preheat the oven to 225˚F, making sure the oven rack is in the center of the oven.
• While the oven is warming, place the pan with the duck breasts on the stove, skin side down, and add the rendered duck fat to the pan. The duck fat should just be enough to cover the duck legs (a little of the leg bone sticking out is okay!)
• Over medium-high heat gently heat, allow the rendered duck fat to reaches a rolling bubble. Once a full rolling bubble is achieved, remove the pan from the heat.
• Cover the duck legs with a layer of parchment paper, gently pushing down on the paper to remove any trapped air bubbles from under the legs. Then add a layer of tin foil or baking lid as an extra cover over the pan.
• Cook for 4 hours. When the duck is done, gently prod the leg to check it- the meat should be falling off the bone and give no resistance when pierced gently with a knife of fork

*You only need enough duck fat to cover the duck legs. This may range between two cups and 4 cups, depending on the number and size of the legs.

OPTIONAL: CRISPY SKIN FINISH

While this optional finish adds an extra 45 minutes, crisping the duck confit skin makes for an extra tasty leg! Remove the duck legs from oven and turn up the heat to 465˚F. Very gently remove the legs from the rendered fat (so they don’t fall apart) and place them on a roasting rack, skin-side up. Pat off the remaining fat and let sit for a minute. While waiting, place 1” boiling water in the bottom of a new roasting pan and place the rack over the pan. Roast the legs for 40 minutes, rotating the pan once or twice, to make sure that all the skin has a chance to brown. Serve immediately once removed from the oven!

SERVE WITH:

Some great side dish ideas for this dish include creamy garlic mashed potatoes, French green lentils, sautéed Swiss chard, or honey roasted carrots.

WINE PAIRING:

Duck preserved in its own fat is fall off the bone tender, but it has an oleaginous quality which an off-dry white wine is poised to cut through. A Pinot Gris, Picpoul, or Chenin Blanc carry the right crisp and floral merits to do the job credibly. If you prefer a red, Beaujolais, Zweigelt, or Grenache are all light bodied and fruit-forward, complimentary to duck flavor.

CONSIDERATIONS:

• Organic or natural turkey?
• Pre-brined, or do you want to brine it yourself?
• How many people are you feeding?
• Do you want leftovers?
• How are you going to cooke and prep it?

PRO TIPS:

• Recommend 1 pound per person.
• Specify you want a brined turkey when placing your order
• Plan a full 24 hours if you are going to brine the turkey yourself.
• Never stuff a bird in advance. Stuff it just before roasting.
• If you brine a turkey, the cooking time gets cut in half.

SAFE POULTRY HANDLING:

• Keep the poultry cold right up until the time you cook it.
• While prepping poultry, was your hands knives, cutting board and counter thoroughly and often with hot water and soap.
• Take care that raw poultry or its juices do not come in contact with other foods.
• Make sure you use a meat thermometer. After the turkey rests, the breast should register 170°F, and the thigh, 180°F.
• If you are cooking a stuffed bird, make sure the temperature of the stuffing registers 160°F.