Genius Recipes's Notes:
Expand1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme Ask a question about this ingredient
1 bay leaf, crumbled Ask a question about this ingredient
8 moulard duck legs (about 4 pounds total), rinsed and patted dry but not trimmed Ask a question about this ingredient
In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf pieces. Sprinkle duck generously with mixture. Place duck legs in a pan in one layer. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours. Note: Moulard duck legs can vary in size -- if yours are closer to 1 lb. each, instead of 1/2 lb., add an extra 6-12 hours to the curing time if possible, and increase the spice mix proportionally by weight.
Ask a question about this stepThe next day, heat oven to 325 degrees. Place duck legs, fat side down, in a large ovenproof skillet, with legs fitting snugly in a single layer (you may have to use two skillets or cook them in batches). Heat duck legs over medium heat until fat starts to render. When there is about 1/4 inch of rendered fat in pan, about 20 minutes, flip duck legs, cover pan with foil, and place it in oven. If you have used two pans, transfer duck and fat to a roasting pan, cover with foil and place in oven.
Ask a question about this stepRoast legs for 2 hours, then remove foil and continue roasting until duck is golden brown, about 1 hour more. Remove duck from fat; reserve fat for other uses.
Ask a question about this stepServe duck hot or warm, over roasted potatoes or noodles or bitter salad greens.
Ask a question about this stepkristen, If someone didn't have the right size saute pan for fitting in their oven,I'm thinking that this recipe could just as well be started in a saute pan and then transferred, w/ melted fat, to a ceramic or metal baking dish or pan. Do you agree?
thx,
mindy
Yes, absolutely -- also a good solution if your skillet isn't oven-safe. Just make sure the legs fit snugly in the pan (so that the fat comes midway up the legs), and that there is a tight cover for the first part of the oven time.
i've tried these twice now with legs/thighs about 1/2 to 3/4 of a pound (each) ... i followed the recipe ExAcTLY the first time ... 2 hours coverd, 1 hou uncovered, and while the flavor was very good, they were, well, pretty over done and dried out ... so the 2nd time i roasted them for only one hour covered, then an hour uncovered, and they were MUCH better ... good flavor and still soft, but also still a bit overdone ... the only thing i'm doing different than the recipe is putting on a lid (on a 10" iron skillet) rather than covering it with foil ... this can't be the problem, can it? ... do i just have a hot oven, or what? next time i'm niot sure what i'll do ... maybe 45 mins and 45 mins???
So sorry I missed this question and that you've had lackluster results. Are the legs nice and snug in the pan? A too-hot oven or a too-loose lid could also be contributing factors -- the fat should just be at a gentle simmer, and should come midway up the legs in the pan once they're flipped.
How should I prepare ahead and re-heat?
Store in duck fat?
Prior to serving next day, sear in duck fat and then heat in oven?
Or.
Put right in oven, skin side up and heat?
What temp?
Thank you!
Hi there, I posted this answer to your question on the original blog post about a month ago -- hope this helps!
"So glad you liked it! You could certainly make ahead -- mid-afternoon would be fine -- and either heat up in the oven or by searing in a skillet with a bit of the fat (or a combination -- sear, flip, roast in the oven till warmed through). Also, with all that duck fat, you might consider Nigella Lawson's roasted potatoes."
ohhhhh soooooo goooood, have to go get more duck legs. This more than fills in for the real thing. I let them cure for about 36 hours and oh so very very good
Hi Jim -- for me, 4 legs fit perfectly in a large cast iron skillet. Another option for whole ducks is Merrill's Slow Roast Duck -- it's an excellent recipe: http://food52.com/recipes/9115_slow_roast_duck
I just received two whole ducks from a friend who just returned from Long Island. I've been thinking of what to do with them, and this looks like a great start, even though I'll only have 4 legs.
Thanks for the great idea, as I've always wanted to try a confit, but admittedly was a bit intimidated by the googobs of duck fat required for the traditional approach.
Thanks!
Jim
Ken is an award-winning executive chef and owner of seven Boston area restaurants: Clio, Toro, Uni, Coppa, KO Prime, La Verdad and Earth.
photo 1 of 13
First up, assemble the cure: it's mostly scooping, but you do have to crumble a bay leaf.
photo 2 of 13
Dried thyme, bay leaf speckles, kosher salt, pepper. This is a good baseline spice mix, but next time you can experiment with other flavors, like star anise or coriander.
photo 3 of 13
Sprinkle the spices lightly and evenly.
photo 4 of 13
Both sides please.
photo 5 of 13
It might not look like enough salt, but it is. This way, you won't have to rinse the excess off tomorrow.
photo 6 of 13
Now cover it up and pack it away in the fridge for a day (longer if your legs are huge).
photo 7 of 13
The next day, it will look like this -- pretty much the same, but the salt will have absorbed in.
photo 8 of 13
See?
photo 9 of 13
Now tuck them all into a heavy, oven-safe skillet or two. They should fit snugly and pinwheel around each other, but the skin side should lay flat for a good sear.
photo 10 of 13
If you want to peek obsessively, we won't judge. It shouldn't stick too much either, with all that fat.
photo 11 of 13
Get them browned till you have 1/4 inch of fat rendered in the pan, but be sure you don't burn or dry them out at this stage. They'll need a good layer of fat left on top for the next few hours in the oven.
photo 12 of 13
Now seal them up, protecting your hands with a potholder -- that pan's hot! Into the oven.
photo 13 of 13
A few hours later, there you have it: really easy duck confit.
I've been looking for an easier duck confit recipe to cook and this is definitely it! Can't wait to test it out.