If you’re not familiar with what duck confit is, it’s a traditional French recipe, where duck legs are slowly cooked in their own fat, creating a meltingly rich and deeply flavorful dish. Originally, this slow-cooking method preserved duck before refrigeration. After the initial cooking process, the duck legs can then be stored in the fridge submerged in the fat safely for weeks, before being crisped up in the pan and oven.
The main trick to perfecting a duck confit is to cook it low and slow. This helps to preserve the moisture in the meat and ensures the final dish has that signature tender texture. A duck confit will be ready for cooking after 12 hours of marinating, but if you can wait a full day you’ll notice the difference in the final flavor.
The traditional method to make a duck confit is to use an oven, but you can make duck confit sous vide. This technique requires less fat to achieve similar results, and allows for complete temperature control, though it will take longer overall. You’ll need to allow for 24 hours of cooking time in the sous vide, after marinating.
Duck confit is traditionally made using duck legs, but if you want to explore using other cuts, such as duck breast, take a look at the top tips from Gordon Ramsay on how to cook duck breast in a variety of ways.
Serving Suggestions
Duck confit is commonly served alongside other French classic accompaniments, such as duck fat potatoes and green beans. Or it can be shredded and added to pasta dishes and tacos, for more modern pairings.
When it comes to a sauce for duck confit, it’s at home alongside a red wine reduction or a mushroom jus, to highlight the intense savory and umami-forward notes of the meat.
Storage and Reheating
Duck confit can be stored in the fridge, submerged in its fat, for up to two weeks safely. It’s also possible to freeze duck confit in its fat in an airtight container and it’ll keep in the freezer for up to three months. It needs to be thawed in the fridge overnight prior to cooking.
For reheating, it’s best to use the oven. Remove the duck from its fat and transfer to a baking tray. Cook in the oven at 300°F for 15 minutes until fully warmed through before increasing the heat for five minutes to crisp the skin.
