Duck Confit

Confit, or a variation of, has been a method of preparation and preserving of foods for thousands of years.  Usually associated with the preservation of a meat...traditionally a waterfowl, the process of transforming a perfectly acceptable cut of meat into something totally different is incredibly satisfying.  The end result to a properly prepared duck confit is much much better than the sum of its parts with a silky texture and aroma like no other.   I love the actual act of preparing confit...everything from feeling the heavily textured salt mixture on my hands to incessently checking on the product as it slowly cooks...it all excites me.

I'm not sure where the inspiration of this recipe for duck confit originated.  I may have swiped it verbatim from a long lost chef-partner some time ago (if I did...THANKS), I really dont know.  However, this recipe has served me well over the years.  Once you get the actual procedure down, feel free to amend the aromatics, in this case the juniper, peppercorns and thyme, to fit your own desires

For the Confit Cure

• 1/2 cup each of black peppercorns, juniper berries and fresh thyme
• 1/4 dried rubbed sage
• 1/4 cup of fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1/2 cup garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup dried bay leaves
• 3 cups kosher salt....whenever I say salt, I mean kosher

Combine all the ingredients in a large food processor and pulse until roughly chopped.  This may make more than you need for a batch of confit, depending on how many duck legs you wish to prepare

For the Actual Confit

•  duck legs, this cure should be enough for a dozen or so
• extra duck fat...surely you have some frozen in tidy little bricks right OR just have a half gallon or so of vegetable oil to get yourself started.

Wash and dry the duck legs thouroughly.  Its good to get as much as the extra water off them as possible so your confit cure will work best.  Dry curing removes moisture from the product so there is no use in having extra moisture.  Toss the legs in a copious amount of the cure...go ahead and use it all...doesnt really matter.  Place the legs in a large container and place in refrigerator 24-36 hours.

After the curing process, rinse the cure from the legs in plenty of cool water.  Place the legs, skin side down in a large roasting pan.  Make sure your roasting pan is plenty big enough.  You will have a lot of hot oil.  Add enough of the oil (or duck fat) to almost cover the legs and place in a slow, 275 degree, oven.   roast the confit until the fat is completely rendered from the legs and the meat is falling off the bone.  Remove from heat and cool completely, undisturbed, in the oil-fat mixture that was created.  This will keep for quite a while but I have never kept it more than a week or so.  Reserve the fat for the next batch.

Whenever you wish for some confit, remove however many legs you need and heat in a high oven, crisp the skin in a pan or pull the meat and use in recipes.  Either way, its good.