How to Make Delicious Duck Confit

Introduction

Duck confit is a French classic renowned for its melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and irresistibly crispy skin. The slow-cooked, rich flavors make it the centerpiece of any elegant dinner party or memorable family meal. Its luscious texture and savory depth impress even the most discerning palates, making it a crowd-pleaser that’s surprisingly approachable for home cooks.

Why Duck Confit Is a Must-Try

The secret to duck confit’s extraordinary flavor is the slow cooking in its own fat, which keeps the meat succulent while intensifying its savory profile. Not only does this method yield show-stopping results, but it’s also a technique that can effortlessly elevate your home cooking repertoire. Plus, duck confit stores well—meaning you can prepare a batch ahead of time and serve it with ease when guests arrive.

Essential Steps for Perfect Duck Confit

A great duck confit starts with properly prepping your duck legs—giving them a thorough seasoning and adequate curing time for deeply infused flavors. Meticulous attention to these first steps guarantees a delicious end result.

To save time and ensure even, uniform prep, use a Mueller Pro-Series 10-in-1, 8 Blade Vegetable Chopper for efficiently chopping aromatics like garlic and shallots that are key to flavoring your duck.

Slow Cooking for Maximum Flavor

Once seasoned and cured, the duck is submerged in fat and cooked slowly until exceptionally tender. Traditionally, this is done in an oven, but you can also finish the duck in a modern COSORI Air Fryer 9-in-1 to crisp the skin in mere minutes—creating a texturally perfect bite without heating up your whole kitchen.

For the slow-cooking stage, line your roasting dish with Reynolds Kitchens Brown Parchment Paper Roll to simplify cleanup and prevent sticking.

Serving and Storing Duck Confit

Duck confit is incredibly versatile and can be served atop lentils, with roasted potatoes, or tossed into a vibrant salad. Prep your greens and keep them crisp in a Bentgo Salad Container – 54 oz Bowl for effortless entertaining.

Leftovers store beautifully submerged in duck fat inside an airtight container in the refrigerator—making it a gift that keeps on giving days after preparation.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe serves 4 with each serving containing approximately 450–500 calories, depending on the size of duck legs and your serving accompaniments.

Delicious Duck Confit (Recap)

Slow-cooked to tender perfection and crowned with flavorful, crackling skin, this duck confit is an elevated yet accessible dish everyone should experience. With the right tools and simple ingredients, you’ll have a luxurious French classic ready to wow any crowd.

Instructions

1. Combine salt, chopped garlic, sliced shallots, thyme, and peppercorns in a bowl. For speedy prep, run the garlic and shallots through the Mueller Pro-Series 10-in-1, 8 Blade Vegetable Chopper.
2. Rub the duck legs all over with the salt mixture. Add bay leaves or orange zest if desired for extra flavor. Place the legs skin-side down in a glass dish, cover, and refrigerate overnight (12–24 hours).
3. Preheat oven to 225°F (107°C). Rinse duck legs to remove extra salt and aromatics, then pat dry thoroughly.
4. Lay the duck legs in a single layer in a baking dish lined with Reynolds Kitchens Brown Parchment Paper Roll. Pour over enough duck fat to submerge the legs completely.
5. Cover and cook for 2½ to 3 hours, until the duck is tender and easily pulls from the bone. Let cool slightly in the fat, then transfer the legs to a wire rack.
6. To crisp: Heat a SENSARTE Nonstick Frying Pan Skillet, 9.5 Inch over medium-high and place duck legs skin-side down until golden (about 3–5 minutes), or use the COSORI Air Fryer 9-in-1 at 400°F for 5–6 minutes.
7. Serve hot over your favorite side, or toss shredded meat into salads stored fresh in a Bentgo Salad Container – 54 oz Bowl.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 12–24 hours curing time)

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes (plus curing)

Enjoy your foray into French cuisine with a duck confit that delivers both elegance and robust flavor each and every bite!