Last Updated on 17 December 2023 by cooksimply
Some dinner recipes are made to impress – and confit duck legs do just that. This French classic sees tender seasoned duck meat falling off the bone. Decadent and delicious, duck legs cook in their own fat for several hours and are then roasted on a high heat for extra crispy skin. The results are incredible. And if you make this, I promise you will have lots of happy dinner guests.
What are confit duck legs?
Confit is a traditional French cooking method that sees ingredients including duck legs salted generously and cooked slowly in fat. The duck legs can then be preserved and as long as they’re submerged in the fat, can be refrigerated for up to a month. Confit duck legs are super tender and the meat is divine – you’ll be surprised just how much duck meat there actually is.
If you want to make a traditional confit of duck you should cure and season the duck legs for 48 hours before cooking. But this confit duck recipe can be cooked much more quickly and it’s still just as tasty.
What ingredients are needed
Not much at all – and that’s what makes this such a simple and winning dish. All you need to make confit of duck is:
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4 x duck legs
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Garlic cloves
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Olive oil
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Sea salt
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Fresh thyme
How to make this confit of duck recipe
The key to getting the best flavour is to make sure to season the duck legs with sea salt well ahead of time. Preferably 24 hours but if you’re short on time, a couple of hours is enough and the duck will still taste delicious. For the oven method, all you have to do is gather your ingredients and put them all in a deep pot. Put a lid on top and place the pot in a preheated oven and cook for 2 hours.
You can eat them straight away but crisping up the skin in the oven really adds to the depth of flavour. So turn up the heat in the oven, then roast the confit duck legs for around 10 minutes.
Can you cook confit duck in a slow cooker?
Yes, the recipe really lends itself to being left in the slow cooker. Instead of cooking in the oven for two hours, you can place all the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Then crisp in the oven in the same way as above. This method means you really can just throw it all in one pot and leave it alone.
How to serve confit duck legs
These tasty duck legs can be served with almost anything – from mashed potato, cheesy potatoes and roasted potatoes or even on top of lentil stew. Or alongside a green salad or vegetables – whatever you choose, it will taste incredible.
What to do with duck fat
After you’ve removed the duck legs, the remaining fat should be kept! Don’t throw it away. You can pour it into a jar and refrigerate it for several months. Use the fat for roasting potatoes or root vegetables. Use it for making pastry or to confit other ingredients. The flavour will impart to other ingredients is savoury, rich and so very tasty.
Easy confit of duck recipe
Ingredients
- 4 duck legs
- 80 ml of olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the duck legs generously with sea salt and pepper, and leave overnight.
- If you don’t have time, then make sure to season the duck legs at least 2-3 hours prior to cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 140ºc. Get a large pot or casserole dish with a lid and then add the garlic, olive oil and the thyme.
- Place the duck legs in the oven and bake for 2 hours.
- Check on the legs half way through. You’ll notice the duck will have released more fat and you can make sure all the meat it submerged in the fat.
- Once the duck legs have cooked for 2 hours, carefully remove the duck legs and place on a baking tray.
- Turn up the heat of the oven to 220ºc and then crisp up the duck legs for around 10-12 minutes.
The slow cooker method
- Place the duck legs in the slow cooker, then add the sliced garlic, sprigs of fresh thyme, and olive oil. Cover, and cook for 6 hours.
- Once the duck has been slow-cooked for 6 hours, carefully remove the duck legs, and place them onto a baking tray.
- And continue to follow the baking instructions above to crisp up the duck skin.
