Duck Confit

Ingredients

• 4 duck leg quarters
• 4 duck wings, trimmed
• 4 cups duck fat
• 1 shallot, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 sprigs thyme, chopped
• ¼ C evaporated cane sugar
• ¼ C kosher salt
• 3 tbs coarsely ground black pepper

Directions

1. Season Duck: Mix shallot, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic, and thyme. Rub over duck legs, thighs, and wings. Arrange skin-side up, cover, and refrigerate 24-48 hours.
2. Prep for Cooking: Preheat oven to 225°F. Rinse off seasoning, pat dry, arrange duck in a single layer in a 9x13" pan, and let come to room temperature.
3. Add Fat: Melt duck fat until just bubbling (6-8 minutes) and pour over the duck.
4. Confit: Bake at 225°F for 2-3 hours, until tender and juices run clear (internal temp near bone: 135°F).

Same-day Service

1. Crisp Skin: Drain duck fat and reserve. Brush a grill pan with some fat, heat until smoking, and sear duck in batches until skin is crisp, about 90 seconds per side.

Later Service

1. Store & Reheat: Store duck submerged in its cooking fat. To serve, remove from fat and gently reheat in a pan, crisping skin as above.

Chef's Notes

• Regular sugar can be substituted for cane sugar.