Easy Duck Confit My Way
A Word From Chef Brian
Duck Confit is my all-time favorite foul to serve with wine. It lends itself to so many different dishes that it is almost endless. It’s one of those special foods that are stored in the fridge or freezer that you can have ready in no time for any of your holiday meals.
How do you might ask?
It is because it’s all in advance and stores in its own fat for months as they did a century ago. The history of Confit was born from the need to conserve and store foods before refrigeration existed. The concept of Confit has been around a very long time, and it was born in France where I was first exposed during my schooling years in Paris.
The French method has many steps and additional cost that I have eliminated in my version. I found the results to be just as good and you will save money and extra time in the kitchen, giving you more time to enjoy a glass of our 2020 Estate Syrah with friends.
One of my favorite uses for duck Confit is Cassoulet which we will be serving for our 2024 Holiday Club Party. This use of Duck Confit embodies what true French country cooking stands for and is the perfect dish for our upcoming winter nights in wine country.
Wine Note from Estate Chef Brian Overhauser
Those of you that joined us for our Chefs Counter were treated to this sublime pairing of Duck Confit and our 2020 Estate Syrah.
Bringing together the richness of the duck and the bold dark fruit flavor profile of our Syrah is one of those moments in wine and food pairing that you just say “Yummy” !
Serves 4
4 Muscovy duck legs including the thigh *
1 48oz bottle of vegetable oil
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 whole garlic cloves
Method
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
Place the duck legs skin-side up in a casserole dish or Dutch oven with a lid that fits.
Add the rest of the ingredients and pour enough oil to cover the duck.
Place the lid on, or cover with foil.
Place it on the middle rack and bake for 4 hours, then turn off the oven and leave it overnight to cure.
Remove it in the morning, and at that point, you can use it right away or store it in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks.
Make sure the duck is always covered in its fat when storing it in any other container.
*Muscovy is my favorite choice due to its larger size. Any other duck legs you can find will work equally as well.