Duck alert! Duck confit recipe via sous vide, so good it’ll make your eyes roll back and your toes curl up. Think I’m lying? Try it!
The duck leg is seasoned well with salt and pepper then slowly cooked over a day at a low temperature rendering silky smooth, tender and rich, flavorful duck. And oh yeah, the skin is crispy like Willa Mae’s fried chicken!
Duck confit is happy food. I get excited just thinking about it. Before, during and after eating/cooking I’m humming doobie doobie doo while nodding my head up and down. Omar, the British veteran soulstar, though highly underrated is a longtime favorite of mine.
What is confit?
A simple definition of confit is it refers to the process of cooking any type of food slowly (via water, oil, or fat) over a long period of time as a method of preservation. Onion, garlic, duck, and goose are common foods preserved this way. In the case of duck confit, the duck is cooked in it’s own fat for hours or days depending on approach. If that don’t sound delicious, I don’t know what does.
Why sous vide vs. Traditional Approach
Cheaper by far. Duck fat can be an expensive proposition. But if you cook your confit in a bag you don't need to purchase any fat and thus come out ahead cost wise. Smaller space in vacuum seal makes it easy to cook duck in its own rendered fat
Sous Vide Duck Confit Ingredients
Duck and plenty of salt with a lil pepper is all you need for confit greatness. Optionally you can add fresh garlic and fresh herbs like oregano or thyme.
How To Make Sous Vide Duck Confit Recipe (Step by Step)
Step 1: Cure the duck
Season generously with kosher salt, then add pepper. Refrigerate overnight.
Step 2: Vacuum seal the duck
Add some aromatics for additional flavor. Garlic and fresh herbs like oregano or thyme work well.
Step 3: Add to preheated water bath
Cook at 155 degrees F for 36 hours
Step 4: Finish the duck
To finish for that great crispy skin, I find that searing in a hot skillet works best. I pre-heat my cast-iron skillet in the oven and then sear the duck on the stovetop.
Serving Suggestions
Duck confit is da bomb with anything or you can just enjoy it as you would a turkey or chicken leg. I toss it with fresh pasta, mix it in a salad, but more often than not after pinching a sample or two off for some quality control I just eat it as is. No sauce, no nothin! Consider serving with any of the following:
Expert Cooking Tips For Sous Vide Duck Confit
- Make sure to let your duck legs cure in salt overnight.
- Cleanliness is everything. Make sure countertops, cutting board, hands, knives, etc. are well cleaned. clean, clean, clean and then clean some more. A clean confit will keep for a long time, whereas contamination of any sort leads to spoiling.
- Add aromatics like garlic and/or fresh herbs
- If serving the confit immediately, sear it in a cast-iron skillet, skin side down for max crispiness
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What duck part is best for confit?
Duck leg quarters with the thighs attached are a favorite of mine to confit. Same would hold true for turkey, chicken, or goose.
What temperature to cook at and for how long to cook duck confit?
The recommended range is 140-180 degrees F for between 8-40 hours. I followed the Serious Eats recommendation for 155 degrees F for 36 hours. This provided butter smooth texture and tenderness with off da charts flavor.
How long does duck confit keep?
Duck confit can be made ahead and kept for 1-4 weeks refrigerated. I personally go no more than a week if at all out of fears of botulism.
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Equipment
- Sous Vide Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 duck legs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 medium cloves garlic chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh oregano
Instructions
- Preheat the water bath to 155°F
- Season duck generously with salt and pepper.
- Prepare duck for vacuum seal. Rub the duck with the garlic and place in vacuum seal or ziplock bag. Add the oregano and seal the bag either via vacuum seal or water displacement method.
- Place duck in water and cook for 36 hours. Depending on evaporation, you might have to add more water after a while.
- Remove duck from water. Open the bag and remove duck. Peel off the herbs and scrape away any excess fat off the meat. Heat a dry cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat and place the leg in the pan, skin side down for 6 minutes. (Alternatively, you can brown and crisp the duck, skin side up, under a broiler @ 450 degrees F for about 8 minutes.)
Notes
- Make sure to let your duck legs cure in salt overnight.
- Cleanliness is everything. Make sure countertops, cutting board, hands, knives, etc. are well cleaned. clean, clean, clean and then clean some more. A clean confit will keep for a long time, whereas contamination of any sort leads to spoiling.
- Add aromatics like garlic and/or fresh herbs
- If serving the confit immediately, sear it in a cast iron skillet, skin side down for max crispiness