Duck Confit

Ingredients

• 4 duck legs
• 3 tbsp kosher salt
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves, crumbled
• 1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
• 5 cups rendered duck fat (or enough to submerge the legs)

Before you cook

• Mix the salt, smashed garlic, thyme, crumbled bay leaves, and crushed peppercorns together.
• Rub the salt mixture all over the duck legs.
• Place the duck legs in a dish, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Steps

1. Remove the duck legs from the refrigerator and rinse off the salt cure under cold water.
2. Pat the duck legs completely dry with paper towels.
3. Preheat the oven to 200 F.
4. Melt the duck fat in a Dutch oven over low heat.
5. Submerge the duck legs in the melted fat.
6. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven.
7. Cook the duck legs for 3 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and starting to pull away from the bone.
8. Remove the pot from the oven and let the duck legs cool in the fat for 30 minutes.
9. Lift the duck legs out of the fat and place them skin-side down in a cold skillet.
10. Set the skillet over medium heat and crisp the skin for 6-8 minutes, without moving the legs, until deeply golden.
11. Flip the legs and warm the other side for 2 minutes.
12. Serve the duck legs immediately.