Duck Confit Recipe

Prepare and cure

Pat duck legs dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine kosher salt, sugar and coarsely ground black pepper. Rub the salt mixture evenly over and under the skin of each duck leg. Scatter smashed garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, bay leaves and orange zest (if using) in a shallow dish and place the legs skin-side up on top, leaving herbs and garlic between legs and under skin where possible. Cover tightly and refrigerate 12–24 hours to draw out moisture and season the meat.

After curing time, remove duck legs from refrigerator. Rinse each leg under cold water to remove excess salt and aromatics, then thoroughly pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Remove visible garlic and bay leaves.

Preheat and arrange

Preheat oven to 225°F (105°C). Place duck legs in a single layer in an ovenproof baking dish or deep roasting pan, skin-side down initially so the meat contacts the pan. Add whole peppercorns to the pan and tuck any remaining thyme/garlic around the pieces.

Cover with fat

Pour warm (not hot) duck fat over the legs until they are fully submerged by about 1/2 inch. If you don't have enough duck fat, mix with a neutral oil so legs are completely covered. Place a piece of parchment directly on the surface of the fat to minimize exposure to air (optional).

Slow-cook

Place the pan in the oven and cook gently until the meat is very tender and pulls easily from the bone, about 2½ to 3 hours. The temperature should remain low so the fat barely simmers, not boils. Check once halfway to ensure legs are submerged; add a little more warm fat or oil if parts are exposed.

When done, remove pan from oven. Let legs cool in the fat to room temperature (about 30–45 minutes).

Option A — Store in fat

For longer storage, transfer legs into a clean jar or container, strain the fat through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into the container to remove solids, and pour enough fat to cover the meat. Seal and refrigerate. Confit will keep for several weeks refrigerated. To serve later, gently reheat in oven at 275°F (135°C) until warmed through, then crisp skin as below.

Option B — Crisp and serve now

To serve immediately with crisp skin, remove legs from fat and allow excess fat to drip off. Preheat a skillet over medium-high or the broiler (or oven to 450°F / 230°C). Pat skin dry. Place legs skin-side down in a hot skillet (no additional fat needed) and press lightly to get even contact; cook 3–6 minutes until skin is deeply golden and crisp. Alternatively, place on a sheet pan under a hot broiler for 3–6 minutes watching carefully to avoid burning. Flip briefly if needed to crisp edges. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky salt and a few fresh thyme leaves. Serve with lemon or orange wedges.

If desired, spoon some of the strained duck fat over roasted potatoes, vegetables, or bread for extra flavor.