Easy Duck Confit

Scott Heimendinger
Scott Heimendinger
August 27, 2021
Duck confit is simple when made with the Anova Precision Cooker. And if you choose to vacuum-seal the legs before cooking, you can substantially reduce the amount of duck fat needed to confit the meat. Sealing also ensures that the fat, juices, and flavor they release will stay in the bag, rather than waft into the air. (You can, of course, choose to submerge the duck legs in fat in a baking dish instead; use the smallest dish in which you can fit the legs in order to reduce the amount of fat needed.) Notes: This recipe uses 100% humidity to cook the bagged confit in order to speed up cooking. You can confit the duck ahead of time. If you’d like to store for later, transfer the sealed bags of the confit duck to an ice bath after cooking sous vide. Transfer (unopened) to the refrigerator and refrigerate for up to 1 month. When ready to eat, return the duck (still in the bag) to the oven and cook for 30 minutes using the same sous vide settings as before. Continue with the recipe at step 9.
Serves
2
Prep Time
24:30
Cook Time
06:15
Easy Duck Confit
5 (2)
948
Ingredients
4 tsp
Diamond Crystal kosher salt
5 cloves
garlic, peeled
5 sprigs
fresh thyme
1 Tbsp
juniper berries (optional)
2 tsp
black peppercorns
2 whole
duck legs
¼ cup
rendered duck fat or butter
Steps

1. Combine Salt and Aromatics

Combine salt, garlic, thyme, juniper berries, and black peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or small food processor.
Combine Salt and Aromatics

2. Pulverize

Pulverize the mixture and grind together until it forms the consistency of wet sand. This mixture is the cure for the duck and will be rinsed away in a later step.
Pulverize

3. Rub Duck with Cure

Coat the underside of the legs thoroughly with the salt mixture. Place the legs skin-side-up on a small sheet pan and rub the remaining cure into the skin, coating it completely.
Rub Duck with Cure

4. Refrigerate

Cover the meat with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
Refrigerate

5. Preheat Oven

Rack
Sous Vide Mode: On
Steam: 100%
Temp: 179.6°F
Heat: Rear, Top

6. Rinse and Dry Duck

Thoroughly rinse the legs with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Rinse and Dry Duck

7. Seal with Fat

Vacuum seal the legs with 2 tablespoons of duck fat per leg (see note). You may seal the legs together into a single bag, but ensure there’s enough room that they don’t touch.
Seal with Fat

8. Slow Cook

Rack
Cook until the skin renders out its fat and the meat turns fall-off-the-bone tender, 6 hours. Remove from the oven and chill if desired (see note).
Sous Vide Mode: On
Steam: 100%
Temp: 179.6°F
Heat: Rear, Top
06:00 Timer

9. Adjust Oven for Roasting

Rack
When ready to cook, heat the oven for roasting.
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: Off
Temp: 482°F
Heat: Rear, Top

10. Decant Liquid

Open the bags and decant the liquid into a small pitcher. The liquid will be a mixture of flavorful juices and rendered fat. Allow it to settle and separate, reserving about 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat.

11. Pat Dry

Pat the duck legs as dry as possible. Place on a greased, foil-lined sheet pan.
Pat Dry

12. Roast

Rack
Return to the oven and cook until the skin has browned and crisped, about 15 minutes.
Roast
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: Off
Temp: 482°F
Heat: Rear, Top
00:15 Timer

13. Remove and Plate

Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving plate.
Remove and Plate

14. Brush and Serve

Brush the skin of each leg with a little of the reserved fat. Serve immediately.
Brush and Serve
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