Duck Confit Recipe

Cure the duck breasts

Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine kosher salt, sugar and freshly ground black pepper. Rub the salt mixture evenly over the skin and flesh sides of each breast. Place the thyme sprigs and smashed garlic on and under the breasts, then transfer breasts to a rimmed tray or dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12–18 hours to cure and develop flavor.

Rinse and dry

After curing, remove the duck breasts from the refrigerator. Rinse off the cure under cold running water, being gentle to remove excess salt and herbs. Pat the breasts very dry with paper towels. Allow to sit uncovered in the refrigerator for 30–60 minutes if time permits to dry the skin further (this helps crisping).

Slow cook in duck fat

Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). Place the duck breasts skin-side down in an ovenproof dish or Dutch oven. Pour the melted duck fat over the breasts so they are mostly submerged (reserve enough fat to sear later if desired). Add any remaining thyme and garlic into the fat. Cover tightly with foil or a lid and place in the oven. Cook gently for 1.75–2 hours, until the meat is tender and pulls easily with a fork but internal temp around 150°F (65°C).

Cool and store (optional)

Remove the breasts from the fat and let rest on a rack. If making ahead, you may submerge fully in cooled fat and refrigerate; this will preserve the meat. Otherwise proceed to crisping and serving. Reserve 2–4 tablespoons of the cooking fat for sautéing potatoes and searing breasts.

Slice and crisp for service

To serve the classic 'breast slices', thinly slice the duck breast across the grain (about 1/4 inch / 6 mm). Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add 1–2 tablespoons of reserved duck fat. Place the sliced or whole breast skin-side down briefly to crisp skin and warm through — about 1–2 minutes per side for slices or 2–3 minutes skin-side then 1 minute flesh-side for whole pieces. Do not overcook; you want the interior tender and slightly pink. Transfer to a warm plate and sprinkle lightly with finishing salt.

Parboil the potatoes in salted water: place halved fingerlings in a pot, cover with cold water, add 1 tsp kosher salt and bring to a simmer. Cook until just fork-tender, about 8–10 minutes. Drain and let steam dry briefly.

Roast/sauté to finish: Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add the parboiled fingerlings cut-side down in a single layer; sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. Cook without moving for 4–6 minutes until golden and crisp on the cut side. Toss or flip and cook another 2–3 minutes until evenly browned and heated through. Season to taste with additional salt.

Keep warm until plating alongside duck slices.

Blanch the haricot vert: Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the trimmed haricot vert and blanch for 2–2.5 minutes until bright green and just tender. Prepare an ice bath. Immediately transfer beans to the ice bath to stop cooking and preserve color. Drain and pat dry.

Finish in butter: Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Add the blanched beans, toss to coat and warm through for 1–2 minutes. Add lemon zest, salt and black pepper. Toss and remove from heat. Keep warm for plating.

Prepare aromatics: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 teaspoon butter and add the minced shallot. Sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 1–2 minutes. If using red wine, add 2 tablespoons and reduce by half.

Warm the veal glace: Add 1 cup veal glace to the pan along with one sprig of thyme and gently simmer to warm and slightly reduce for 4–6 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.

Finish with butter: Remove from heat and whisk in the cold cubed unsalted butter, a few pieces at a time, to give the sauce a glossy finish and to slightly thicken. Strain if you prefer a perfectly smooth sauce. Keep warm until plating.

Arrange sliced, crisped duck breast on warm plates. Place a portion of fingerling potatoes and a small bundle of haricot vert beside the duck.

Spoon the warm veal glace sauce around or over the duck slices (avoid drowning the crisp skin). Sprinkle a small pinch of finishing sea salt over the duck skin and scatter microgreens or chopped parsley for color.

Serve immediately while duck skin is crisp and components are warm.