Duck Confit Recipe

Cure the duck

Pat duck legs dry. In a small bowl combine kosher salt, granulated sugar and freshly ground black pepper. Rub the salt mixture evenly over each duck leg, including under the skin where possible. Place smashed garlic cloves, thyme sprigs and bay leaves in the bottom of a shallow dish. Arrange seasoned duck legs skin-side up on top. Cover tightly and refrigerate 12–24 hours to cure.

Rinse and dry

After curing, rinse the salt mixture from the duck legs under cold running water. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Let sit uncovered in the refrigerator for 1 hour to dry further (optional) — this helps crisp the skin later.

Cook in duck fat

Preheat oven to 120°C (250°F). Place duck legs in a single layer in an ovenproof dish or deep roasting pan just large enough to hold them. Warm the duck fat until liquid (do not overheat). Pour warm duck fat over the legs until fully submerged. Place in oven and slowly confit 2.5–3 hours, or until meat is very tender and can be pulled from the bone with little resistance.

Cool and store (if not serving immediately)

Remove dish from oven and let cool slightly. You may transfer duck legs and fat to jars, sealing and refrigerating for up to 1 month. If serving now, proceed to finish step to crisp skin.

Crisp the skin

To serve, remove duck from fat and let excess fat drip off. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F) or heat a heavy skillet over medium-high. Place legs skin-side down on a foil-lined sheet and roast 10–15 minutes until skin is crisp and golden, or sear skin-side down in skillet 3–5 minutes then finish in 200°C (400°F) oven 5–8 minutes. Keep warm while finishing other components.

Prepare beans

Drain overnight-soaked beans. Place beans in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 2–3 cm. Bring to a simmer, lower heat and cook gently until just tender but not falling apart, about 30–45 minutes depending on bean. Drain and reserve.

Brown pork and aromatics

In a heavy ovenproof pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add cubed pork shoulder and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add diced onion, carrot and celery and cook until softened and beginning to color, 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Deglaze and combine

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Deglaze with white wine, scraping browned bits from the bottom. Reduce the wine by half, then add cooked beans, browned pork, stock, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, season with salt and pepper.

Bake and gratin

If the mixture is thin, reduce on the stove until slightly saucy (beans should be saucy but not soupy). For service-size portions, spoon the cassoulet into individual ovenproof dishes or keep in the Dutch oven. Sprinkle breadcrumbs mixed with chopped parsley over the top. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20–25 minutes until bubbling and the top is golden. Keep warm until plating.

Reduce pomegranate and sugar

In a small saucepan combine pomegranate juice and granulated sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce until syrupy and reduced by about half, approximately 12–18 minutes.

Finish with vinegar and butter

Lower heat and stir in red wine vinegar. Simmer 2–3 minutes to meld flavors. Off the heat, whisk in cold cubed butter a piece at a time to emulsify and slightly thicken the gastrique. Season with crushed black pepper and salt to taste. Stir in pomegranate seeds. Keep warm (do not boil) until plating.

Prepare and cook vegetables

Trim and, if necessary, peel the seasonal vegetables so pieces are uniform. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat until foaming. Add vegetables and thyme sprig. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until just tender and lightly caramelized — about 6–10 minutes depending on vegetable. Season with salt and pepper. Remove thyme sprig and keep warm.

Spoon a generous portion of hot cassoulet onto each plate as the base. Place one crisped duck leg atop the cassoulet. Arrange seasonal vegetables alongside. Spoon 1–2 tbs of warm pomegranate gastrique around and lightly over the duck (use more to taste). Finish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley from the cassoulet topping or extra pomegranate seeds for color. Serve immediately.