Braised Duck Confit Curry Recipe

Curing the duck

Pat duck legs dry. Rub each leg all over with kosher salt and sprinkle the sugar evenly. Place smashed garlic, thyme sprigs, peppercorns and bay leaves on and around the legs. Transfer to a shallow dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 12–18 hours to cure.

Rinsing and drying

After curing, remove duck legs from refrigerator. Rinse under cold water to remove excess salt and seasonings. Pat very dry with paper towels. Let rest uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator for 1 hour to dry the skin (helps crisp during roasting).

Cooking in duck fat

Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C). Place duck legs in a single layer in an ovenproof pot or deep baking dish. Melt duck fat and pour over legs until fully submerged (use about 2–3 cups). Bring to a very gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover and transfer to the oven. Braise slowly for 2 to 2.5 hours until meat is tender and pulls from the bone.

Cooling and storing

Remove pot from oven and let cool in the fat until warm. You may store legs submerged in fat in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (or proceed immediately to crisp and finish).

Roast to crisp skin

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the center. Remove duck legs from fat, letting excess fat drip back into the pot. Place legs skin-side up on a roasting pan or rimmed sheet. Brush skin lightly with olive oil or melted duck fat, and season with sea salt and black pepper. Roast 12–18 minutes until skin is deeply golden and crisp. If needed, finish under a broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.

Rest the meat

Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Keep warm while you finish the curry and assemble.

Prepare aromatics

In a large sauté pan or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbs cooking oil over medium heat. Add sliced shallots, minced garlic, galangal (or ginger) and chopped lemongrass. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and shallots are translucent, about 3–4 minutes.

Bloom curry paste

Add the Thai red curry paste to the aromatics and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until the paste becomes fragrant and slightly darkens. This step blooms the spices and deepens flavor.

Build the sauce

Stir in fish sauce, light soy sauce, tamarind paste and palm sugar. Add 1 cup chicken or duck stock and 1 cup coconut milk first, stirring to combine and loosen the paste. Add the remaining 1 cup coconut milk and kaffir lime leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer and taste: adjust seasoning with more fish sauce for saltiness, tamarind for acidity, or sugar for sweetness.

Braise with duck (optional)

If you prefer to finish duck in the curry, gently nestle braised duck legs (skin-side up) into the simmering curry, spoon sauce over, cover and simmer on low 8–10 minutes to meld flavors. If you roasted to crisp skin already, you can instead place the roasted legs on the plate and spoon curry around them to preserve crispness.

Prepare seasonal vegetables

Trim and prepare vegetables: halved baby bok choy, trim sugar snap peas, peel and slice baby carrots if using. Blanch tougher vegetables in boiling salted water 1–2 minutes until bright and just tender, then plunge into ice water to stop cooking. For quick-tender vegetables (snap peas, small bok choy), sauté briefly in a little oil for 2–3 minutes until tender-crisp.

Prepare fruits

If using fresh lychee and longan, peel and remove seeds. If canned, drain well. Gently fold lychee and longan into a small bowl and chill until plating. Reserve a few whole pieces for garnish.

Garnish prep

Thinly slice remaining shallot and red chili. Tear Thai basil and pick cilantro leaves. Keep lime wedges ready.

Choose and prepare one side: For steamed jasmine rice, rinse 1 cup rice until water runs clear, add 1.25 cups water and steam or cook per rice cooker instructions to yield about 2 cups cooked. For coconut rice, rinse 1 cup rice and cook with 1 cup coconut milk + 1.25 cups water (or 1 cup coconut milk + 1.25 cups total liquid) and a pinch of salt until tender. Or plate Loft mix green salad with vinaigrette.

To serve, spoon a ladle of warm Thai curry into a shallow bowl or plate. Place one or two roasted duck legs on top or alongside the curry (depending on whether you finished duck in curry). Arrange blanched/sautéed seasonal vegetables beside the duck. Scatter lychee and longan around the plate or in a small side dish, and garnish with Thai basil, cilantro, sliced shallot and red chili. Squeeze lime wedge over just before eating.

Optional finishing: Drizzle a little of the reserved duck fat or pan juices over the duck for extra gloss. Serve immediately with chosen side (rice or salad).