Duck Leg Confit Recipe

Salt Cure

Pat duck legs dry. In a small bowl mix kosher salt and cracked peppercorns. Rub the salt mixture evenly over the skin and underside of each leg. Place a sprig of thyme and a bay leaf under each leg. Cover and refrigerate for 12–24 hours to cure.

Rinse & Dry

After curing, remove duck legs from refrigerator, rinse off excess salt under cold water, and pat very dry with paper towels. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes while you preheat oven to 225°F (105°C).

Slow Cook Confit

Place duck legs in a single layer in an ovenproof dish or wide pot. Warm duck fat until liquid (do not boil) and pour to fully submerge legs (use enough fat — about 3–4 cups). Add remaining thyme sprigs and a bay leaf to the fat. Cover dish tightly with foil or lid and bake in preheated oven for 2.5–3 hours, until meat is very tender and pulls easily from the bone.

Cool & Store

Remove dish from oven and let cool to warm. Transfer legs to a plate; strain and reserve fat through a fine sieve. Legs can be kept submerged in strained fat and refrigerated for up to 1 week (classic method) or proceed to crisping before serving.

Cook Beans (if using dried)

If using dried butter beans: soak them overnight in cold water (cover by 2"), drain, then place in a pot with 6 cups water or low-sodium stock. Bring to a simmer and cook gently 45–60 minutes until tender. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid. If using canned beans, rinse and drain; reserve 1/2 cup canning liquid or stock.

Sauté Vegetables

In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and celery and cook until soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Combine with Beans

Add cooked/drained butter beans to the skillet with the vegetables. Stir gently to combine and warm through, about 3–4 minutes. Add reserved bean cooking liquid (or 2–3 tbsp water) if mixture seems dry. Season with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, lemon zest, and most of the chiffonade basil (reserve some for garnish). Taste and adjust seasoning.

Finish

Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil if desired for silkiness. Keep warm until plating.

Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add bacon slices and cook until crisp, turning occasionally, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and crumble or chop roughly. Reserve a little bacon fat (1 tsp) to finish beans if you like a smoky note — optionally heat it with the sauté step and reduce olive oil by same amount.

When ready to serve, re-crisp the confit: heat a heavy skillet over medium-high. Remove duck legs from refrigerated fat (if chilled) and wipe off excess fat. Place legs skin-side down in the hot dry skillet (add 1 tsp neutral oil only if necessary) and press gently; cook until skin is deep golden-brown and crisp, 4–6 minutes. Flip and warm the undersides 2 minutes. Alternatively, place under a hot broiler on a foil-lined tray for 3–5 minutes skin-side up to crisp.

Let duck legs rest 3 minutes, then shred or serve whole on top of butter beans. Scatter crumbled bacon, baby basil leaves, and microgreens over the dish.

Cook Cherries

In a small saucepan combine cherries, sugar, and 2 tbsp water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 6–8 minutes until cherries release juice and soften.

Add Vinegars & Reduce

Stir in red wine vinegar and optional balsamic. Continue simmering gently until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 6–10 minutes. If you want a smoother sauce, mash lightly with a fork or use an immersion blender briefly.

Finish & Thicken

Stir in lemon juice and 1/4 tsp salt. If sauce is thin, whisk cornstarch with 1 tsp cold water to make a slurry and add, simmer 1 minute until glossy and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust sugar or vinegar to balance sweet/tart.

Strain (optional)

For a smooth gastrique, strain through a fine sieve pressing solids to extract sauce. Keep warm or cool to room temperature — sauce will thicken as it cools.

To serve: drizzle gastrique over crisped duck legs and beans, or serve on the side for guests to add as desired.