Duck Confit

During the holiday season, if you’re looking for an alternative to turkey and ham, I highly encourage you to consider duck. Duck is one of the richest meats on the market and it’s become one of my favorite.

Making Duck Confit doesn’t require much. You just have to let the duck cook slowly in it’s own fat. Once it’s done, it should fall off the bone.

Ingredients

• 4 duck legs with thighs
• 4 duck wings
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 TBSP salt
• 1 TBSP cracked black pepper
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 TBSP dried thyme
• 1 cup rendered duck fat

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 225F.
2. Poke several holes in the duck pieces’ skins so the fat can breath.
3. In a large skillet or dutch oven, place all seasoning, shallots and garlic in the bottom with the duck fat. Place in oven until duck fat is melted.
4. Put in the duck pieces, skin side up and cook until the duck is tender and can be pulled from the bone (about 3 hours).
5. Remove from oven, let cool, then serve. Save the duck fat.

Whatever you do, do not discard the duck fat! Duck fat is perfect for cooking potatoes, other vegetables or anything that you would normally use bacon grease for.

As for the duck meat, you can serve it however you choose — in a salad, with pasta, curry, etc. Duck is very versatile so the possibilities are nearly endless. Save a turkey, roast a duck.