Name: Confit Duck Legs
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 2 days
Yield: Makes 6 (main course) servings
Ingredients: 1 large head garlic, left unpeeled, plus 4 large cloves, divided; 1/4 cup kosher salt; 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme; 1 teaspoon Quatre épices (French four-spice blend); 2 large shallots, finely chopped (1/4 cup); 2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California, crumbled; 6 fresh Moulard, Muscovy, or Long Island (Pekin) duck legs (5 pounds total); 2 whole cloves; 5 (7-ounce) containers rendered duck fat; Equipment: a deep-fat thermometer

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Confit Duck LegsRomulo Yanes

As convenient as store-bought duck confit is, we find that its quality tends to vary. Making your own allows you to control the spicing and the cooking time to produce a velvety piece of meat. This ancient preservation method has three parts: First you cure the duck legs in salt (drawing out the water in which microorganisms can live), then you slowly cook them in fat, and finally you store them fully covered in the cooking fat so air can't get in.

Cooks' note:

Duck legs can be chilled in fat up to 3 months.

Recipe notes

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