Confit Duck Legs

Name: Confit Duck Legs
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 992 grams rendered duck fat; 6 fresh Moulard, Muscovy, or Long Island (Pekin) duck legs (5 pounds total); 1 large head garlic, left unpeeled, plus 4 large cloves, divided; 59 milliliters kosher salt; 59 milliliters large shallots, finely chopped; 1 Tbsp finely chopped thyme; 2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California, crumbled; 1 teaspoon Quatre épices (French four-spice blend)

Confit Duck Legs might be just the main course you are searching for. This recipe makes 6 servings with 1841 calories, 47g of protein, and 185g of fat each. This recipe covers 13% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. Head to the store and pick up rendered duck fat, turkish bay leaves, garlic, and a few other things to make it today. To use up the kosher salt you could follow this main course with the Low Fat Crumbs Cake (Kosher-Dairy) as a dessert. It is a good option if you're following a gluten free, dairy free, and primal diet.

Instructions

Mince and mash 4 garlic cloves to a paste with a pinch of kosher salt. Stir together paste, kosher salt (1/4 cup), thyme, quatre épices, shallots, and bay leaves in a large bowl.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Garlic Cloves

Kosher Salt

Bay Leaves

Shallot

Ground Meat

Thyme

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Add duck legs and toss to coat, then marinate, covered and chilled, at least 1 day and up to 2 days.

Ingredients you will need

Duck Leg

Wipe off marinade with paper towels.

Ingredients you will need

Marinade

Equipment you will use

Paper Towels

Trim off 1/4 inch from top of garlic head, then stick 2 whole cloves into head. Melt duck fat in a wide large heavy pot over low heat, then cook garlic head and duck legs, uncovered, over low heat until fat registers approximately 190°F, about 1 hour. Continue to cook duck, maintaining a temperature of 190 to 210°F, until a wooden pick slides easily into thighs, 2 to 3 hours more.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Clove

Duck Leg

Duck Fat

Garlic

Whole Duck

Equipment you will use

Pot

Transfer duck with a slotted spoon to a large bowl (reserve garlic for another use if desired). Slowly pour duck fat through a fine-mesh sieve into a large crock or deep bowl, leaving any cloudy liquid or meat juices in bottom of pot, then pour strained fat over duck legs to cover by 1 inch. (If necessary, shorten drumstick bones 1 to 2 inches using a large heavy knife to fit legs more tightly in bowl.) Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, then chill, covered, at least 8 hours.

Ingredients you will need

Chicken Drumsticks

Duck Leg

Duck Fat

Garlic

Whole Duck

Meat

Equipment you will use

Slotted Spoon

Knife

Sieve

Bowl

Pot

Just before serving, remove duck from fat (reserve fat for another use, such as frying), scraping off most of fat, then cook, skin side down, in a large heavy nonstick skillet over low heat, covered, until skin is crisp and duck is heated through, 15 to 20 minutes

Ingredients you will need

Whole Duck

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan