11834 Slow Cooker Duck Confit 5 hrs 10 mins, plus curing time 10 mins 6 servings Fri Jun 06 02:26:00 -0700 2008 Fri Aug 01 10:00:11 -0700 2008 Easy French CHOW http://www.chow.com/recipes/11834 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:00:11 GMT Sear in a hot skillet or shred and add to salads With the aid of a slow cooker, duck confit becomes a no-brainer. Duck confit is a staple in many French dishes, from rillettes to cassoulet, but it can be tricky in the oven, where it requires constant attention to ensure that the fat stays at a steady temperature. However making it in a slow cooker is as easy as combining the melted fat and cured duck legs and walking away, only to return a few hours later to meltingly tender, flavorful meat.

Game plan: After cooking, the duck fat can be strained, cooled, and used again.

This recipe was featured as part of our Common Appliances, Uncommon Uses story.

]]>
  • Combine salt, thyme leaves, bay leaves, peppercorns, and juniper berries in a small bowl and stir to mix thoroughly.
  • Rinse duck legs and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a large baking dish and spread salt rub on all sides, distributing the entire rub evenly over the legs. Cover and place in the refrigerator to cure overnight, at least 12 hours.
  • When ready to cook the legs, place duck fat in a slow cooker and melt on high. Rinse legs under cold water and pat dry. Once fat has melted, carefully add legs and cook at a simmer. (Monitor the heat and lower it if the fat is creating more than one or two bubbles every minute.)
  • Cook until meat is very tender and pulls away to expose the bones, about 4 hours. Remove legs from fat and serve immediately or place on a wire rack to cool. Once legs and fat have cooled, the legs can be returned to the fat and stored in the refrigerator for several weeks. To use the confit, remove it from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature until the fat has become liquid, about 1 hour.
    • ]]>     http://www.chow.com/assets/2008/05/duck_legs290.jpg Kate Ramos 50 Main 301 1/4 cup kosher salt

    ]]>     228 8 thyme sprigs, leaves stripped

    ]]>     77 3 bay leaves, lightly crushed

    ]]>     305 1 tablespoon white peppercorns, lightly crushed

    ]]>     243 2 teaspoons juniper berries, lightly crushed

    ]]>     128 6 whole duck legs (about 3 pounds)

    ]]>     5 1/2 cups duck fat (about 2 1/2 pounds)**

    ]]>     5931 kate ramos 1 chow 3334 slow cooker 753 lazy 1929 leftovers 1605 dinner party 2403 diy 506 duck 384 easy 751 elegant 501 entertaining 18282 common appliances 26713 cassoulet