Confit Canard (Duck Confit)

Rachel — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:23:28 +0000

So what do you do with all of the wonderful rendered fat from the roasted duck? You didn’t throw it away did you? Rendered waterfowl fat is one of the most delicious cooking mediums out there. One of the tastiest dishes that can be made with it is Confit Canard also known as Duck Confit.

Confit is a term that is usually applies to meat that is slowly cooked submerged in fat. Is it healthy? Absolutely not. It is, however, delicious and not in the least bit greasy despite the cooking method used.

For duck confit you need the the leg, thighs, and fat of a duck. You can buy whole ducks and butcher them, reserving the breast for other use or buy the legs on their own. In Columbus, both whole, parts, and fat can usually be found at North Market Poultry and Game in the North Market.

Once you have the legs, trim of any excess skin and pat them dry. Coat them in a mixture of kosher salt, chopped garlic and thyme and let them rest refrigerated for at least 12 hours.

After the resting period, rinse the legs in cold water and again pat them dry. Place them in a shallow pan and fill the pan with enough rendered fat to cover the legs. Michael Ruhlman advises that you can use a mixture of 50% fat (any combination of poultry fat) and 50% olive oil. By our experience he is absolutely correct, and the end result is just as flavorful.

we switched pots and added some fat so legs would be totally submerged

After covering the legs in the fat, place the roasting pan in the oven on 200 degrees and let it cook. The process can take up to 12 hours and can be completed overnight if you wish. You will know the cooking is finished when the meat pulls easily away from the bone of the leg.

Traditionally at this point you would let the meat cool underneath a layer of fat and store it refrigerated for many months as a preserved food product. It is ideal to let confit rest for at least a week to fully develop its flavor but even a few days will do if you are in a time crunch.

After this fat nap, the meat can be used in many ways. If you warm the fat back up, you can remove the legs easily, pat them dry and shred the meat from the bone. This can then be used to top toast points, make a creamy spread or as a salad topper.

An alternate treatment is to reheat the leg whole in a saute pan and serve it as a main course. The fat you cooked it and stored it in can be strained and re-used multiple times; there is no need to throw it away.

For a Rose Bowl party this evening, we served the confit pulled over cranberry sauce on toasted homemade bread. Guests loved eating it and watching the Ohio State Buckeyes cook the Oregon Ducks!

This post was co-written with Alex. In the interest of research, even vegetarian Rachel tasted and enjoyed the confit.

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Confit Canard (Duck Confit) is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen
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How to Cook a Duck

Rachel — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:11:59 +0000

The Rose Bowl is days away. The Ohio State Buckeyes are playing the Oregon Ducks. Alex and I are both alumni and football fans. We are bringing a duck confit dish to a Rose Bowl party to poke fun at the opposing team’s mascot.

One of the most common complaints about duck (or goose for that matter) is that the meat is greasy or dry and unpalatable after roasting. Usually this is a result of not cooking it long enough to render away sufficient fat, or cooking it far too long and drying out the meat.

The method we use for waterfowl including duck and goose is based on Julia Child’s technique in The Way to Cook. This method encompasses a preliminary steaming step followed by a more traditional roasting process. The end result is succulent meat that is tender, moist and not in the slightest bit greasy.

To begin, buy a fresh duck or goose from a reputable source. Our favorite Columbus sources are North Market Poultry and Game and Weiland’s Market. Brine the bird in the refrigerator for up to twelve hours.

Trim the cavity of the bird of excess fat and trim the wing tips. Remove any giblets from the cavity and reserve these with the wing tips for making stock/gravy. You may or may not want to play with the bird at this time, giving a puppet show with Rose Bowl references.

Aggressively salt the cavity of the bird and place it breast up in a metal roasting pan on a rack so that it is at least an inch off the bottom. Fill the pan to just below the bird with liquid. Any mix of water, wine, apple cider or orange juice works well, keeping in mind that flavor will be imparted to the bird. A few aromatic vegetables like celery and onion are welcome additions to the liquid.

Cover the pan tightly (aluminum foil is fine) and place on the stove top over medium heat to begin steaming. Keep the liquid at a simmer, and add more as it boils away. The steaming time will vary by the size of the bird. A small duck (5 pounds) will take only half an hour while a large goose (12 pounds) will take about an hour. When the steaming is done, remove the bird to a tray and drain the liquid from the roasting pan.

goose fat separated in a nontraditional pilsner vessel

For a large goose you may collect as much as 3 cups of fat from the steaming process. Reserve the fat for future cooking use. It is easily poured into ball jars, cooked, and then refrigerated.

At this point, stuff the bird if that is your plan. A liver and fruit stuffing suits the flavor of duck and goose well, but your tastes may vary. If you do not want to stuff it, place an onion and some aromatic herbs in the cavity to add flavor.

After stuffing, truss the legs together and place it breast side down in the roasting pan. Put it in the oven at 350 degrees. For a smaller bird, you will want to flip it over to finish roasting after one hour. For a larger bird, flip it over after one and a half hours. Finish roasting breast side up for 30 minutes to brown the skin. The meat should feel tender but slightly springy when pressed.

Remove from the oven and allow the bird to rest for 15 minutes while juices redistribute. Carve the bird up like you would a chicken and it is ready to eat.
As you carve it, you will notice that there is still some fat in the bird. Because a vast majority of the fat was steamed away, the meat will be moist and taste delicious without being greasy. Also, you might notice that around the legs the juices will still be slightly red. This is perfectly fine. If you buy your poultry from someone you know or trust, there should be no worries about food-borne diseases.

GO BUCKS! COOK THOSE DUCKS!

Stay tuned for the Confit Conard (duck confit) technique post Thursday.

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How to Cook a Duck is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen
We love to hear from you! Please add your comments or send Rachel an email.

Hounds In The Kitchen » duck

Confit Canard (Duck Confit)

How to Cook a Duck