Duck Confit

Total Time: 26 hrs 35 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 26 hrs 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 24
• 2 (5 lb) ducks
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons black peppercorns, cracked
• 6 cups rendered duck or 6 cups lamb fat
• 12 cloves garlic, peeled
• 12 fresh thyme sprigs

Recipe

• 1 remove ducks' legs and breasts, saving remaining bones and wings for brown duck stock.
• 2 leaving bones and skin attached, chop breasts into halves.
• 3 with a cleaver, remove tips of drumsticks to use in stock.
• 4 sprinkle all over with salt and pepper, and set aside at room temperature 45 minutes.
• 5 then place duck pieces in a dutch oven with rendered fat, garlic and thyme. cook over low heat, uncovered, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• 6 to test for doneness, pierce with a sharp fork.
• 7 it should just fall off fork when shaken.
• 8 transfer duck pieces to a medium baking dish and add the fat. let cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 24 hours or as long as 4 weeks.
• 9 before serving, lift duck pieces out of fat. remove and discard skin and any excess fat by warming slightly on a rack in the oven.
• 10 serve duck hot or cold.