"Michael "Dog3" Lonergan" > wrote in message
...
> "Peter Aitken" > looking for trouble wrote in
> :
>
>> "Michael "Dog3" Lonergan" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> "Peter Aitken" > looking for trouble wrote in
>>> news >>>
>>>> I think I mentioned that I made duck confit last week. We finally
>>>> tried it this weekend. I did the classic - put the legs in a hot
>>>> oven to crisp and served them with potatoes sauteed in duck fat,
>>>> along with a beet salad and a Spanish rose wine. Man, that was good!
>>>> Since most of us cannot eat as much fat as we might want, I think
>>>> it's wise to make that fat as tasty as possible!
>>>>
>>>
>>> I've been waiting for you to report back I am so happy it turned
>>> out well. I have never attempted to make duck confit. Not because I
>>> don't like it, but because I think it takes someone with a lot more
>>> knowledge than I have, to make the confit a success. I am in awe!!!
>>>
>>> Michael
>>>
>>
>> It's really not that difficult. The only part that might give people
>> pause is dissecting the duck. Rendering the fat is easy, and if you
>> don't get enough duck fat you make up the difference with lard. I'll
>> be glad to post the recipe if anyone likes.
>>
>>
>
> I think I'm going to buy the book but until I do will you either post the
> recipe or email it to me, please? I'm at dog30 at charter dot net. I'll
> most likely need to buy a decent crock or pot for it. Maybe that's just
> an
> excuse to go shopping for kitchen stuff Anyway, I'd appreciate it
> Peter.
>
> Michael
>

Sure, here it is. I will say that the book gives a lot of background info
that is valuable, but I think the steps are pretty easy to follow.

Remove the legs, whole, from 3 ducks. Sprinkle with 3 TB kosher salt, 4
whole cloves, crushed, and 6 peppercorns, crushed. Press 3 bay leaves,
broken into pivces, and 3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced, onto the skin.
Cover and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.

To render the fat, remove as much fat and skin as possible from the ducks
and cut into 1" pieces. Put in a heavy saucepan with 1/4c water and set over
low heat, uncovered, for several hours. Strain the fat thru cheesecloth.

Rinse the legs and remove all spices. Pat dry and place in the smallest
overproof container that will hold them in two layers (to minimize fat
needed). Pout the fat over and add enough melted lard to completely cover
the duck (I got about 2/3 of the fat needed from the ducks). Bring to a
simmer over medum heat and then cook uncovered in a 180-200 degree oven for
6 to 10 hours. Note: a "simmer" in this case seems to be when occassional
small bubbles - one or two per second - rise thru the fat to the surface.

Doneness is when the fat is clear and the legs have settled to the bottom. I
cooked for 6.5 hours and I cannot imagine them needing more - maybe for
tough "barnyard" ducks it is needed!

Cool to room temp and then refrigerate, making sure the meat is completely
covered by the fat.