Easy Duck Confit

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 05/25/21
Easy Duck Confit

Diana Rattray / The Spruce Eats

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 3 hrs 20 mins
Marinate: 8 hrs
Total: 11 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
201 Calories
11g Fat
0g Carbs
25g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 201
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 13%
Saturated Fat 3g 14%
Cholesterol 105mg 35%
Sodium 683mg 30%
Total Carbohydrate 0g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 25g
Vitamin C 2mg 10%
Calcium 13mg 1%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 7mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This duck confit is relatively quick and easy compared to the traditional method. The duck legs are marinated overnight, and then they're browned and slowly baked for 3 hours.

This is a shortcut recipe, but the duck legs come out tender and delicious in a fraction of the time. Serve the duck with a potato gratin or roasted potatoes. 

Ingredients

  • 4 large duck legs

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme

  • 2 crushed juniper berries, optional

  • 1 large bay leaf, crumbled

  • 1 cup duck fat, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Place the duck legs in a shallow baking dish or pan. They should fit in without crowding.

  2. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, thyme, crushed juniper berries, and crumbled bay leaves. Rub the duck legs all over with the mixture.

  3. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.

  4. When you're ready to cook the duck, heat the oven to 325 F.

  5. Pat the duck legs dry with paper towels. Do not rinse. Place the duck legs, skin-side down, in a large, heavy oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Cook them for about 8 to 10 minutes on each side, until browned and you have plenty of rendered fat. In a 10- or 12-inch iron skillet, you should have about 1/4 inch of fat. Add more duck fat if you need it.

  6. If the skillet is not oven safe or isn't large enough to fit the legs, move the legs and fat to a baking pan just large enough to fit. Cover the skillet or baking pan tightly with foil. Bake for 2 hours.

  7. Remove the foil and continue baking, with the legs still skin- and fat-side up, for 30 minutes. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat and continue baking, skin-side up, for another 30 minutes. Serve.