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I'd just like to remind those with a sous-vide setup just how wonderful and easy duck confit is. Made 6 more legs the weekend for cassoulet following the Modernist Cuisine instructions (and rub) and was reminded again how wonderful this is. I notice I still have some cure mix in the fridge, too

http://food52.com/blog/2893_melissa_clarks_really_easy_duck_confit

Did anyone else see this recipe for really easy duck confit by Melissa Clark on Food 52 -- I plan on trying it when I can find some duck legs:

Oh my Lindsey, that looks marvelous! My grandmother used to roast a duck for Sunday dinner every now and again. I've only done it twice and it was many years ago. I just couldn't get that same duck I remember from my childhood. It's also hard to find a duck in Northern Michigan. I do see one every so often in this little meat market we have. I've never seen duck legs/parts here.

I also have trouble finding short ribs. I've been known to cart them accross the state to get some home!

Laurie

Laurie,
Do you want a Wild Duck? This guy I know at the bar where I throw darts hunts duck. I can probably get you one if you are interested.

Duck confit is my all time favorite food group - better than chocolate or bacon. D'artagnan had a sales on legs this week for 40% off, so I got 8 huge legs. They are nearly a pound apiece. They are my next project in the Sous Vide, and I'd appreciate some advice.

- I'm seeing time/temp combinations everywhere from 165F to 180F and 8 hours to 16 hours. What have you all found successful?

- I find recipes that add no additional duck fat to the bags, and some as much as 1/4 cup. I have 3 pints in the fridge, so adding it isn't a problem, but I'm just wondering if it's better or even necessary.

- I've always been happy storing the legs under fat for extended times in the fridge. I actually think it gets better with a little age, but would I store the Sous Vide confit right in the bags or should I remove the legs and store them under fat the traditional way? I'm thinking that maybe the juices in the bag would not be good for long term storage and I should just cover in pure fat.

Any other suggestions???

I do 180 for 8 hours. I brine before with salt, peppercorns, bay, thyme and garlic (in water), or you can cure using the same components.

Rinse really well before bagging, and add additional duck fat. Shock them once they come out of the water bath.

I just leave them in the bag until I'm ready to finish, but confit doesn't last long around here, so I'm not sure if that's optimal for long-term storage.

Amy

I use the MC cure (below), rinse well, then also do 180 for 8, with a small amount of fat in the bag. I leave it in the nice sterile bag where it can keep for quite a while (not that it stays around); I freeze if it is for a very long time.

Discussions on eGullet concluded that aging in the fat basically is letting some (apparently tasty) rancid flavours develop that tend to be part of the traditional profile. These are not likely to develop in the bag in the fridge, so you may not get any benefit from aging in the bag. Taking the stuff out of the bag and re-inserting in the fat may not be safe for longer term storage; it is not the same as cooking in the fat and leaving there.


Confit Cure
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Recipe By: Modernist Cuisine

Summary:

Use to cure poultry and game. Generally pack with poultry, refrigerate for 10h, rinse and blot dry.

Ingredients:

1 kg Kosher salt
100 g Coriander Seeds, toasted
11 g Garlic Cloves, mashed
7 g Star Anise, finely crushed
5 g Orange Zest, finely grated
2 g Thyme Leaves
0.8 g Black Peppercorns, coarsely crushed
0.4 g Bay leaves, finely sliced

Directions:

Combined vacuum seal and refrigerate until use.

I had already put the meat in the cure. Mine's a lot like Amy's with the addition of bay leaf and a few juniper berries. Yours sounds so good, Paul, that I just opened it up and added some coriander, star anise & orange peel.

Can't wait!

Hi,

We use the curing method that Kenji Alt developed for CI; the curing ingredients are ground into a paste for enhanced flavor.

Confit of turkey thighs is also excellent. Confit of anything is wonderful. Carnitas is essentially pork confit. What's not to love.

Tim

It came out wonderful! Thank you all.