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1
Cure Trim fat from legs and thighs, leaving skin intact over meat, but removing excess.
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2
In a bowl, combine duck with salt, thyme, juniper berries, bay leaves, and garlic, and rub salt mixture all over the duck to cover completely.
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3
Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours and up to 2 days.
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4
Poach duck Remove from refrigerator and rub off excess cure (reserve garlic).
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5
Melt duck fat over medium heat in a Dutch oven large enough to hold duck, with about 3 inches space at the top.
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6
Add garlic and then duck, skin side down, and heat until fat reaches about 200F (test with a candy thermometer or electronic probe).
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7
The surface should look like it is gently boiling (but should not actually be at a boil).
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8
Adjust heat if necessary to keep temperature consistent throughout cooking.
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9
Cook until the fat is clear and a knife stuck into one of the legs slides out easily, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
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10
Store duck Transfer the legs to several glass, stainless steel, or glazed stoneware containers.
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11
Strain fat, discarding any solids including garlic, and pour, still warm, over legs, making sure they are completely covered.
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12
Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 weeks.
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13
Heat and serve Remove desired amount of confit from fat, scraping off any excess, and keeping remaining legs covered with fat.
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14
Place skin side down in a cold cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet.
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15
Place over medium-low heat and cover.
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16
Cook until skin is crisp, spooning off excess fat as it cooks, about 10 minutes.
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17
Carefully loosen skin with a thin-edge spatula, if necessary, and turn over.
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18
Cover and cook until warmed through, about 5 more minutes.
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19
Youll need a large amount of duck fat to make the recipe; look for it at specialty food purveyors such as DArtagnan.
