Classic French duck confit — duck legs salt-cured overnight, then slow-cooked in their own fat until meltingly tender, and crisped in the oven before serving.
Duck confit is a French classic worth the wait — duck legs cured in salt and herbs, then slow-cooked in fat until impossibly tender, ready to crisp to golden perfection. Make a batch ahead and it keeps for weeks, ready for an effortless special dinner.
Prep 15 min
Cook 120 min
Total 750 min
Medium
Video
Preparation
- The day before, scatter half the salt, half the garlic and half the herbs over the base of a small shallow dish. Lay the duck legs skin-side up on top, scatter over the remaining salt, garlic and herbs, cover, and refrigerate overnight (or up to 2 days).
- Pour the wine into a saucepan that snugly fits the duck legs in a single layer. Brush the salt off the legs and place them skin-side down in the wine. Cover with a lid and set over medium heat. As soon as the wine bubbles, turn the heat to its lowest setting and cook for 2 hours, checking occasionally that it's barely simmering (a heat diffuser helps here). The legs should end up submerged in their own fat and feel incredibly tender when prodded. Leave to cool.
- The legs are now cooked and can be eaten straight away, or crisped (next step). To store, pack them tightly into a container, pour over the fat but not the liquid at the bottom, cover, and keep in the fridge for up to a month or freeze for up to 3 months. The leftover liquid makes a tasty gravy.
- To reheat and crisp, heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Remove the legs from the fat, place skin-side down in an ovenproof frying pan, and roast for 30–40 minutes, turning halfway, until brown and crisp. Serve with the reheated gravy, a crisp salad and golden potatoes.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Cure the legs overnight in salt and aromatics so they're seasoned through and the flesh firms up.
- Brush off the cure before cooking so the confit isn't too salty.
- Keep the cooking at the barest simmer — low and slow is what makes it meltingly tender.
- Crisp the skin in a hot oven just before serving for the best contrast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Packed under its fat in the fridge, up to a month — that's the traditional preserving method; it also freezes well.
This version cooks the legs gently in wine until they render their own fat; classic confit submerges them in duck fat.
Crisp golden potatoes, a sharp green salad, and the leftover juices made into gravy.
