Duck Confit with Caramelized Peaches
I know what you’re thinking, “I refuse to turn on the oven in the summer.” We get it. Save the duck confit recipe for the cooler months and allow us to do it in August.
But these vinegary caramelized peaches are beautiful for a cheese board, at room temperature with an arugula salad, or warm out of the pan with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Caramelized Peaches
serves 4
shopping list —
2 each peaches
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
equipment —
non-stick or cast iron pan
cutting board + knife
steps —
Cut the peaches in half from stem to bottom. Remove the pit.
In a non stick or cast iron pan, add half of the butter over medium heat. Add the peaches, cut side down.
Allow the peaches to brown, undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, and then rotate them in the pan for an even caramelization. Turn down the heat to medium low, and keep cooking and rotating until they start to soften.
*If your peaches stick to the pan, don’t force them. Just let them cook and they’ll release as they caramelize.
Add a pat more butter and sprinkle the brown sugar over the peaches. Allow to caramelize and gently cook so the sugar doesn’t burn.
Turn off the heat. Then add the vinegar and swirl the pan to deglaze.
Duck Confit
serves 4
shopping list —
4 duck legs, skin on and bone in
salt
8-12 thyme sprigs
8 rosemary sprigs, cut in half if they’re long
1/2 bunch parsley sprigs
8 bay leaf, fresh if possible
8-12 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
2 shallots, sliced
black peppercorns, toasted
4-6 cups duck fat
equipment —
parchment lined sheet tray or casserole dish (for the cure)
paring knife
deep roasting pan or deep dutch oven
parchment paper
cast iron or non-stick pan
steps —
Using a paring knife, slice around the leg bone (right under the knob), cutting through the ligaments. This will help ensure that as the duck cooks, it pulls away from the bone cleanly.
Line a sheet tray with parchment. Strew half of the herbs, garlic, shallots, and black peppercorns around.
Over the sink or a bowl, season both sides of the duck legs heavily. Place them on top of the herbs. Once all the duck legs are seasoned, scatter the rest of the aromatics over of the duck. Wrap the entire sheet tray in plastic wrap. Allow to cure overnight (12-24 hours) in the refrigerator.
The next day, rinse each duck leg under cold water and remove any herbs. Allow the duck legs to drip dry on a rack before placing them in a deep roasting pan or the deepest pan you have. The duck can be nestled close together.
Preheat the oven to 225ºF.
Cover the duck legs in duck fat. Alternatively, you can use 1/2 neutral oil and 1/2 duck fat. The duck legs should be completely submerged in the fat.
Place a piece of parchment over top so it sits right on top of the duck fat. Cover the pan with foil. Cook for 3-4 hours or until the duck legs are tender but still attached to the bone. The meat should have pulled away completely from the bone where you made the cut, exposing the bone.
Pull the pan out of the oven and allow to cool slightly.
To crisp the skin: In a cold cast iron or non-stick pan, place the duck confit skin-side down and add a small amount of oil. Turn the heat to medium-low and let the duck skin crisp. This might take a little while, but be patient. Once the duck skin is golden brown, it will release from the pan.
sous vide* —
Alternatively, you can sous vide the duck legs to use less fat. Follow steps 1-3.
Rinse the duck, dry the legs, and place in a bag with about 1/2-1 cup of fat. Seal the bags.
Bring the water up to 68ºC, and cook for 36 hours. Cover the top of your vessel with plastic wrap to keep the water from evaporating — this also helps the immersion circulator not work as hard to keep the temperature. Be sure to top with water if the water level gets low, and ensure the bags are submerged.
Transfer to an ice bath until cold. Then cut open the bags and gently remove any excess fat. To crisp the skin, see step 9 above.
*Practice food safety. Vacuum packaging removes air from food packages. Some pathogenic bacteria, such as Clostridium botulinum (responsible for botulism), prefer low-oxygen environments and reproduce well in vacuum-packaged food. Use refrigerated, vacuum-packaged meat and poultry within a few days. We recommend removing the duck from the packaging as soon as it’s cold after an ice bath.