A Duck Confit Recipe That Is Perfect For The Holidays
Duck is a great holiday dish because it is hearty and comforting. Sweet fruit sauces like port and fig go well with the slight game flavor. Create a memorable holiday experience with this Duck Confit recipe from Executive Chef T. Cooper Thomas of Wild Dunes Resort located just outside Charleston, South Carolina.
Duck Confit Recipe
Ingredients
3 tablespoons salt
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced
3 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs rosemary
Coarsely ground black pepper
8 juniper berries
4 bay leaves
4 duck legs with thighs
4 duck wings, trimmed
About 4 cups duck fat
Method of Production
1. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of salt in the bottom of a dish or plastic container large enough to hold the duck pieces in a single layer. Evenly scatter half the garlic, shallots, and thyme in the container. Arrange the duck, skin-side up, over the salt mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining salt, garlic, shallots, and thyme and a little pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 days.
2. Preheat the oven to 225°F. Melt the duck fat in a small saucepan. Brush the salt and seasonings off the duck. Sear the duck in a sauté pan until lightly brown on all sides. Arrange the duck pieces in a single snug layer in a high-sided baking dish or ovenproof saucepan. Pour the melted fat over the duck (the duck pieces should be covered by fat) and place the confit in the oven. Cook the confit slowly at a very slow simmer, just an occasional bubble - until the duck is tender and can be easily pulled from the bone, 2-3 hours. Remove the confit from the oven. Cool and store the duck in the fat. (The confit will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.)
About Chef T. Cooper Thomas
Chef T. Cooper Thomas serves as Executive Chef for the Sea Island Grill and The Lettered Olive at Wild Dunes® Resort and brings to the restaurant more than 15 years of experience.
Thomas joined Wild Dunes Resort in September of 2007 and in his career prior to Wild Dunes Resort, he held several positions in the food and beverage sector of the hospitality industry in the Charleston, SC area. Thomas served as the Chef de Cuisine for more than six years at the award-winning Charleston Grill and most recently as the Executive Chef for RiverTowne Country Club.
Chef Cooper uses his culinary talents to raise funds for numerous charities and in the Charleston area, including Darkness to Light. Wild Dunes Resort's efforts to promote wise seafood choices and the consumption of environmentally-friendly, locally captured seafood have also earned recognition as a Sustainable Seafood Initiative Partner.
