This Gordon Ramsay Duck Confit Recipe is a crispy and tender recipe, which is made with duck legs and duck fat. It’s a restaurant-quality dish, ready in about 3 hours and 15 minutes, plus overnight curing.
Jump to RecipeGordon Ramsay Duck Confit Recipe Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on duck legs
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 juniper berries
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 garlic cloves, halved
- 4 cups duck fat
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Duck Confit Recipe
- Cure the Duck: In a small bowl, mix the kosher salt, black peppercorns, thyme sprigs, and juniper berries. Rub this mixture all over the duck legs. Place them in a dish, cover, and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 12 hours).
- Prepare for Cooking: Preheat your oven to a low temperature, around 120°C (250°F). Rinse the cure mixture off the duck legs and pat them completely dry with paper towels. Place the duck legs, bay leaves, and halved garlic cloves snugly in a single layer in a deep oven-safe pot or Dutch oven.
- Slow-Cook in Fat (Confit): Gently melt the duck fat in a separate pan and pour it over the duck legs until they are fully submerged. Place the pot in the preheated oven and cook for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the meat is incredibly tender and pulling away from the bone.
- Cool and Store (Optional): Let the duck cool completely in its fat. Once cooled, you can transfer the duck and the fat to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for several weeks, as long as the duck remains fully submerged in the fat.
- Crisp and Serve: When ready to serve, preheat a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully remove the duck legs from the fat, letting any excess drip off. Place the legs skin-side down in the hot pan. You can place a weight (like another heavy pan) on top to ensure maximum skin contact. Sear for 8–10 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crispy. Flip and cook for 5 more minutes to warm through.
- Rest and Serve: Let the duck legs rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
- How do I control the cooking temperature? A meat or candy thermometer is non-negotiable for classic confit. You want to keep the duck fat at a very low, gentle simmer, ideally between 80-90°C (170–190°F). If the fat gets too hot, it will fry the duck instead of slowly tenderizing it.
- Why do I need to rest the duck after crisping? Resting the meat for a few minutes after the final sear is crucial. It allows the juices to redistribute throughout the leg, ensuring the meat is moist and tender, not dry.
- Can I reuse the duck fat? Absolutely, do not throw it away! After you’ve finished cooking, strain the duck fat through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any solids. Store it in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. It’s fantastic for roasting potatoes or making future batches of confit.
- Why cure the duck with salt first? The initial salt cure does two things: it seasons the meat deeply and draws out moisture. This process firms up the meat and is essential for achieving the classic texture and long shelf-life of traditional confit.
What To Serve With Duck Confit
Duck confit is a rich dish that pairs beautifully with acidic or earthy sides:
- A classic frisée salad with a sharp vinaigrette
- Potatoes Sarladaises (potatoes fried in duck fat with garlic and parsley)
- Braised lentils or a white bean cassoulet
- Cherry or orange sauce to cut through the richness
How To Store Duck Confit
- Refrigerate: The magic of confit is its long shelf life. When fully submerged in the solidified duck fat in an airtight container, it can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks, even months.
Duck Confit Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 320kcal
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Protein: 35g
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Sugar: 0g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
What does u0022confitu0022 mean?
Confit (from the French word u0022confire,u0022 meaning u0022to preserveu0022) is a traditional French cooking method. It involves slow-cooking an ingredient, typically meat like duck, in its own rendered fat at a low temperature. This process both tenderizes and preserves the meat.
Do I have to use duck fat?
For a true, authentic duck confit, yes. Duck fat imparts a unique, rich flavor. If you cannot find enough duck fat, you can supplement it with lard or a neutral oil, but the flavor will be different.
Why is my duck skin not crispy?
This usually happens for one of two reasons: the skin was not patted completely dry before searing, or the pan was not hot enough. A dry surface and a very hot pan are essential for achieving that perfectly crisp, golden skin.
Gordon Ramsay Duck Confit Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes3
hours320
kcalA classic French dish of slow-cooked duck legs, cured with herbs and spices, resulting in incredibly tender meat and perfectly crispy skin.
Ingredients
4 bone-in, skin-on duck legs
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp black peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 juniper berries
2 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, halved
4 cups duck fat
Directions
- Rub the duck legs with a mixture of salt, peppercorns, thyme, and juniper berries. Cure in the refrigerator overnight.
- Rinse the cure off the duck and pat the legs completely dry.
- Place the duck legs in a deep, oven-safe pot with bay leaves and garlic.
- Cover completely with melted duck fat. Cook in a low oven (120°C/250°F) for 2.5-3 hours until the meat is tender.
- When ready to serve, remove legs from the fat. Sear them skin-side down in a hot, dry cast-iron pan for 8-10 minutes until the skin is deeply crisp.
- Flip and warm through for another 5 minutes.
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use a thermometer to keep the fat at a low temperature (around 80-90°C / 170–190°F) to slow-cook, not fry, the duck.
- Resting the duck after the final crisping is essential for juicy, tender meat.
- Strain and save the leftover duck fat. It is a prized ingredient for roasting potatoes.
- Patting the skin completely dry before the final sear is the key to getting it perfectly crispy.
