The Perfect

Confit duck

The very principle of a duck confit is simple. Cooking the meat slowly over a long period of time in its fat yields the tender and delicious results that this French staple is known for the world over.

I recommend sourcing duck meat from your local butcher, and not the supermarket. You will be able to make a call on how fresh the meat is by the colour of its flesh. The darker the shade, the older the duck is.

We use the Barbary breed, also known as Muscovy, for our recipes because they have a stronger flavour and higher fat content in comparison with other breeds. I recommend staying away from the Mallard breed, as they have very little fat and are much smaller than the Barbary duck.

If the home cook doesn’t allow enough time for the curing process, they will compromise on the taste and texture that is synonymous with a duck confit. Using the salt and garlic mix on the duck and allowing it to gently flavour and draw out any excess moisture in the meat is key before cooking the duck in its fat.

Once the home-cook becomes comfortable with the confit process, they can put their energy into some delicious and seemingly sophisticated accompaniments, such as roasted peaches or cherry compote. With the leftover duck fat, try frying some potatoes or sweet potatoes. After the initial cooking process, the confit duck can be kept in the fridge for weeks, once it’s properly covered in the fat.