Duck Confit with Berry Glaze

Ingredients

• 4 duck legs
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups duck fat, melted
• 1 cup mixed berries (blackberries, raspberries, blueberries)
• 1/3 cup red wine
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Method

1. 1

   Rub the duck legs all over with kosher salt and pepper, then tuck them into a dish with the smashed garlic, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Cover and refrigerate overnight to cure.

2. 2

   Remove the duck legs from the refrigerator and brush off the excess salt and aromatics.

3. 3

   Preheat the oven to 225°F (110°C).

4. 4

   Arrange the duck legs snugly in a deep baking dish and pour the melted duck fat over them until fully submerged.

5. 5

   Cover the dish and cook in the oven until the meat is fork-tender and pulls easily from the bone, about 3 hours.

   3:00:00 · Confit duck legs
6. 6

   Carefully remove the duck legs from the fat and set aside to rest, letting excess fat drip off.

7. 7

   Combine the berries, red wine, honey, balsamic vinegar, shallot, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat.

8. 8

   Simmer the berry mixture, mashing the berries gently with a spoon, until thickened and glossy, about 12 minutes.

   12:00 · Simmer berry glaze
9. 9

   Strain the glaze through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing out the liquid and discarding the solids.

10. 10

    Heat a 9-inch skillet over medium-high heat and sear the duck legs skin-side down until deeply browned and crisp, about 5 minutes.

    5:00 · Crisp duck skin
11. 11

    Flip the duck legs and warm through for 2 minutes on the other side.

    2:00 · Warm second side
12. 12

    Transfer the duck legs to plates, spoon the warm berry glaze over the top, and serve immediately.