Confit de Canard

The next day, remove the duck from the refrigerator and rinse off all the salt under cold running water. Pat completely dry with paper towels - any remaining moisture will cause spattering during cooking.

Preheat your oven to 120°C (250°F). In a large Dutch oven or deep roasting pan, melt 1.5-2 kg duck fat (or lard) over low heat until completely liquid. The fat should be enough to completely submerge the duck legs.

Arrange the duck legs in the melted fat in a single layer, ensuring they're completely covered. Add 4 garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, and a few sprigs of fresh thyme to the fat for additional flavor.

Cover the pot tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 2.5 to 3 hours. The duck is ready when the meat is extremely tender and nearly falling off the bone when gently prodded with a fork.

Remove from the oven and let the duck cool in the fat for 30 minutes. At this point, you can either serve immediately or preserve the confit. For storage, transfer the legs to sterilized jars and cover completely with the strained fat.

To serve the confit, remove the duck legs from the fat and scrape off most of the excess fat. The legs can be served directly from the fat or crisped in a hot pan for the best texture contrast.

Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat with no additional fat. Place the duck legs skin-side down and cook for 6-8 minutes without moving them, until the skin is deep golden brown and crispy.

Carefully flip the legs and cook for another 3-4 minutes to warm the meat through. The exterior should be crackling crisp while the interior remains succulent and tender. Transfer to a warm plate.

For the traditional garnish, cook sliced potatoes in some of the reserved duck fat until golden and crispy. The potatoes will absorb the rich duck flavor and become incredibly delicious.

Serve the confit de canard immediately with the crispy duck fat potatoes, a simple green salad dressed with walnut oil and red wine vinegar, and perhaps some cornichons or pickled vegetables for acidity and contrast.