Duck confit facts for kids
Duck confit (pronounced "kon-fee duh ka-nar") is a special French dish. It is made from a whole duck. In a region of France called Gascony, families use all parts of the duck to make this meal. For example, the duck's neck can be used in a hearty soup called garbure. Many people think duck confit is one of the best French dishes.
Contents
How Duck Confit is Made
Even though duck confit is made all over France, it is a famous food from Gascony. This dish uses a very old way of keeping meat fresh. This method is called "confit." It means salting a piece of meat (like duck, goose, or pork) and then cooking it slowly in its own fat.
Preparing the Meat
To make confit, people first rub the meat with salt, garlic, and sometimes herbs like thyme. Then, they cover the meat and put it in the fridge for up to 36 hours. Salting the meat helps to preserve it, keeping it fresh for longer.
Cooking the Duck
Before cooking, the spices are rinsed off the meat. Then, the meat is patted dry. It is placed in a deep cooking dish. This dish needs to be big enough for the meat and all the melted fat. The dish goes into an oven at a low heat (about 76 to 135 degrees Celsius or 170 to 275 Fahrenheit). The meat cooks slowly, almost like it's gently simmering, until it is very tender. This usually takes four to ten hours.
Storing Confit
After cooking, the meat and fat are taken out of the oven and left to cool. Once cool, the meat can be put into a jar or other container. It must be completely covered by the fat. A sealed jar of duck confit can stay fresh in the fridge for up to six months! If you use a plastic container, it will last several weeks. To keep it fresh for the longest time, the fat should cover the meat by at least one inch. The fat acts like a seal and helps preserve the meat. It also gives the duck a very rich flavor. If you skip the salting step, the confit won't last as long.
Other Uses for Confit Fat
Duck confit is also sold in cans, which can last for many years. The tasty fat from the confit can be used in other ways too. You can use it to fry vegetables like green beans with garlic or mushrooms. It's also great for making savory toasts, scrambled eggs, or omelets. You can even add it to pastry for tarts and quiches.
Serving Duck Confit
A classic way to eat duck confit is to fry or grill the duck legs. You use a little bit of the duck fat until the legs are crispy and golden brown. You can also use more of the fat to roast potatoes and garlic. These potatoes are called pommes de terre à la sarladaise. Another tasty side dish is red cabbage cooked slowly with apples and red wine.
Duck Confit in Other Dishes
Duck confit is also a traditional ingredient in many types of cassoulet. Cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked stew from southern France. It usually contains meat and white beans.
See also
In Spanish: Confit de pato para niños
