Sunday, December 19

First buy your duck fat ...

... because honestly, who among us is really the sort of frugal French housewife who has this sort of thing lying around?
Mr Brown picked these up, last weekend, when I had a broken back. I write very specific instructions on the shopping lists when Mr Brown does the food forage solo. For the duck fat the list was particularly explicit, "2 JARS duck fat, French, NOT Luv-a-Duck, no no no".Then rinse and dry your duck, leg & thigh pieces. Salt them well. Smash up some garlic and thyme with some salt and spread over the duck.Cover well, weigh down and pop in the fridge for at least 12 hours.The next day, clean off the pieces of the salt and herbs. Dry well. At this stage in proceedings cats want to be your BEST FRIEND!Pop a little sliced garlic, thyme and some bay leaves in the bottom of your baking tray.Place the duck on top, in a single layer.Realise that although it's December, it's actually cold today and the duck fat is solid. Gently heat in a small pot. Use a pot you've used and trusted for at least 20 years, otherwise it may explode, kill the oven and totally fuck up your weekend. I know of what I speak.Pour over the liquid fat, it should totally cover the duck. It's a lot of fat, it's frightening how much fat it is and how, well, fatty the fat is. Slick is the word that comes to mind. Slick and silky.Cover the pan with tin foil and carefully, very, very carefully pop it in the oven. O, yes the oven, have that pre-heated to about 150c. Try not to trip over your cats, they are likely to be circling like furry sharks.
Then, 2 to 3 hours later, pull out the duck. Again, very, very carefully. If the meat is coming away from the bone, it is done. Then take your mid-19C antique French Confit Crock ... or your 1990s, Springmount Pottery Soup Tureen ... ... and start placing the duck inside.Layer carefully with the bones pointing up, it makes getting them out, when the time comes, much easier. Now, the tricky bit. You need to ladel over the duck fat from the pan, but without any of the delishious cooking juices in it. I spoon out until it the juice starts creeping onto the spoon. Then pour the rest into a jug and pop it in the fridge for a bit. The fat goes right to the top and hardens so you can just scrape it off. The juices set to jelly and can be used for soup or risotto later.
Cover carefully and pop into the fridge until needed.
It is said the duck can be preserved this way, safe for eating, for months. We never keep it around long enough to find out.
To be continued ....

12 comments:

Zoomie said...

Oh, this is interesting - why not remove the bones before putting the meat in the crock? I hope the next installment tells the tale. I have to admit I've never tasted duck confit and certainly never made it.

Roo said...

Mrs Mouse! Fab fab fab fab fab.. did I mention fab?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Roo said...

PS - hope the back is ok!

cookiecrumb said...

So beautiful. I've never done it myself. Thanks for the step-by-step, photos and all.
(Cassoulet for Christmas Eve, chez nous. The leg is store-bought, and *worse* -- it's a chicken leg.)

Ms Brown Mouse said...

Zoomie, many reasons for keeping the bones, chief amongst them, Mr Brown LOVES to nibble the bone at the end of a meal :) Also, tradition I guess
You have not LIVED if you have not eaten Confit, it is wonderful stuff.
Roo, mmmmmmm indeed. The back is only semi-fucked now ;)
Cookie, nothing wrong with Chookie Confit - I'll be using all that fat to make some myself after xmas :)

Pink Granite said...

You are a devoted chef!

I know from schmaltz (chicken fat), but I had no idea that duck fat came in jars - all the way from France!
I've never had duck confit. So I look froward to the next installment of your duck adventure!
;o)

Roo said...

Lee - you've never had duck confit! You have missed one of the worlds best treats ;o)

Ms Brown Mouse said...

Lee, what Roo says, get thee some confit, it is one of life's great pleasures! If only once a year :)

Pink Granite said...

Must Google it because I confess to being a bit confused about the final presentation and consumption!
- Lee AKA: Country Bumpkin

Ms Brown Mouse said...

Ooo, well, you take it out of the fat, scrape off as much as you can and pop the duck under the griller (broiler) until the skin is cripsy crackling. Serve as you will, on a bed of lentils, with a little salad, and eat!

Pink Granite said...

Oooooh!
Thank you!
I honestly couldn't figure out the fat part!
;o)

Ms Brown Mouse said...

Lee, am now wondering what on earth you thought we did with it ... drank it, rubbed it into our hair, sprinkled it around holly bushes at midnight :)