DUCK CONFIT may seem trendy among diners and critics, but it’s a re cipe—or method—that’s centuries old. Confit comes from the French verb “confire,” which means “to preserve,” and before the invention of refrigeration, confit was an effective way to extend the shelf life of meat, such as duck, goose, or pork.
The method works in the way of heavily salting meat before cooking and sealing it in fat, which inhibits the growth of bacteria. Duck fat is most typical, imparting its subtle rich flavors into meats, and after hours of slow cooking, the toughest cuts become luxuriously silky. Duck confit is closely associated with Gascony in southwest France and remains a regional specialty.
You can pretty much confit any meat, but cooking times will vary. I’ve confited whole rabbits,…
