About this recipe

A French bistro classic made approachable at home. Duck legs are cured overnight in a fragrant salt rub, then slow-cooked submerged in their own fat until impossibly tender and silky. The result is deeply savory, fall-off-the-bone meat with golden, crackling skin — restaurant-quality with simple, reliable technique. Worth every minute of the process.

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the duck legs completely dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, black pepper, thyme leaves, minced garlic, crumbled bay leaves, and allspice and rosemary if using. Mix into a uniform cure.

2. 2

   Rub the cure mixture all over the duck legs, getting into every crevice. Place the legs in a Ziploc bag or baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. The longer the cure, the deeper the flavor.

3. 3

   When ready to cook, preheat your oven to ![225°F]. Remove the duck legs from the cure and pat them very dry with paper towels. Do not rinse — just wipe off the excess cure. Brushing off visible garlic bits helps prevent burning.

4. 4

   Gently melt the duck fat in your baking dish on the stovetop over ^[low heat], or in the oven itself. Add the crushed garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves to the fat.

5. 5

   Nestle the duck legs into the baking dish, skin-side down. They should be fully (or nearly fully) submerged in the fat. If the fat doesn't quite cover them, the legs can be flipped halfway through cooking. Cover the dish tightly with a lid or two layers of aluminum foil.

6. 6

   Transfer to the oven and cook at ![225°F] for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the duck is completely tender — the meat should pull away from the bone easily and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads at least %[180°F]. The fat should be barely shimmering, not bubbling vigorously.

7. 7

   You can serve the duck immediately, or store it for later (see tips). To serve right away, carefully remove the duck legs from the fat and set them on a plate lined with paper towels. Let rest for 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Heat a cast iron skillet over ^[medium-high heat] until very hot — no oil needed. Place the duck legs skin-side down in the dry skillet and press gently with a spatula. Sear for 3 to 5 minutes without moving, until the skin is deeply golden and crackles like a chip. Flip and warm the underside for 1 minute.

9. 9

   Serve immediately, skin-side up. Classic pairings include lentils du Puy, roasted potatoes cooked in the reserved duck fat, a simple frisée salad, or braised white beans. Strain and save the cooking fat — it is liquid gold for roasting vegetables and potatoes.