French · dinner

Pierre Koffmann's Duck Confit (Salt and Duck Fat Only)

Name: Pierre Koffmann's Duck Confit (Salt and Duck Fat Only)
Total time: 200 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 duck legs (about 250 g each, bone-in; our estimate); coarse salt to cover the legs (most is rinsed off; about 2 g a serve stays in, our estimate); duck fat, enough to cover the legs (about 1 tbsp a serve clings to the meat)

Pierre Koffmann's Duck Confit (Salt and Duck Fat Only) — from BBC Maestro's cooking video

Watch how it’s made · 6:58

Video by BBC Maestro on YouTube · Open on YouTube

200 min · plus 12–24 h salting, then coolingServes 2460 kcal a serve

Carnivore
Keto (0 g net carbs a serve)
Gluten-free ingredients
Dairy-free
Nut-free

Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

A classic French way to keep meat with just salt and its own fat: one leg gives about 30 g of protein with iron, zinc and selenium, and no sauce or sugar.

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Ingredients 3

2 duck legs (about 250 g each, bone-in; our estimate)
coarse salt to cover the legs (most is rinsed off; about 2 g a serve stays in, our estimate)
duck fat, enough to cover the legs (about 1 tbsp a serve clings to the meat)

Method

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

Cover the duck legs completely in coarse salt (not fine salt), top and bottom, and refrigerate for 12–24 hours. 0:04
Tap off as much salt and liquid as you can, then rinse the legs under cold running water for 20–30 minutes to wash out the excess salt. Pat dry. 1:10
Warm enough duck fat to cover the legs, slip them in and keep it barely bubbling at about 90–95°C, never boiling. Lay a circle of baking paper on top. 1:54
Cook for about 2½ hours, until a skewer slides in and the meat falls off it when lifted. Take the pan off the heat and let the legs cool in the fat for a few hours. 3:57
To serve, lift the legs out and crisp them skin-side down in a dry frying pan until deep golden (finish in the oven if they were chilled). 5:21

Tip. Buy enough duck fat to cover the legs; strain and reuse it. Leg sizes vary (ours is an estimate). Kept under their fat in the fridge they last for weeks. Koffmann serves them with red cabbage, never a sauce.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 2

Energy460 kcal1,920 kJ

Protein43 g85% of a day

Fibre0 g0% of a day

Carbohydrate0 g0 g net · 0 g sugars0% of a day

Fat31 g9.1 g saturated40% of a day

Sodium950 mg41% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

Net carbs 0%
Protein 38%
Fat 62%

Fits keto: 0 g net carbs a serve, with 62% of the energy from fat.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Selenium High63%

35 µg a serve, mostly from duck legs (100%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Omega-3 High28%

0.4 g a serve, mostly from duck legs (71%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Zinc High27%

3 mg a serve, mostly from duck legs (100%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin B12 High20%

0.5 µg a serve, mostly from duck legs (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Iron Source18%

3.3 mg a serve, mostly from duck legs (100%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Vitamin B6 Source17%

0.3 mg a serve, mostly from duck legs (100%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Vitamin A Source11%

100 µg a serve, mostly from duck legs (100%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Vitamin E Source10%

1.5 mg a serve, mostly from duck legs (76%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Show the other 7

Potassium7%

320 mg a serve, mostly from duck legs (100%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Vitamin K7%

8.1 µg a serve, mostly from duck legs (100%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Magnesium6%

25 mg a serve, mostly from duck legs (100%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Vitamin D4%

0.8 µg a serve, mostly from duck fat (80%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Vitamin C3%

2.4 mg a serve, mostly from duck legs (100%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Folate2%

9.5 µg a serve, mostly from duck legs (100%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Calcium1%

16 mg a serve, mostly from duck legs (97%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by BBC Maestro; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.