Asian Duck Confit

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 35 Minutes

Recipe shared by Kieu Hoang Winery.  Pair with their People's Wine Red Blend.

Refrigeration time: 12 to 24 hours before preparation.

Ingredients

Preparation

1. Place salt, sugar, black pepper, and five-spice powder in a bowl and blend.
2. Hold one duck leg at a time over the bowl and rub a generous amount of the mixture all over, into the skin and flesh.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
3. The next day, unpack the duck legs and rub mixture off with paper towels. Pat dry.
4. Melt the duck fat or lard (or both) in a wide heavy-bottomed pot just big enough to hold the legs. Submerge the duck legs and add the fresh thyme. Simmer for 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours, or until the meat browns, shrinks off the bone, and is very tender when pricked with the point of a knife. The fat should never go much above 220°F during the cooking time.
5. Remove pot from heat and allow duck to cool in the fat to room temperature. You can eat the duck as is or transfer it to a storage container and chill until ready to use.
6. To serve, pull a leg out of the fat, being careful not to pull the bone out.  Heat a dry frying pan, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat and place the leg in the pan skin side down to crisp up the duck.  Heat through before serving, about 6 minutes.
7. Serve with sautéed spinach.