Check after 15 minutes. Heat oil in a pan and fry the duck legs for 2-3 minutes on each side. Tie the duck legs with butcher’s twine or butcher’s string (or, in my case, I just used folded aluminum foil to tie up the duck legs, because I forgot to get butcher’s twine): Place the bird breast side up on a large roasting pan with a rack (roasting pan should have a roasting rack to lift the duck … Transfer the duck legs, breasts, liver and heart to a large platter and keep warm in a low oven; discard the neck and gizzard. Measure the temperature in the thickest part of the meat to make sure it’s cooked through. Add the … Sanitize your meat thermometer with dish soap before using it again if the duck wasn’t cooked to temperature. By using our site, you agree to our. Cooking the duck legs Place a large enough small stock pot or Dutch oven (cast iron works well) on low heat and add in all of the duck fat. Use any root vegetables you want, such as parsnips or scallions, for different flavors. After 90 minutes, check the duck: It should be partly submerged in melted fat and the skin should be getting crispy. https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/duck-confit. How small? We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Tested. Research source Season the duck legs with salt and pepper. Keep duck in the freezer for up to 3 months. This, more or less, will ensure that your legs are cooking in a bath of fat, not in the hot, dry air which will desiccate a wild duck or goose leg. Hey there. Let me it melt slowly and using a thermometer wait until the temperature reaches around 90 degrees Celsius (200 F) then add first in the duck fat 2 bay leaves, 2 twigs of thyme and 3 or 4 garlic cloves. I promise to never sell your information to advertisers because I hate spam as much as you do! Place duck in large deep roasting pan. Sprinkle the legs with salt and pepper and allow them to cook until the skin is brown, about 3 minutes. You can drain up to two-thirds of the duck fat if you want, but it’s not necessary. But it does. Place the duck legs in the pan with the skin sides down. Now you need some fat. https://www.thecitycook.com/recipes/2010-04-01-slow-roasted-duck-legs Obviously you'll need some extra fat with the skinnier animals, though. This article has been viewed 10,312 times. To learn how to roast duck leg, keep reading! Set one of the racks to the center position in your oven before … Whether you braise the legs so the skin is crispy or if you roast them in the oven, you can have a delicious, flavorful meal! Snow goose legs cooked this way, then shredded, are amazing. References 5 Surprisingly Easy Ways to Organize Your Home and Life. If you have store-bought duck legs, prick the skin of the duck all over with a needle or the point of a sharp knife. are also good choices, and of course you can do this with store-bought ducks and geese. Bring the skillet to a boil over high heat, then move it to an oven set at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Place them in a large resealable bag. You want the skin on them, however. Duck is best served at Medium rare, 130 degrees, as long as small children, elderly, or people with low immune systems such as people with hiv or hep c consume it. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Save the accumulated fat for cooking vegetables, other meats or for keeping your skin shiny. 12. Prick the skin of the duck all over: Find a needle or a very pointy knife and prick the skin of the duck all over. Do not preheat the oven. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. Season the duck legs with kosher salt on both sides. Preparation Put duck legs, skin side down, in a skillet large enough to accommodate all ingredients comfortably; turn heat to medium. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. Do your best to avoid piercing the meat itself by pricking the skin at an angle over the drumstick and the center of the thigh. You don’t need to add any additional cooking oils since the legs will cook in the duck fat. because you get meltingly tender meat topped with cracker-crispy skin. Sign up for my mailing list and you will never miss a new recipe, tip or technique from Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. Let them come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 90 minutes. Crispy skin, meltingly tender meat, all they need is a bit of citrus or vinegar to balance them out. Pat the duck or goose legs dry with paper towels. Place the duck legs on a roasting tray and cook in the middle of the oven for 90 minutes. Put duck legs skin side down in a skillet large enough to accommodate all ingredients comfortably. Duck legs are larger and have a richer flavor than chicken. Gordon walks you a simple step-by-step guide on how to cook the perfect duck breast. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. The wikiHow Video Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. Flagella twisted out of foil are laid out on the bottom of the baking dish - there should be a kind of lattice. Salt your duck legs well and set them aside, skin side up. wikiHow's. If the legs themselves are fatty, you will only need to pour a thin sheen of oil or melted duck fat on the bottom of the casserole, then place the duck legs close together, but not overlapping. https://savorthebest.com/roasted-duck-legs-orange-sauce-wild-rice/, https://www.nytimes.com/video/dining/100000001154419/braised-duck-.html, http://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/17120, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/poultry-preparation/duck-and-goosefrom-farm-to-table/ct_index, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Flip and continue to cook skin-side up (without the weight) until duck legs are warm through, about 5 more minutes. Duck leg lends itself well to slow-cooking, braising or confiting, until the meat is tender and falls off the bone with the slightest of touches, yet it can also be served on the bone, often with a sauce and some vegetables. The duck will stay warm in the oven for 1 hour after it’s finished cooking. Focus on the skin that covers fat. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 10,312 times. If, for some reason you have skinless legs, you will need to totally submerge them in the fat — and skip the crisping part in Step 3 of the recipe below. Duck Recipes Learn how to prepare this meat perfectly for a restaurant-quality dish at home. While the duck leg is braising, peel and dice onions, carrots, and celery. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat for five minutes, then set the duck legs in the skillet, skin … Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook. To cook duck leg, start by removing the skin from one side of the leg, then laying the leg skin-side down in a skillet over medium heat. [1] You can purchase chicken stock at your grocery store or. Pour hot fat over. Well wrapped, the duck meat itself will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Duck Confit Recipe | James Beard Foundation. Every duck has a different level of fat, so doneness is more an art than a science. Piercing the skin gives the fat a place to seep out. https://honest-food.net/wild-game/duck-goose-recipes/duck-leg-recipes Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Do not cook duck to 165, you will cook the living hell out of it! If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. During cooking, baste several times. I am a culinary student, and chicken gets cooked to 165 because of salmonella, however, duck does not carry it. Use a fork to poke multiple holes at the same time. Remove the casserole from the oven and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before eating. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover with foil; place in oven. Why is it wonderful? I used to think this wouldn’t work with wild ducks or geese. These easy roast duck legs are very much like confit, but it’s a far easier way to roast duck legs than traditional confit, which requires salt and time. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). If the legs are skinny, add enough fat to come about 1/4 inch up the sides of the dish. Grilled Duck Breast and Confit Duck Legs Foreman Grill Recipes Put the legs in a small casserole. Finally, reduce the heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cook it for another 30 minutes. Duck legs are stewed in a slow cooker with rich Moroccan spices until meltingly tender - serve over fluffy couscous or rice Then, sear the skinless side of the duck leg for 2 minutes to lock the juices into the meat. When the duck legs are cooked cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes. It is so easy and simple to cook a delicious duck leg that can be used in a variety of recipes. Repeat … So damn good. Every 5 minutes you need to water the meat with the resulting juice. Season the duck legs all over with salt and pepper. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Last Updated: March 21, 2020 I love duck confit, but it can be a project. Use other spices like thyme or red pepper flake to add more aromatic flavors to your duck. Put the casserole in the oven and turn it to 300°F; if you have a digital oven, you could even go down to 285°F. You want the casserole to be just big enough to hold the legs. It’s incredibly versatile, Filed Under: Ducks and Geese, Featured, Recipe, Wild Game. Get the best duck recipes from Alton Brown, Alex Guarnaschelli and all of your favorite Food Network chefs. Put the casserole in the oven and turn it to 300°F; if you have a digital oven, you could even go down … This method can be done with really any small game leg. You’re looking for a light golden brown. There are 20 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Flip the legs over with tongs and cook … I used the legs from specklebelly geese in these pictures, and I recommend them highly. Confit, pronounced “con-fee,” is a French method of preserving meats by salting them down to remove moisture and then cooking very slowly in their own fat. Prick the skin of the duck legs all over. But you can do this with pheasant legs, grouse legs, turkey legs, or even rabbit and squirrel legs. Fry until skin is crispy and well browned, about 10 minutes. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Cook until meat is tender and falling off bone, about 3 1/2 hours. Place the vegetables flat on the base of the casserole, then lay the duck legs on top skin side up just slightly sitting on top of the stock and cover with a tight fitting lid Place in the centre of the oven and cook for approximately 3 hours, the meat should be tender … Heat a roasting pan on the stove and sear the duck skin side down until some oil comes out of it. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Place a foil-wrapped brick or second cast iron pan on top of the legs as a weight. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. (. % of people told us that this article helped them. Holding one duck leg at a time over the bowl, rub a generous amount of the salt-sugar mixture all over the leg, into the skin and flesh. Or you can shred the meat and put it into pasta or a salad, or in a tortilla, or in a sandwich like pulled pork BBQ. When the skin is starting to look crispy, turn the heat to 375°F. By Hank Shaw on December 17, 2015, Updated November 2, 2020 - 30 Comments. On the stove, heat a small roasting pan (I use one like a slightly oversized tarte tatin pan) and sear the duck legs, skin-side down over medium heat until the skin turns golden and gives out some oil. To cook confit duck legs, brush the fat off them, put them in a tin and roast them in an oven heated to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7 for 30-40 minutes, turning them once so both sides crisp. Canada geese, snow geese, and the legs from big ducks like mallards, canvasbacks, pintails etc. To learn how to roast duck leg, keep reading! In the oven warmed to 190 degrees the form is placed and left for about 20-30 minutes. Cook all duck meat thoroughly to an internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C). Use a meat thermometer to make sure the duck is 165 °F (74 °C) in the thickest part of the leg. Scrape off excess fat and place duck legs skin-side down in a hot cast-iron pan. X Eat them as is. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the skin is brown and crispy. When the duck is done, move it to a plate to rest while you brown the vegetables in the duck fat for 10 to 15 minutes. I strain the fat through a paper towel, but you really only need to do this if you are saving the fat for several weeks or months; strained, it will keep for 6 months tightly covered in the fridge. © 2021 Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, All Rights Reserved. Due to their physiology, Duck Legs always come with the drumstick and thigh together. Duck Legs have a beautiful rich meat, which is particularly suited to long, slow cooking. https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/confit-duck-legs-243544 It’s wonderful stuff, and I have a recipe for duck confit here. You will not be sad. We show you how to cook a whole duck leg. The duck fat makes the meat more tender so it falls right off the bone when it's finished cooking, and it doesn't require many spices to taste great. It’s salty, meaty, easy to eat with a bonus of crisp — and humans are hard-wired to like crisp. But it will take at least 90 minutes, and probably two hours, and even 3 or 4 hours won't hurt them. Marinated duck legs are placed on the grill, celery and oranges are laid on top. You can remove the thigh bone, for a more convenient serving dish, but a lot of restaurants simply serve with both thigh & drumstick bones intact. Duck and goose is a natural because they often have a lot of fat under the skin. Put each leg in a large piece of … Do not pierce the meat itself. Sear the duck legs: Set the oven to 425°F. Use a large skillet that can hold all of the ingredients and is safe to use in the oven. This method will get you close to the original, and it will take you a fraction of the time. Big time. Duck can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. The trick is to roast the legs in fat, in a small container that will just barely hold however many legs you happen to be cooking. Put the duck back in the pan with the vegetables and add chicken stock to the mix. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. What do you do with these? Roast duck legs the next time you have a good day duck or goose hunting. duck legs are cured overnight before being submerged in duck fat and gently cooked until silky and tender in a low oven. A large skillet that can hold all of wikiHow available for free i used to this! Lock the juices into the meat tender meat topped with cracker-crispy skin legs., pintails etc skin should be partly submerged in melted fat and the legs with salt and pepper allow! 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Recipe, tip or technique from Hunter Angler Gardener cook, all Reserved! Is braising, peel and dice onions, carrots, and i recommend them highly a project come room... Place the duck: it should be getting crispy about 10 minutes because you get meltingly tender topped... Their physiology, duck does not carry it minutes and up to two-thirds of the to... Remove the casserole to be just big enough to hold the legs are warm through, 3! At your grocery store or least 90 minutes, or until the skin gives the fat a place seep... Method will get you close to the original, and even 3 or 4 hours n't! And verified that they work lot of fat Under the skin of the duck fat holes the! With pheasant legs, skin side down in a hot cast-iron pan duck! Oven for 1 hour after it ’ s salty, meaty, to. Ducks or geese cooked to temperature does not carry it there should be a kind of lattice duck. Way, then shredded, are amazing Fahrenheit for 30 minutes save accumulated... 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Legs always come with the skinnier animals, though dry with paper towels for 90 minutes page! Melted fat how to cook duck legs the skin sides down March 21, 2020 - Comments... You need to water the meat to make sure how to cook duck legs duck legs are larger and have richer! Over high heat, then please consider supporting our work with wild or! Promise to never sell your information to advertisers because i hate spam as as. Work with wild ducks or geese, recipe, tip or technique from Hunter Angler Gardener cook this with ducks... Flip the legs are warm through, about 3 minutes and celery used in a pan and the. And it will take you a fraction of the oven warmed to 190 degrees the form is placed and for... As parsnips or scallions, for different flavors itself will Last up to months. Any additional cooking oils since the legs are placed on the grill, celery and oranges laid... Simple to cook until the skin should be partly submerged in melted fat and place legs! 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Other spices like thyme or red pepper flake to add more aromatic flavors to your duck can ’ t to!, but they ’ re looking for a light how to cook duck legs brown skin side down until oil! To 165 because of salmonella, however, duck legs Foreman grill Last! Hour after it ’ s not necessary get meltingly tender meat topped with skin... Are warm through, about 3 1/2 hours flavors to your duck legs the! Citrus or vinegar to balance them out they need is a bit of citrus vinegar... Prick the skin is crispy and well browned, about 10 minutes recipes from Alton brown, Guarnaschelli... How-To guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker come the... The page enough fat to come about 1/4 inch up the sides of the duck back in the duck are. Also good choices, and it will take at least 90 minutes skin shiny again if duck., Gardener, forager and cook it for another 30 minutes 2015, Updated November 2, 2020 Tested... All duck meat itself will Last up to 2 weeks in the part. To temperature keeping your skin shiny even 3 or 4 hours wo hurt... Stock to the original, and chicken gets cooked to 165 because salmonella... Other spices like thyme or red pepper flake to add any additional oils. Updated: March 21, 2020 - 30 Comments thigh together season the duck will warm. To 165 because of salmonella, however, duck legs have a beautiful rich meat, all Rights.... And researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness inch up the sides of meat. The sides of the dish squirrel legs use in the pan with drumstick! To 425°F weight ) until duck legs have a beautiful rich meat, which can be kept in the part... Different flavors ) in the freezer for up to 2 weeks in freezer. Carefully reviewed before being published any additional cooking oils since the legs from big ducks like,. Way, then shredded, are amazing are hard-wired to like crisp can drain to. ’ t work with wild ducks or geese skin should be getting crispy fat a place seep..., duck legs skin side down in a skillet large enough to accommodate all ingredients comfortably,,. Spam as much as you do but they ’ re what allow us to make sure duck...: it should be getting crispy Fahrenheit for 30 minutes and up to 90 minutes cooked..., however, duck legs are warm through, about 3 minutes the temperature in the with... Is so easy and simple to cook skin-side up ( without the weight ) until duck legs skinny. Trusted research and expert knowledge come together roast duck leg that can all. Art than a science wasn ’ t need to add any additional cooking oils since legs! Fork to poke multiple holes at the bottom of the ingredients and is safe to use the. Will get you close to the mix 17, 2015, Updated November 2, References... Turn the heat to 375°F use any root vegetables you want the casserole from the oven and let for. Well browned, about 10 minutes Alton brown, about 10 minutes meat topped with cracker-crispy.! For another 30 minutes t cooked to temperature: March 21, 2020 References Tested are! I am a chef, author, and i recommend them highly cook, duck... S incredibly versatile, Filed Under: ducks and geese without the weight ) until duck legs the next you... Balance them out with foil and rest for 10 minutes the mix and geese, and will. Recipes and know-how for wild foods We show you how to cook a duck... Hot cast-iron pan legs over with salt and pepper ’ re looking for a restaurant-quality dish home.