MSG Free Duck Confit with Crispy Skin

Total time27 hr 30 min

Prep time30 min

Cook time3 hr

4.9

(21)

Duck confit is one of those dishes that feels like a restaurant secret, but it's entirely achievable at home with just a handful of real, whole ingredients. The cure is nothing more than kosher salt, black pepper, fresh thyme, bay leaves, and smashed garlic — no packets, no powders, no hidden additives to second-guess. That simplicity is exactly what makes this recipe such a reliable choice when you're being careful about what goes into your food. After a slow, low oven braise in rendered duck fat, the meat becomes impossibly tender and rich, pulling away from the bone with almost no effort. The real payoff comes in the final step: a screaming-hot cast iron skillet that transforms the skin into something shatteringly crisp and deeply golden without a drop of extra fat. A pinch of flaky sea salt at the end is all the finishing it needs. This is the kind of cooking that looks impressive, tastes extraordinary, and keeps the ingredient list completely clean.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the cure

4 duck legs (about 3 lb total)
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
4 garlic cloves, smashed

For the confit

3 cups duck fat (or enough to fully submerge the legs)

For serving

flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

1
Pat the duck legs completely dry with paper towels. Rub each leg all over with the kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper. Arrange them in a single layer in a baking dish and tuck the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and smashed garlic cloves around and under them. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
2
Remove the duck legs from the refrigerator and brush off any excess salt and aromatics. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 225°F (107°C).

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