Preheat oven to 350F. Remove skin and all fat from duck and set duck aside. Cut skin and fat into 1 1/2" x 4" strips. Put in a baking pan and bake until skin is golden and crisp, about 3-1/2 hours.
Drain skin on paper towels and use to garnish salads. Strain fat through fine sieve. (Rendered fat can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.)
Meanwhile, cut duck into 2 legs with thighs attached, 2 wings with tips removed, and 2 breasts. Put duck pieces in a nonreactive pan and sprinkle salt on all sides of the bird. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, brush away as much salt as possible with a paper towel (some will have dissolved). Melt rendered duck fat in a tall heavy pot over low heat. When fat reaches 200F on a kitchen thermometer, barely simmering, add duck and simmer, completely transfer duck and fat to a container, and cover. Make sure that the duck is completely submerged in the fat. Refrigerate; the flavor will improve for a week. Confit will keep for at least a month.
"In America, the duck most often eaten is the long island (or white pekin), which is mild in flavor and inexpensive, but not very highly regarded by French chefs. For confit, they (and we) prefer the fatty moulard, a cross between pekin hen and muscovy drake bred for fois gras, often available from specialty butchers. |
