Ingredients
Method
Prepare the Duck
- Pat duck legs completely dry with paper towels. Mix kosher salt, brown sugar, black pepper, and thyme in a small bowl.
- Rub the salt mixture all over the duck legs, coating both sides thoroughly. Place in a dish with garlic cloves and bay leaves. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 225°F. Remove duck from refrigerator and brush off excess salt mixture, but don't rinse.
Confit the Duck
- Place duck legs in a heavy oven-safe pot or Dutch oven. Add duck fat, making sure legs are completely submerged. Add more oil if needed.
- Heat on stovetop over medium-low heat until fat reaches 200°F. Transfer pot to oven.
- Cook for 2.5 to 3 hours, until meat is very tender and pulls away from the bone easily. Check temperature occasionally to maintain 200-225°F.
Make the Glaze and Finish
- While duck cooks, combine orange juice, zest, honey, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan.
- Simmer over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until reduced by half and syrupy. Set aside.
- Remove duck from fat and place skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Increase oven temperature to 425°F.
- Roast duck for 10-15 minutes until skin is golden and crispy. Brush with orange glaze and roast 3-4 minutes more.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.
Notes
Duck can be confited up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator submerged in the fat. Just crisp the skin and glaze before serving. Save the rendered duck fat for roasting potatoes or vegetables. The glaze can be made a day ahead and reheated gently before serving.
