I'll be honest, when I first heard about making duck confit in a slow cooker, I was skeptical. Traditional confit involves curing duck legs in salt and herbs, then slow-cooking them in their own fat for hours. The texture is supposed to be incredibly tender while the skin crisps up beautifully. Could a slow cooker really deliver those results? After testing this method several times, I can say it absolutely works. The key is understanding what you're trying to achieve. Duck confit isn't just about cooking duck slowly. It's about creating an environment where the tough connective tissues break down completely while the meat stays moist. The orange adds a bright, citrusy note that cuts through the richness of the duck fat. I use both orange zest and juice, plus a few orange slices that practically melt into the cooking liquid. The technique I've developed here involves a brief salt cure (just two hours, not the traditional overnight), then a long, gentle cook in the slow cooker with just enough duck fat to partially submerge the legs. You won't get crispy skin directly from the slow cooker, but a quick sear in a hot pan at the end fixes that problem. The meat literally falls off the bone, and the orange-scented fat makes an incredible base for roasted potatoes or vegetables. This works beautifully for Shabbat dinner when you want something special but don't want to be stuck in the kitchen all day. I usually start the cure in the morning, get it in the slow cooker by lunch, and by evening I have restaurant-quality duck confit ready to go. Serve it alongside roasted root vegetables or a simple green salad dressed with some of that flavorful cooking fat.