duck confit
duck confit

Crockpot Duck Confit with Plum Sauce

5/5
I learned how to make duck confit in a fine dining restaurant that specialized in French cooking. Duck requires very little to bring out the savory and flavorful meat, which is why this recipe requires 4 ingredients. Shred and serve with sweet and tangy plum sauce for a romantic dinner for two. Reserve leftover meat inside the fat to keep it moist.

Prep Time:

Cook Time: 5 hours
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Recipe Rundown

duck confit with plum sauce
duck confit in a crock pot

I somehow made it to my late 20s before trying duck confit, which is amazing considering how sublimely satisfying it is. When I think of duck confit, I imagine ultra tender meat with rich fat that melts in your mouth.

broken down duck parts

What is duck confit?

It’s really tender duck meat that cooks slowly on the bone within its own fat. You serve duck confit by shredding the meat, but I served the legs whole.

Even if you think it’s scary, you can disjoint a whole duck with a sharp knife and a can-do attitude. You will be rewarded with an inspired dinner for 2 (plus leftovers). While I serve mine with a tangy plum sauce, you could simply shred the duck over salads. Confit is also fabulous spread onto toast with capers and pickled onion. In the winter, I might serve it with these herb infused mashed potatoes.

Cooked low and slow amidst its own rendered fat, the flavor has nowhere to go but inward. So, if you want to expand into duck territory, I’ll demonstrate how to pull this gourmet looking meal off with only 4 ingredients!

How to Confit Duck

You can slow-roast duck legs, wings, skin, fat, and neck in your oven at 300°F for 2 1/2 hours, or until tender. If you own a crock pot, you can cook the duck on the low setting for 5 hours.

whole 6 pound duck
whole 6 pound duck
disjointed duck

Recipe Snapshot

Star Ingredient: duck
Flavor Affinities: PLUMS + DUCK + FENNEL
Function: cooling
Tastes: sweet, savory, tangy
Textures: meltingly tender meat, smooth sauce
Ease: moderate
Method: slow-roasting or slow cooker
Wisdom: Salt the duck before cooking and break it down however you can. Since it gets served shredded anyway, the cuts don’t need to be perfect looking.

Very Easy Plum Sauce

Shockingly, this plum sauce is 1 ingredient. Plums are juicy enough on their own to provide an incredible amount of flavor and texture when blended. The vibrant, acidic flavor lightens the savoriness of the duck and cuts the fat of the dish with a lighter component.

Let’s Plate the Plum Sauce!

Ever try using a squeeze bottle for storing dressings or plating sauces? It’s fun to paint on the plate, especially when the colors are so saturated. Check out how to use a spoon to draw a swoosh. Try fanning out sliced plums and don’t forget the sprig of fennel fronds for a little greenery.

plum sauce in squeeze bottle
squeeze bottle circles of plum sauce
swirling the plum sauce with a spoon
swooshing the plum sauce with the back of a spoon
pickled plum
adding diced plum tossed with rice vinegar (quick pickled plum)
duck confit
tender duck confit

I hope you try this one. It’s really an amazing dish. Right below is a video demonstration of me butcher a whole duck to give you a sense of it. I am by no means an expert at butchering duck, but it’s just like breaking down a chicken.

Best Tip: Use a sharp knife. Feel around for the joints. Cut between the joints or bread them with your hands to make it easier. Save all skin, fat, meat, and bones for stock, cooking fat, and (of course) duck confit.

Crockpot Duck Confit with Plum Sauce

I learned how to make duck confit in a fine dining restaurant that specialized in French cooking. Duck requires very little to bring out the savory and flavorful meat, which is why this recipe requires 4 ingredients. Shred and serve with sweet and tangy plum sauce for a romantic dinner for two. Reserve leftover meat inside the fat to keep it moist.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, French
Keyword: confit, crockpot, duck, gluten free, hot sauce, plum, slow cooker
Cook Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 5 hours
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 370kcal
Author: Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

  • 1 whole duck broken down into parts
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 ripe plums
  • fennel fronds for garnish

Instructions

  • Add the duck skin, fat, neck bone, thighs, and wings to the crock pot (add the breasts or reserve them for a different dish). Season with salt. Set the temperature to low and cook for 5 hours.
  • Remove the stems from the plums and cut them in half to remove the seed. Blend the flesh (skin on) until very smooth. Strain the sauce.
  • Serve the duck confit meat with plum sauce and garnish with fennel fronds. You may also add slices of plum to the plate.

Video

Notes

Since duck breast is often enjoyed medium-rare, you can save the breast for searing or use it in this recipe.
Confit duck uses the skin and fat to keep the meat moist as it renders. Store left-over meat inside the fat and remove the meat from the bone. Reserve the duck fat to cook with. It’s an excellent, flavorful fat (similar to bacon fat).

Nutrition

Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 178mg | Sodium: 754mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 230IU | Vitamin C: 8.6mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 3.4mg

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Leah
Leah
2 years ago

What if I don’t want to break the duck down into parts, can I cook it whole in the slow cooker?

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