Duck Confit

Instructions

1. Dry the duck legs with a paper towel.
2. Use a needle or sharp knife to prick the skin all over. You will want to focus on the areas of the skin where there is fat underneath so you don't pierce the meat itself. By doing this, the fat will be able to seep out and the skin will become incredibly crispy. 
3. Salt your duck legs. A bit more than you think you should.
4. Let the legs rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes but no more than 1 hour. 
5. Then place the duck legs in a casserole dish that is just big enough to fit two legs. They should not be overlapping each other and should be skin side up.
6. Put a thin layer of duck fat on the bottom of the casserole dish.
7. Put the duck legs in the oven and set the temperature to 300°F (150°C). Don't preheat the oven. The goal is to cook the duck as gently as possible.
8. After 90 minutes, check the duck: The legs should be partly submerged in melted fat and the skin should be getting crispy. You will have them in the oven between 1.5 - 2 hours depending on the fat thickness. 
9. When the skin is starting to look crispy, increase the heat to 375°F (190°C). Check on the duck again after 15 minutes. You’re looking for a light golden brown. 
10. Take the legs out of the oven when they have a nice golden color to them. Let the legs sit for 10 minutes or so (really you can eat whenever you want though). Feel free to strain the fat to use for cooking later.