On a menu, confit usually means meat such as duck, goose or pork that has been cooked and preserved in its own fat.[1] The classic is duck confit from southwest France, where cooking and preserving meat in fat is a traditional regional method.[2] The legs are salted first, then cooked in their own fat and left to cool under it, so the fat seals out air.[3] Expect tender, rich and fairly salty meat. The same word can also describe a fruit or vegetable garnish cooked until tender in a seasoned liquid,[1] so onion or tomato confit is a topping, not meat.
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What to order
- Duck confit (confit de canard): slow-cooked duck legs with a meltingly tender texture and rich flavor, an integral part of Gascon cooking.[4] Ask whether a portion is one leg or two and what it comes with, and pair it with a salad or something sharp.
- Cassoulet: a casserole of white beans baked with herbs and meats such as pork, lamb, and goose or duck.[5] It is heavy, so treat it as a main course or share it, and ask whether the duck in it is confit.
- Salads with confit gizzards: in the Gers, confit duck gizzards are a standard addition to hearty salads.[4] A good way to taste confit in a lighter, smaller portion.
- Rillettes: stewed boned meat beaten to a paste, mixed with and covered by melted fat, and eaten on toast.[3] Usually a starter to share.
- Tomato, onion or garlic confit: chefs now also preserve vegetables in fat or oil.[3] If you are vegetarian, ask whether the fat is olive oil or duck fat.
21 menus
Osteria Mozza Washington- Half Duck Confit$58
Italian
Pastis Miami- Duck Confit$43
- Duck Confit$43
French
Pastis New York- Duck Confit$37
French
Pastis Washington- Duck Confit$35
French
Prik Hom- Duck Confit Green Curry34
Thai
RŌBER- duck leg confit48
American
Saba- confit tomatoes10
Mediterranean
Saltie Girl Boston- Sardines - With Lemon Confit & Chili
Seafood
Zahav- Confit Potato
Middle Eastern
Frequently asked questions
Is confit the same as fried?
No. Deep frying fully submerges food in fat at about 350 to 375°F for a quick, crisp result,[6] while confit duck legs are slow-cooked in their own fat until tender.[4] If crisp skin matters to you, ask whether the leg is crisped in a pan or oven before it is served.
Why was meat cooked and stored in fat?
To preserve it. Salt pulls water and blood out of the duck legs, and once the meat is cooked, the cooled fat forms a layer that keeps out oxygen.[3] In southwest France, confit and canning are credited with letting local duck products be sold beyond the region.[2] The same body credits the method with giving the meat its distinctive flavor and melting texture.[2]
Is duck confit a protected regional product?
Confit is one of the products covered by the EU protected geographical indication Canard à foie gras du Sud-Ouest, recognized in June 2000.[2] A menu that just says duck confit does not tell you where the duck came from, so ask if origin matters to you.
Is confit very salty and rich?
Usually it is both, because the meat is salted before it is cooked in fat.[3] FDA puts the Daily Value for sodium at less than 2,300 mg and suggests asking for sauces on the side when eating out.[7] If you are watching salt or fat, share a cassoulet or choose a salad with some confit rather than a whole leg.
Related guides
Sources
- Merriam-Webster. confit (noun). Accessed
- INAO (Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité). Canard à foie gras du Sud-Ouest Gers (IGP). Accessed
- LibreTexts (Welsch and Thibodeaux, Garde Manger: A Guide to the Cold Kitchen, Nicholls State University). 1.3: Curing, Brining and Smoking. Accessed
- Gers Tourisme en Gascogne (Gers departmental tourism agency). Duck. Accessed
- Merriam-Webster. cassoulet (noun). Accessed
- LibreTexts (Thibodeaux and Cheramie, Culinary Foundations, Nicholls State University). 11.3: Basic Cooking Methods. Accessed
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sodium in Your Diet. Accessed