With Montana's general waterfowl season starting October 2nd, we figured it was a good time to share this Field to Table recipe from Montana BHA member Julie Mackiewicz, with special assists from Pondo the black Lab!
Waterfowl Confit
Ingredients:
8 goose legs or 12 duck legs, plucked with skin on and as much fat left on as possible
½ Cup salt
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, plus one sprig of thyme
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, plus one sprig of rosemary
6 garlic cloves
Cooking Instructions:
- Place waterfowl legs in a bowl.
- Crush the thyme, rosemary and a small portion of the salt together in a mortar and pestle.
- Mix the remaining salt and rub all over the outside of the legs, being sure to cover the skin as well as any exposed meat.
- Cover and let sit for 24 hours in the fridge.
- Rinse excess salt from the legs and pat dry.
- Place legs in one or two layers in a roasting pan or glass baking dish, skin side up.
- Add the thyme and rosemary sprigs and the garlic.
- Cover with foil allowing a small space for steam to escape and place in an unheated oven.
- Turn on the oven to 250 degrees and cook for approximately six hours, swapping the top and bottom layers every two hours. The meat is ready when it easily falls off the bone.
- Give Pondo a treat on a job well done!
*Notes:
This is a partial preservation method of cooking. This style of cooking should render a tremendous amount of fat covering the meat by the end of cooking time. The legs can be kept in a cool place for several weeks covered with their own fat. The legs are especially delicious if the skin is crisped in a hot pan just before eating. Save any excess fat for cooking, well, anything - potatoes, eggs, vegetables, drizzling over ramen or using the same cooking method for venison or antelope shanks.
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