Duck Confit

Directions

1. 1
   Place the duck breasts in the insert of a 5 1/2 to 6 quart slow cooker and add the fat, garlic, shallot, salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence.
2. 2
   Cover, set the slow cooker on HIGH, and cook for 1 hour.
3. 3
   Reduce the heat to LOW and cook until the duck is very, very tender--at least 4 and up to 8 hours.
4. 4
   Use a slotted spoon to remove the duck from the fat, which can be strained, frozen, and reused.
5. 5
   Serve the duck hot or at room temperature, or use it to make cassoulet.
6. 6
   NOTE: You can buy canned goose fat in gourmet food stores.
7. 7
   If you have not accumulated your own duck or goose fat, chicken fat is perfectly acceptable.
8. 8
   There are three ways to get chicken fat for this recipe: You can skim congealed fat off the top of chicken soup or stock, buy it in a plastic tub from a kosher butcher, or make it yourself.
9. 9
   To make your own, place raw chicken fat in a heavy saucepan and cook very slowly over medium-low heat until the fat has melted, the connective tissue has darkened and crisped, and any water has evaporated.
10. 10
    Strain the rendered fat into a bowl.
11. 11
    Rendered chicken fat can be kept in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 6 months.
12. 12
    If you cannot find herbes de Provence, you can make your own by combining equal amounts of dried tarragon, rosemary, chervil, basil, and thyme leaves.