Duck Confit, the Right Way

In a small bowl, combine the minced shallot, evaporated cane sugar, kosher salt, coarsely ground black pepper, minced garlic, and chopped thyme. (Prep time: 5 minutes)

Thoroughly rub the mixture all over the duck legs, thighs, and wings, ensuring every piece is well-coated. (Prep time: 5 minutes)

Arrange the seasoned duck parts, skin-side up, in a dish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate deeply. (Marinating time: 24-48 hours)

After marinating, rinse off the seasoning from the duck pieces and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels. Arrange the duck in a single layer in a 9x13-inch baking pan. Let the duck stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes. (Prep time: 40 minutes)

Preheat your oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). (Prep time: 10 minutes)

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the duck fat until it's fully liquid and small bubbles begin to form, but it is not yet boiling. This should take about 6 to 8 minutes. (Prep time: 8 minutes)

Carefully pour the melted duck fat over the room-temperature duck in the baking pan, ensuring the duck is fully submerged in the fat. (Prep time: 2 minutes)

Bake the duck in the preheated oven until it is exceptionally tender and the juices run clear when pierced with a fork, approximately 2 to 3 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 135 degrees F (57 degrees C). (Cook time: 2-3 hours)

Once the duck is cooked, carefully pour off the rendered duck fat, reserving it for other culinary uses. (Prep time: 5 minutes)

Brush a grill pan with some of the reserved duck fat and heat over medium-high heat until it's smoking hot. (Prep time: 5 minutes)

Add the baked duck to the hot grill pan, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Cook until the skin is beautifully crispy and golden brown, about 90 seconds per side. (Cook time: 90 seconds per side)