Crisping Duck Confit

[kookiblob]

The following below is from Emeril's FRIED duck confit recipe. This is the "duck confit" portion that does not involve the frying instructions. Now, instead of deep frying it, I'd like to only crisp the skin portion of the duck leg. How would I be able to do this efficiently? Also, I do not understand the first step of the instructions. Is this salt the 3/4 cup called for in the list of ingredients? Is the container with the duck legs different than the one where the duck is pressed into the salt? Help.

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Duck Confit:

• >6 whole duck legs (legs and thighs attached) 3/4 cup kosher salt 8 black peppercorns >8 garlic cloves, crushed >8 thyme sprigs >3 bay leaves, crumbled
• 1 quart rendered duck fat, melted (or mild olive oil)

Press duck legs, flesh-side down, into salt. Lightly sprinkle additional salt on fat side. In a nonreactive container layer duck legs with herbs and spices: Place 3 legs in container, fat-side down, cover with peppercorns, garlic, thyme and bay leaves and press on remaining 3 legs, flesh-side down. Store overnight, covered and refrigerated.

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
Remove legs from container, rinse off salt and seasonings under cold water and pat dry. Place in a medium roasting pan or other pan large enough to hold the legs in 1 layer. Pour the melted duck fat over the legs; they should be completely covered with fat. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until the meat actually pulls away from the bone, 6 to 7 hours. Allow confit to cool in its fat. Store refrigerated, completely covered in fat, for up to 1 month before using.
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[Andy M.]

The 3/4 C of salt is what you use to coat the exterior of the duck. The container you do this in is not important. When you layer the duck with the herbs and spices for overnight marinating, the only salt present would be what's stuck to the duck.

After the slow cooking in the oven, if you want to crisp up the skin without breading and deep frying it, remove the duck from the fat and remove excess fat from the surface. Place the duck on a broiler pan and broil to crisp the skin. Don't put the pan to close to the broiler so the skin doesn't burn or the fat ignite.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Nice job Andy. It's good to have a member or three who know how to cook.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[kookiblob]

The 3/4 C of salt is what you use to coat the exterior of the duck. The container you do this in is not important. When you layer the duck with the herbs and spices for overnight marinating, the only salt present would be what's stuck to the duck.

After the slow cooking in the oven, if you want to crisp up the skin without breading and deep frying it, remove the duck from the fat and remove excess fat from the surface. Place the duck on a broiler pan and broil to crisp the skin. Don't put the pan to close to the broiler so the skin doesn't burn or the fat ignite.

What about putting in a pan and frying it? A nonstick one?

 

[Andy M.]

That could work.