Recipes

Turkey Confit

  • Serves

    serves 4-6

ANDRÉ BARANOWSKI

Curing and cooking turkey legs and wings in duck fat—yielding the dish that the French call confit—renders them succulent; roasting them in the oven afterward makes them crisp.

Ingredients

  • Legs and wings of a 12-lb. turkey
  • 1 tsp. rubbed sage
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 qt. rendered duck fat

Instructions

Step 1

Pat dry the legs and wings of the turkey. Transfer turkey to a baking sheet.

Step 2

In a spice grinder, finely grind sage, thyme, and bay leaves. Rub turkey with herbs and sprinkle generously with salt and black pepper; chill overnight, uncovered.

Step 3

Heat oven to 325°. Heat duck fat in a 6-qt. pot over low heat. Transfer turkey to a 13" x 16" x 3" roasting pan; pour fat over turkey. Cover pan with foil; bake until very tender, about 3 hours. Let cool; refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Step 4

When ready to serve, place pan of confit in a 500° oven and bake until fat is just liquefied. Remove from oven and transfer turkey parts (without fat) to a baking pan, skin side up. Roast until browned and crisp, about 20 minutes. (Reserve fat for another use.)

Continue to Next Story

Want more SAVEUR?

Get our favorite recipes, stories, and more delivered to your inbox.