Confit
Confit is a cooking method where food is submerged in fat (or, for fruit, sugar syrup) and cooked very slowly at a low temperature until tender. The most famous example is duck leg confit from southwest France, but garlic, tomatoes, onions, pork and fish are all commonly confited.
Why confit works
Fat is a gentle, even way to transfer heat. Held around 85–95 °C / 185–200 °F, it cooks food slowly without boiling or drying it out. Unlike in a braise, there's no water to evaporate from the meat's surface, and the fat surrounds it completely, so the meat stays moist.
For tough, collagen-rich cuts like duck legs, the long, low heat gives connective tissue time to melt into gelatin. The result is meat that falls off the bone but still holds its shape.
Despite sitting in fat for hours, properly made confit isn't greasy. Fat and water don't mix, and the meat's own juices keep most of the fat out.
Classic duck confit
- Cure: rub duck legs with about 1.5–2% of their weight in salt, plus garlic, thyme and pepper. Refrigerate 12–24 hours.
- Rinse and dry the legs well.
- Cover with fat: submerge in rendered duck fat, roughly 1 litre for 4 legs.
- Cook low: in a 100–120 °C / 210–250 °F oven for 2.5–4 hours, until the meat is very tender.
- Crisp: before serving, roast or pan-fry skin side down until golden.
The salt cure seasons the meat and firms its texture. Traditionally, cooled confit was stored under a sealed layer of fat for weeks; at home, refrigerate it and use within about 2 weeks.
Vegetable and fruit confit
- Garlic confit: peeled cloves in olive oil at a gentle bubble, about 45–60 minutes, until soft and golden.
- Tomato confit: cherry tomatoes in olive oil with herbs, 1–2 hours at 120 °C / 250 °F.
- Citrus or fruit confit: fruit slowly cooked in sugar syrup until candied.
Food safety
Low-acid foods stored in oil, especially garlic, can support Clostridium botulinum, which thrives without oxygen. Refrigerate vegetable confits immediately, use within about 4 days, or freeze. Never keep garlic in oil at room temperature.
Confit vs sous vide
Both cook gently at precise, low temperatures. Many chefs now make "sous-vide confit" by sealing duck legs with a few spoonfuls of fat and cooking at about 75–82 °C / 167–180 °F for 8–12 hours.
Questions
What does confit mean?
It comes from the French verb confire, 'to preserve'. Originally it meant salting meat, cooking it in fat and storing it under that fat; today it refers to any food slow-cooked in fat, oil or sugar syrup.
Is garlic confit safe to store?
Only in the fridge, and only briefly. Garlic in oil is a botulism risk at room temperature, so refrigerate it right away and use it within about 4 days, or freeze it.
Is confit greasy?
Not when made well. The fat stays below boiling, so it doesn't penetrate the meat much; it mainly stops moisture from evaporating and transfers gentle, even heat.
What fat do you use for confit?
Duck or goose fat is traditional for poultry. Olive oil is common for garlic, tomatoes and fish, and neutral oil or pork lard also work.