Ep 10. The Secret to Duck Confit

In Secrets of a Restaurant Chef season 3 episode 10, titled The Secret to Duck Confit, chef Anne Burrell shows viewers how to make a classic French delicacy: duck confit. Duck confit is a method of cooking duck that involves slow-cooking the meat in its own fat, resulting in a tender and flavorful dish.

Chef Burrell begins by breaking down a whole duck and separating the legs from the rest of the bird. She then demonstrates how to properly salt the duck legs and let them cure in the refrigerator for a day to infuse them with flavor.

Next, Burrell cooks the duck legs in rendered duck fat, along with garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. She explains the importance of keeping the temperature low and slow, to ensure that the meat cooks evenly and stays tender.

After the duck legs are cooked, Burrell shows viewers how to remove the skin and bones, leaving just the tender meat. She then uses the confit duck meat in two delicious recipes: duck confit salad and duck confit fettuccine.

In the duck confit salad, Burrell combines the duck meat with mixed greens, roasted beets and butternut squash, and a tangy vinaigrette. She emphasizes the importance of balancing the richness of the duck with the acidity of the dressing.

For the duck confit fettuccine, Burrell tosses the cooked duck meat with homemade pasta, mushrooms, and a creamy Parmesan sauce. She explains how to cook the pasta perfectly al dente and how to add the right amount of sauce to coat the noodles without overwhelming the duck flavor.

Throughout the episode, Burrell offers tips and tricks for cooking duck confit, including how to render duck fat, how to properly salt the meat, and how to cook it to the right temperature. She also shares insights into the French culinary tradition of preserving meat through confit.

Overall, The Secret to Duck Confit offers viewers an in-depth tutorial on a classic French dish, with plenty of helpful techniques and creative recipes to try at home. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a beginner in the kitchen, this episode is sure to inspire you to try your hand at making duck confit.