This easy duck confit recipe takes just a couple of hours to prep and cook (plus time to dry brine the duck legs—24 to 72 hours). Serve the duck legs as an entrée or use the meat to make a sauce for pasta, fill tacos or enchiladas, top a steaming bowl of ramen, or add a boost of meaty protein to a salad.
Course Instant Pot Recipes
Cuisine French
Keyword duck, instant pot duck
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour
Additional Time 24 hourshours
Total Time 25 hourshours10 minutesminutes
Servings 6servings
Calories 205kcal
Author Robin Donovan
Ingredients
4 to 6duck legs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4garlic clovessmashed
Sprigs of thymebay leaves, or other herbs
Instructions
Line a large baking dish with several layers of paper towel. Prick the skin of each of the duck legs in multiple places (being careful not to pierce the meat) to give the fat places to ooze out as it renders. Generously season the duck legs on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the duck legs skin side up on the paper towels in the baking dish and scatter the garlic and any herbs or other seasonings you are using over the top. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 24 to 72 hours.
When ready to cook, remove the duck legs from the refrigerator. Heat the Instant Pot using the sauté function (or use a separate skillet. I like to use a very large cast-iron skillet because it allows me to sear all of the duck legs at once). Sear the duck legs, starting with the skin side down, until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes per side. You may have to do this in multiple batches.
Once all of the duck legs have been browned, arrange them in the Instant Pot. I like to stand them up with the bones sticking up. Add the garlic cloves and herbs or spices to the pot if you like. If you used a separate pan to sear the duck legs, make sure to scrape any of the rendered fat from the skillet into the Instant Pot. Cover the Instant Pot, seal the valve, and cook on high pressure for 60 minutes.
Let the pressure release naturally.
Serve immediately or store, along with the fat, in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
If you do get a burn message, it probably means that your duck legs did not have a lot of moisture in them. To fix it, release the pressure, open the pot, and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water or broth. Seal the pot again and reset to pressure cook.