Monday, September 8, 2008

Goose Confit


Okay, lets start this blog off with a nice ole classic mouth watering leg of goose.

To start with source out your free range goose and get them home to your fridge! You will also need a good pail of duck or goose fat rendered.(ask your butcher or farmer) Clean any feather remains etc.. Next you need to cure your goose. You have quite a bit of flexibility here. The only thing you really need is

SALT. I like to add ground juniper berries, nutmeg and fresh thyme. Cover the legs with the cure and let sit over night. The next day, rinse the cure off and pat dry with a clean towel. Gently warm you fat in a nice Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. Add your goose legs and slowly heat up the fat till the occasional bubble comes up here and there. No lid is needed. Maintain this temp (around 170-190f) till fully cooked. Around 6-8 hours. Using clean tongs or slotted spoon, remove your goose to a clean glass bowl. Let fat sit for 10 minutes and then start removing the fat with a clean ladle and pour over the legs till covered. Be careful not to remove the jelly at the bottom of the pot. Separate the remaining fat and jelly. Save the jelly for a sauce, and reserve fat for next batch. Place you legs in the fridge. When the fat cools and congeals completely (2-3 hours) Wrap tightly and use when ever you want. I like mine after it sits for about 2 weeks. To remove your legs, microwave or bain marie the bowl till fat renders and take your leg, leave the remaining for another time and cool again. Make sure to use clean utensils every time you dig into the confit. Fire it in a hot oven to get the skin crispy and eat!!! Reduce jelly in pan, when its almost completly reduced add a big knob of butter and a pinch of black pepper.