Turkey confit from Cook’s Illustrated recipe

RRP

The Nov-Dec issue just arrived and it has a mouthwatering confit recipe using turkey thighs. It highly recommends using duck fat but swmbo doesn’t like duck meat so I’m not sure where to buy duck fat. Can it be bought somewhere?

GregW

Amazon carries duck fat. I bet some of the better grocery stores also stock it.
I've never cooked with it, but I've heard it's good.

U_tarded

I’ve seen it at Walmart, but I can’t remember if it was chilled by butter, or shelf stored by like the olive oil. 

dbCooper

Likely unsuitable for confit but, should be in every pantry... https://duckfatspray.com/

tomtnc

Kroger, Private Label $7.99. Can’t go wrong!!

Botch

I've got a jar, er, half a jar, in the cupboard.  Can't remember from where.
 
Gotta say, though, I've not had a confit that I liked.... 

RRP

Thanks for all the ideas for sources! I honestly had no idea duck fat was that readily available!  With the reports of turkeys being smaller in size and in some locales even in short supply then this turkey thigh use makes even more sense! 

RRP

Botch said:

I've got a jar, er, half a jar, in the cupboard.  Can't remember from where.
 
Gotta say, though, I've not had a confit that I liked.... 

If you get a chance to read that issue or at least that recipe it just might change your mind.

Botch

I'm a subscriber, my issue will probably arrive this next week.  We'll see.  
 
There are a few things that are hugely popular, that just don't work for me; fruit on meat, confit, and even (please don't banninate me) pulled pork.    

GlennM

You can do a confit in the instant pot if you want to try it. Set the pot for slow cook on high setting. Apparently that’s about 210 degrees.  Put the meat in, I have done duck legs and chicken quarters this way.  Cover with duck fat ( save it in the fridge when done ). After 5 or 6 hours brown the skin under the broiler.  Damn, now I’m 😋 hungry 
You can sub the duck fat with canola oil but I have never tried that.  Before doing the confit marinate the meat for overnight with a dry rub or paste in the fridge 

You can use the duck fat to roast potato wedges as well, delicious!!

johnmitchell

If you have a “Fresh Market” store where you live they carry it

dannys

D'Artagnan sells it. It is in small, maybe 1 cup, tubs. You might try someplace that sells D'Artagnan products locally.

WT CI Turkey article. First, they always seem to come up with a better "best XYZ recipe. Second, I was disappointed when I started reading the article. I couldn't find where they discussed the rest of the bird?!?!  I know too many people who think turkey begins and end with the breast meat. I went to a Thanksgiving at some relatives house where  they cooked 2 turkeys and three legs were thrown away. I cried.

One more story... One our favorite restaurants was closing. We always shared the duck confit salad. I was discussing how much we were going to miss it with the chef and he said to just to the confit at home. He described the process then said "Wait a minute...". A couple of minutes later he showed up at our table with a 5# bucket of duck fat.  I used it a couple of tablespoons at a time but never made confit./ Finally threw it out during on of out moves.

RRP

dannys said:

WT CI Turkey article. First, they always seem to come up with a better "best XYZ recipe. Second, I was disappointed when I started reading the article. I couldn't find where they discussed the rest of the bird?!?!  I know too many people who think turkey begins and end with the breast meat. 

I went to a Thanksgiving at some relatives house where  they cooked 2 turkeys and three legs were thrown away. I cried.

I guess it all depends on where you live and shop - but here I have no problem buying just thighs or just drumsticks, even just wings. Much less just breasts.

As for discards...my b-i-l finds glorious golden turkey skin revolting so he skins the birds before carving!

SciAggie

I’m going to ask a dumb question. How important is the type of fat used in confit?
Duck fat is a bit expensive for a once or twice per year cook. Could duck fat be mixed with canola? Or duck/Crisco? Maybe just lard?

I could find out by cooking myself, but someone hear might have an answer. 

Is suppose a small amount of duck fat with legs in a vacuum bag, then sous vide is effectively cooking confit - it’s all about the lower temps...

not trying to be a heretic, just trying to learn. 

RRP

Well the article said duck fat was their favorite, but chicken fat was ok. BTW this recipe called for 6 cups of fat, so yes, it could be an expensive dish. 

RRP

RRP said:

Well the article said duck fat was their favorite, but chicken fat was ok. BTW this recipe called for 6 cups of fat, so yes, it could be an expensive dish. 

Furthermore - this recipe called for 4# of bone in thighs so at .5# per thigh (though they could weigh twice that or even a little more) then 8 thighs needing 6 cups of fat - well, you get the drift. When I get around to fixing this recipe I sure wouldn't be making a full recipe that's for sure!

caliking

Could someone explain confit to me? I know the part about cooking meat in fat, at low temp, for a long time.

What is the goal? Super tender meat? A difference in flavor that differs from SV? I don't recall having confit anything, but have often wondered about this cooking method.

RRP

caliking said:

Could someone explain confit to me? I know the part about cooking meat in fat, at low temp, for a long time.

What is the goal? Super tender meat? A difference in flavor that differs from SV? I don't recall having confit anything, but have often wondered about this cooking method.

Not going to be accused of plagiarism so here's excerpts from the article.

"Confit" is derived from the French verb "confire" meaning to preserve.

It produces a dense, silky meat with a concentrated deep, complex flavor with little effort. The melted fat heats the turkey meat gently, evenly and efficiently turning the meat very tender. The meat stays moist.

SciAggie

@caliking This is my understanding. Confit in fat is to frying as low and slow bbq is to grilling. 

As I understand it, the goal with confit is to keep the temp of the fat below the boiling point of water. 

The result is to drive away less moisture and cook long enough to break down collagen and connective tissue. 

When frying, all the vigorous bubbles when a product is first submerged is from water being driven away - that and high temps crisp the exterior of whatever is being fried. 

I think of confit in the same way I think of my offset running at 225. Could it be fair to say confit is the old school sous vide? 

SciAggie

@caliking I’ll add that when I cook carnitas in my copper pot it is essentially confit. I cook at about 190 degrees until the pork is fall-apart tender. 

It isn’t greasy because the fat is limited to the exterior of the meat. If water isn’t driven out-so there is no void to be filled with fat. (Or so I’ve read)

Mattman3969

@caliking - kinda sounds like “velveting” for stir fry except using fat instead of water. Low temp liquid as to not abuse the meat.  Am I understanding this correctly?

caliking

@RRP @Mattman3969 @SciAggie Makes more sense now.  Thanks for breaking it down for me.

HEB sells jars of duck fat, so it’s on next week's grocery list. 

AprèsSki

SciAggie said:

I could find out by cooking myself, but someone hear might have an answer. 

  

Is suppose a small amount of duck fat with legs in a vacuum bag, then sous vide is effectively cooking confit - it’s all about the lower temps...


You are on the right track, Serious Eats took this on a while ago. https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2017/12/sous-vide-duck-confit-recipe.html 

As much as I love the process of making a pot of confit the bag it and hot tub it method is just easier. They freeze well too, just thaw and scrape all of the fat into a pan to crisp up your duck or turkey legs.  

Don't fear the duck, our Costco sells them frozen. Once or twice a year, buy 4, thaw and butcher into breasts and legs, render the fat, confit the legs and freeze the breasts and then make stock with the rest. Your freezer will be very happy and you will eat well for a long time.

GlennM

The duck fat is a bit pricey but you reuse it for a long time so it’s really a long term investment. None gets lost in the process, as a matter of fact, more fat will be rendered in the confit process so you could even end up with more than you started with.

I have wondered about putting the fat and thigh in a bag and then Sous Vide, not sure how well the bag would hold together at 200 degrees?

SonVolt

I was eyeballing that recipe as well, just don't like the idea of forking over the $$$ for 6 cups of precious duck fat. 

I did make the Beef Wellington last night from the same issue. It was good, but considering the effort involved, I much prefer a simple grilled Tenderloin.

SonVolt

GlennM said:

The duck fat is a bit pricey but you reuse it for a long time so it’s really a long term investment. None gets lost in the process, as a matter of fact, more fat will be rendered in the confit process so you could even end up with more than you started with.

I have wondered about putting the fat and thigh in a bag and then Sous Vide, not sure how well the bag would hold together at 200 degrees?

The article also gives instructions for Sous Vide and I believe it only calls for 1 cup of duck fat. 

Foghorn

@20stone does his Thanksgiving Turkey this way.  

Botch

SonVolt said:

I did make the Beef Wellington last night from the same issue. 

Daammnnnn!!!  

dannys

RRP said:

I guess it all depends on where you live and shop - but here I have no problem buying just thighs or just drumsticks, even just wings. Much less just breasts.

As for discards...my b-i-l finds glorious golden turkey skin revolting so he skins the birds before carving!

There isn't any problem getting whole birds or parts here either. I was commenting that the article dealt with only the thighs and not the rest of the bird. To me, when some says "best turkey" I want the whole turkey not just the thighs. Don't get me wrong, I love the sound of confit turkey thighs and I have it on my list of things to try. But it would have to be for a select few of my family since most of them avoid the thigh and leg like the plague.

Your BIL is committing a crime bordering on felonious.

SmokeyPitt

Is this the recipe? I can see the video but not the actual recipe. 
https://www.cooksillustrated.com/videos/4479-turkey-thigh-confit-with-citrus-mustard-sauce

SGH