Duck fat and stock

Not for the faint hearted!

Yesterday, we had roast duck. The fat that drains off can be used to make confit of duck at a later stage, and the stock can be used in a cassoulet. The confit, as you probably guessed, can be used in a cassoulet.

I've drained the fat out of the roasting tin into a bowl: placed in the fridge, it will then set.

The carcass of the duck has been placed in a large saucepan and covered with water, brought to the boil, and then simmered for a few hours. Exact temperature is not important, nor is cooking time (the longer it's cooked, the stronger it will be). Generally, it's "done" when the carcass has really fallen apart.

The stock will be allowed to cool and then strained, the solids thrown away and the stock put in the fridge overnight. Really strong stocks will set as a jelly in the fridge. I sometimes boil the stock between straining and refrigerating to reduce its volume (which is then more likely to set). Once chilled, stock can be put in tupperware containers and frozen.

The layer of fat that gathers at the top of the stock can be skimmed off quite easily if you let it set, and added to the bowl of fat gathered earlier.

I find, generally, that fat from two ducks is more than adequate for making confit of two duck legs.

If push comes to shove, supermarkets do generally sell duck or goose fat now - especially in the run-up to Christmas.

I plan to post to this blog at a later date when I make the confit. Watch this space.