Confit: Slow-Poaching & Preservation
Confit (pronounced cone-FEE) is traditionally a technique for preserving poultry and meats such as duck, goose or pork (but can be extended to use with fish) that involves cooking the meat in its own fat and then storing it in this fat in a covered container. The types of fat to use can vary and can include: goose, duck, beef, chicken and/or pork fat.
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Step 1
Preheat oven to ideal confit temperature. Refer to guidelines at the bottom of this presentation based on type of meat, poultry or fish you a cooking. 
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Step 2
Prepare your meat by marinating for 12-24 hours with various herbs and spices. This marinade is dependent on your preferences and can be omitted altogether. 
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Step 3
Temper your meat to room temperature. This will ensure uniform cooking. Ideally, leave at room temperature for no more than 2 hours for health and safety standards. 
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Step 4
While meat is tempering, melt fat slowly in a pot. You'll need enough fat to cover so that your meat is completely submerged in the fat and can be moved around with ease. 
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Step 5
Carefully transfer melted fat to a deep insert pan. Pat dry your meat and slowly submerge in pan full of fat. Cover with lid or aluminum foil and place in oven. 
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Step 6
Review section below in this presentation for timelines on confit cooking, which is dependant on the meat being prepared. Remove pan from oven, check temperature of meat with a digital thermometer and slowly remove meat from pan, placing on a baking sheet lined with a rack; this will help drain excess fat away from the meat. 
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Confit Cooking Guidelines
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Poultry
Fish
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Beef
Pork
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