How to Make Duck Rillettes - A Step-by-Step Guide

Duck rillettes is a French dish that has been enjoyed for centuries. It is a rich and flavorful spread made from duck meat that is slowly cooked in its own fat, resulting in a tender and succulent texture. The dish is traditionally served as an appetizer or a snack, often accompanied by crusty bread, cornichons, and a glass of wine.

One of the key elements of duck rillettes is the slow cooking process, which allows the meat to become incredibly tender and infused with the rich flavor ...

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Ingredients

  • 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, or more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 12 cloves garlic
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 orange, zested into thin strips
  • 6 (1/4-inch-thick) slices fresh ginger
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 whole duck
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon brandy (such as Armagnac)
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or to taste

Information

  • Prep Time: 1 hr
  • Cook Time: 5 hrs 5 mins
  • Additional Time: 1 day 13 hrs
  • Total Time: 1 day 19 hrs 5 mins
  • Servings: 12
  • Yield: 3 cups

  • Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Line a 9x13-baking dish with two pieces of aluminum foil.
  • Make the spice rub: Stir kosher salt, pepper, and thyme together in a small bowl. Make the seasoning mix: Mix garlic, thyme sprigs, garlic, ginger, and bay leaves together in another bowl.
  • Season duck all over, both inside and out, with about 2/3 of the spice rub. Fill the cavity with all of the seasoning mix. Place duck, breast-side up, into the prepared baking dish and season with remaining spice rub. Wrap duck tightly in aluminum foil.
  • Roast in the preheated oven until meat pulls away from the bones, 5 to 6 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Cool duck with its accumulated juices, wrapped in aluminum foil, to room temperature, about 1 hour. Chill in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
  • Pick meat from the bones and place into a bowl.
  • Spoon all accumulated juices in the foil into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Cook until hot throughout, about 5 minutes. Strain juices through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Let fat and stock separate, then transfer fat from the top to another bowl.
  • Mash duck meat, 3 tablespoons duck fat, 2 tablespoons duck stock, butter, brandy, parsley, chives, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Transfer to to a sealable container, press down, and drizzle a little duck fat over the top. Sprinkle thyme leaves, more black pepper, and orange zest over the top. Seal the container and refrigerate for the flavors to blend, 1 to 3 days.
  • Nutrition

    125 cal.

    • Total Fat: 9g
    • Saturated Fat: 4g
    • Cholesterol: 25mg
    • Sodium: 544mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 6g
    • Dietary Fiber: 1g
    • Total Sugars: 0g
    • Protein: 5g
    • Vitamin C: 4mg
    • Calcium: 22mg
    • Iron: 1mg
    • Potassium: 175mg