Techniques › Heat and cooking methods
Confit (slow-cooking in fat)
Advanced Heat and cooking methods
Confit is cooking food slowly while submerged in fat at a low temperature until it is very tender.
Written with AI help from the sources listed, and published by Cory. Sources: USDA safe minimum internal temperatures, USDA on the danger zone (40-140°F). Spot a mistake? Tell us and we'll fix it.
How do you do it?
- Salt meat like duck legs and refrigerate several hours or overnight, then rinse and pat dry.
- Place in a snug pan and cover completely with fat or oil.
- Cook in a 200-275°F oven or on very low heat, with only a few lazy bubbles, until fork-tender, often 2-4 hours.
- For garlic confit, cool and refrigerate it in the oil and use within 4 days.
Why does it work?
Fat holds a steady, gentle heat and doesn't evaporate, so the food cooks evenly and slowly. Long, low cooking breaks down connective tissue while the surrounding fat keeps the outside from drying out.
What are the common mistakes?
- Oil too hot — the food fries and toughens instead of turning silky.
- Storing garlic in oil at room temperature — it can grow dangerous bacteria.
Still stuck? Watch someone do it on YouTube.
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