Duck fat is expensive, so after making confit duck legs I always clean it and keep it to use again. It’s a bit of a faff, but it’s worth it.
Getting the duck out. Put a pack of confit duck, straight from the fridge, in a tray and heat very gently until the fat has melted, then lift out the legs.
For crispy skin. The drier the skin, the crispier it gets. I do this in the morning and put the barely warm legs in the fridge, uncovered, to dry out before roasting later.
Cleaning the fat. Pour the melted fat into a bowl and leave to cool, then chill. All the impurities settle at the bottom.
Storing it. Spoon the clean fat into a sterilised jar – I put the lid on straight out of the dishwasher. Use a clean spoon, never your fingers, and scrape the impurities from the bottom of the bowl into the bin. Keep it in a cool, dark place or the fridge.
It’s fantastic for roast potatoes, or use it to confit some more duck.