The market · Fats and oils · Southern Europe

Duck fat

The fat rendered from duck — rich and savoury, softer than lard. For confit and the best roast potatoes.

rich · savoury

What to do with it

Rosa Ibarra's Clarified milk punch, mezcal and pineappleDuck fat would soften its edgeIbu Sari's Sambal ijoDuck fat would soften its edgeKenji Hara's Milk punch, with hojichaDuck fat would soften its edge
Classics built on it
Gascon and the South-WestCassouletWhite beans baked slowly in a deep clay dish with duck confit, pork and garlicky sausage, under a crust that's broken and formed again.No one here has made it yetGascon and the South-WestConfit de canardDuck legs salted overnight, cooked slowly in their own fat until tender, then fried crisp to serve.No one here has made it yet

If you can't find it

Butchers and supermarkets, in jars.

  1. 1Lard
    The same
    You lose the savoury, roasted-duck note.

Goes with

potatogarlicthymeduck leg

Knowing it

Where to buy
In jars from supermarkets and French delis — or save it from a roast duck.
Worth knowing
Strain and keep every drop. It lasts for months in the fridge, and confit fat can be used again.

Kitchens that keep it in

Gascony and the south-west of France — from Bordeaux and the Périgord down to Toulouse and the PyreneesGascon and the South-WestDuck and goose in every form, cooked and kept in their own fat, with white beans, garlic, walnuts, prunes and a glass of Armagnac.7 classics

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