Tea Duck Legs

 

I had been thinking of tea-smoked duck. I had made tea-smoked duck legs before, but I wasn’t looking forward to all that smoke, so I modified it to slow cook the duck legs in fat instead. It’s not exactly duck confit, though.

• 2 duck legs
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tblsp five-spice powder
• 1” ginger, peeled and sliced
• 4 tblsp sugar
• 2 tblsp salt
• 1 tblsp paprika
• a few dashes of soy sauce
• a few dashes of liquid smoke
• 2 tblsp loose Earl Grey leaves soaked in 1/4 cup cold water
• 2 tblsp olive oil
• 2 tblsp butter

1. In a zip top bag, combine 1/4 cup olive oil, five-spice powder, ginger, sugar, salt, paprika, soy sauce, liquid smoke, tea, and tea leaves. Put the duck legs in the bag and seal. Let marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
2. Heat 2 tblsp olive oil and butter in a skillet over low heat until the butter is melted. Remove the duck legs from the marinade and put them skin side down in the skillet. Cover and cook over low heat for 4 hours, turning every half hour.
3. Remove the duck legs to a casserole. Skim the fat to remove any solids and pour the clear fat over the duck legs.