The cure is done in order to help with preservation. Really, introducing curing salt to the meat fully during this process is more important than removing moisture with the regular salt, at least if you plan to preserve it in the fat. This is done for the same reasons of botulism reduction as it is in smoked products. Once the meat is properly confited, moisture should be reduced to a level that it won't pose a problem. For my personal purposes, I usually do 2% kosher salt and .5% pink salt, plus various herbs and spices.
