Other Confits, Crock-pot

[winesonoma]

So what other Confits can you use a Crock-pot for. Lets hear the ideas.

Edited November 30, 2004 by winesonoma (log)

[Tonyy13]

I did a quick stage at Charlie Trotters in Chicago, and they did a Poussin Confit (poussin=baby chicken), although I would say that you could totaly do it with full roaster size chickens if you wanted to. Also, you could totally do rabbit leg confit the same way as duck (cure, then cook). For added expertise, try boning out the leg, stuffing it with a farce made from the other parts of the rabbit or chicken, and sew them shut, cure and confit.

[winesonoma]

I did a quick stage at Charlie Trotters in Chicago, and they did a Poussin Confit (poussin=baby chicken), although I would say that you could totaly do it with full roaster size chickens if you wanted to.  Also, you could totally do rabbit leg confit the same way as duck (cure, then cook).  For added expertise, try boning out the leg, stuffing it with a farce made from the other parts of the rabbit or chicken, and sew them shut, cure and confit.

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This is in a crock-pot? I don't have time to tend often.

[Suzanne F]

But that's the beauty of using a slow cooker to make a confit: you don't have to tend it. The low, slow temperature is just what you want. Once you've done the cure (assuming meat/poultry/fish), just put the stuff in the pot with the fat, cover it, turn it on, and let 'er rip. Come back whenever you feel like checking.

I may never do it any other way now.

[Tonyy13]

But that's the beauty of using a slow cooker to make a confit: you don't have to tend it. The low, slow temperature is just what you want.

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Just like she said, that is exactly what you want, confit takes a while anyway, and if you have it on a timer, than it will be super easy. We used to cook the confit of rabbit for almost 2 hours in the UK, so if your crock pot doesn't have a timer on it, you can always use one of those timers that go into the outlet to time lights. Have fun confiting!!

[fifi]

In the first place, I never thought of using the crockpot for confit. DUH! I am figuring that you can confit anything in there. Now I just have to find some duck fat.

[winesonoma]

Kohls has a one day sale tomorrow Dec 1 for a West Bend 6 qt slowcooker for $20. If you don't have one. code seems to be in the paper as P113036 , 50% off selected kitchen electrics. I guess I'm buying one.

[Suzanne F]

DO! Mine is also a 6-quart -- Russell Hobbs (sp?) that looks suspiciously similar to the one Williams Sonoma is selling for a lot more -- and I just love it. For confit (duck, onions, etc.), for stock, for braises. Oh, and for congee!

[Jensen]

Oh, and for congee!

Please elaborate on the crockpot congee! I tried congee in my rice cooker a while back but it didn't work out very well; my cooker doesn't have a porridge setting and so it eventually burbled all over my countertops.

[rascal]

First time poster here....

What about non-poultry confit? I'm thinking sparerib confit in bacon fat might be pretty tasty (and cheaper as well). Maybe finish with a stepped up barbecue or hosin sauce.

[Suzanne F]

Welcome, rascal! What you suggest sounds kind of like rillettes, no? YES! The only thing is that after it's all cooked, you'll need to remove the bones. And I suspect that you might have a jell-able liquid exuded from the meat and cartilage, that you would want to store separately from the "confit."

Jensen: I think I followed directions that were given here on a congee thread (probably THIS ONE on the China and Chinese food board). Something like one cup of rice to many quarts of water, cooked on LOW overnight. Ridiculously easy -- no need to stir stir stir.

Edited December 1, 2004 by Suzanne F (log)

[Tonyy13]

Welcome Rascal, great to have you!! New to the place myself, this is fun!!!! Anyway, sounds like a great idea, but I would be careful how much bacon fat to use! You will completely lose any "pork" flavor, you will however pick up a heavenly bacon flavor, but some people don't like an overpowering bacon flavor (I don't know why....). Anyway, if you can use duck fat, that is what I suggest, it give a richer flavor to whatever you confit in my opinion, and you don't particularly add any other flavors to what you want to confit. We use the duck fat as a base to confit our foie gras, then after about 4 minutes in the warmed duck fat, we remove the foie, wrap it in a plastic wrap tube like you would for a compound butter, and hang it. Works great!! I am pretty sure that you can order duck fat from the Maple Leaf Farms website. Dont' know how to post URL's yet (or pics, can anyone help??), but google them, and I am sure you will find it.

[rascal]

Thanks for the advice! I probably need to find a source for lard if I'm going to try this. Can I just buy lard in a ordinary supermarket? I must admit I've never really looked. The reason bacon fat sprang into my head was because I tend to always have a bunch on hand

What is the real different between confit and rilletes? I had the idea in my head that rilletes was confit, shredded and with some more fat mixed in to make more of a paste texture.

Anyhoo- I *DO* have a quart or so of duck fat in the fridge right now from a chef friend- I'm just treating that like gold since I don't know when I'll be able to get more. The plan is to make some duck confit but I've just been scheming coming up with other ideas.

Does anyone have experience with confit other than poultry? Foie gras confit sounds damn good but a little out of my range as of yet...

[fifi]

Thanks for the advice!  I probably need to find a source for lard if I'm going to try this.  Can I just buy lard in a ordinary supermarket? 

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Nope. Do not buy the stuff on the shelf. It is hydrogenated and doesn't taste like anything but plastic. A Mexican market may have fresh lard. Otherwise, you have to make it yourself but it isn't hard. I posted about making lard in the tamale thread here.

I am jealous of your duck fat.

[Tonyy13]

I am jealous of your duck fat.

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You guys are crazy!!! Buy some off of the internet, or go to a local butcher shop, it will come in a 2.5# tub from Maple Leaf Farms and it will last you forever. Make french fries in it, and enjoy!!

[winesonoma]

I am jealous of your duck fat.

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You guys are crazy!!! Buy some off of the internet, or go to a local butcher shop, it will come in a 2.5# tub from Maple Leaf Farms and it will last you forever. Make french fries in it, and enjoy!!

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For all things duck http://www.secure-kew.com/grimaud/main.mv