Crispy Pork Confit
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- â…› teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon celery seeds
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 bay leaves, crushed
- ½ cup kosher salt
- 1 pound pork butt, cut into 8 pieces
- 6 cups duck or goose fat (substitute extra virgin olive oil if you cannot get the fat)
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
Instructions:
Confit can also be served by itself as a luxurious appetizer (this recipe makes more than enough for 4), accompanied with sautéed apples and wilted greens.
- Combine the spice mixture ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss the pork pieces with the spice mix, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 to 18 hours.
- Heat the duck fat in a large heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. (It’s important to use a pot with a heavy bottom so that it conducts the heat evenly.) Add the garlic cloves and onion and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Check the temperature with a deep-fry thermometer—it should read 185°F. Lower the heat if necessary.
- Remove the pork from the refrigerator, rinse well, and pat dry with paper towels. Carefully lower the pork into the fat. It should be submerged. Cook, uncovered, until the meat is falling apart, 2½ to 3 hours. Let cool in the fat.
- Remove the pork from the pot and shred into ½-inch pieces. Strain the fat. Transfer the pork to a glass or ceramic container and add enough fat to just cover it. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Strain the remaining fat into a container, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for another use. The confit and fat will keep for several weeks refrigerated.