Duck Rillette
Duck legs cooked low and slow until tender, shredded into a smooth paste, and marinated for a day or two — a classic French spread for toasted brioche.
Ingredients
- 4 duck legs
- ½ red onion
- 1 orange or 5 kumquats
- 1.5 dl white wine
- 2 teaspoons green peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the duck legs, skin side down, in a thick-bottomed pan and start to heat.
- Meanwhile, chop the onion. Grate the zest from the orange. Grind the peppers in a mortar with pestle.
- When the duck fat starts to release on the pan, add the red onion. Sauté the onion until lightly brownish.
- Add all the remaining ingredients, cover with a lid and let simmer gently for a couple of hours. Add more liquid if needed. NOTE: Canned duck legs are already cooked, so less than an hour is enough time to cook.
- The bird is ready when you can pull the bones out easily. Use forks to shread the rillette into a smooth paste and lift into a disinfected glass jar with a lid. Leave the Duck Rillette to marinate in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- Toast the brioche slices and serve the Duck Rillette at room temperature with the brioche.
Notes
- Don't skip the marinating time — 1–2 days in the fridge lets the wine, orange, and rosemary flavor the meat fully.
- Canned duck legs cut the cooking time to under an hour, since they're already cooked through.
- A thin layer of the rendered duck fat spooned over the top before chilling helps the rillette keep longer and stay moist.
- Use a sterilized jar for storage to keep the rillette fresh for the full week.
- Serve at room temperature, not straight from the fridge, so the texture stays spreadable.
Nutrition
Calories: 214kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 23gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 412mgPotassium: 57mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 40IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 2mg
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