Brown Sugar Duck Legs
Serves: 4
Prep Time: inutes
Cook Time: inutes
Total Time: inutes
Braised duck legs may feel like a luxury reserved for fancy restaurants, but they’re actually a very doable home cooking project. This recipe breaks the process down step-by-step, starting with shallow frying whole bone-in, skin-on Bell & Evans Duck Legs, then sautéing alliums in the rendered fat. A generous splash of bourbon, brown sugar and flavor-rich Bell & Evans Organic Chicken Bone Broth create the braising liquid that keeps the duck legs beautifully tender during their time in the oven. A final hit of high heat crisps the skin up to a picture-perfect deep golden-brown. Serve this showstopper at your next holiday meal or dinner party as a memorable main dish.
Ingredients
- 2 Pkgs Bell & Evans Duck Legs
- 2-2 1/2 cups Bell & Evans Organic Chicken Bone Broth
- 2 1/2 tsp Salt, plus more, to taste
- 1/4 tsp Pepper, plus more, to taste
- 2 tsp Olive oil
- 2 large Shallots, chopped
- 5 cloves Garlic, crushed
- 1/2 cup Bourbon
- 1/4 cup packed Brown sugar
- 3 sprigs Fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Pat the duck dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large, shallow Dutch-oven over medium heat. Sear the duck, skin-side-down, until golden-brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add the shallots and garlic to the duck fat in the Dutch-oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are tender and garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the bourbon and brown sugar, and simmer until reduced by half. Place duck legs skin-side-up in bourbon mixture. Add enough broth to cover the legs halfway. Top with the thyme, and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
- Cover Dutch-oven with lid and transfer to oven. Braise duck until the meat is fork-tender and internal temperature reaches 190°F, as measured by a meat thermometer, about 2 hours. Remove from oven. Discard the thyme sprigs and skim any fat from the top of cooking liquid.
- Increase oven to 500°F. Place the duck back in the oven, uncovered, and cook until skin is crisp, about 4-7 minutes. Garnish with additional thyme, and serve.
- Tip: Serve with a side of roasted baby potatoes, multi-color carrots and parsnips for a simple, complete meal.
