Gizzard confit – Gésiers confits 🦆

Atsuko

May 13, 2024

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Atsuko

Founder of @Umami Sans Frontières

Don’t throw away that leftover duck fat! In France, duck confit (confit de canard) often comes in cans or jars, and once the meat is gone, a generous amount of flavorful fat remains—perfect for reuse. Try making homemade Gizzard Confit❤️ – a delicious and underrated French dish where gizzards are slowly simmered in duck fat with garlic and herbs until perfectly tender. It’s packed with umami, easy to store, and ideal for adding flavor to pasta, salads, or appetizers.

Expense

💵 💵

Preparation

10 mins

Baking time

120 mins

Rest time

Ingredients

1 Portions

Metric Imperial

500 g

Gizzard
500 ml

An appropriate amount of duck fat (graisse de canard) or olive oil (approx.)
3

Cloves of garlic
2

bay leaves
1

Appropriate amount of your favorite herbs such as rosemary and thyme
3

Teaspoons Coarse salt or salt

Cooking time: Approximately 1.5 to 2 hours *Excluding time spent overnight in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

500 g of Gizzard
500 ml of Duck Fat or Olive Oil (enough to fully cover the gizzards)
2 to 3 cloves of Garlic (peeled)
1 to 2 Bay Leaves
An appropriate amount of your favorite Herbs (such as Rosemary or Thyme)
2 to 3 teaspoons of Coarse Salt or Salt

*Duck fat (graisse de canard)

How to make it:

1/ Marinate the Gizzards: Place the gizzards, salt, bay leaves, and herbs into a zip-top plastic bag. Seal the bag, mix well, and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to infuse.

2/ Wipe Off the Salt and Moisture:The next day, remove the gizzards from the bag and thoroughly pat them dry with kitchen paper to remove any excess salt and moisture. This step helps achieve a mild and balanced flavor.
3/ Prepare for Simmering: In a pot, heat the duck fat or olive oil over low heat. Add the gizzards, peeled garlic, bay leaves, and herbs. Make sure all the ingredients are fully submerged in the fat.

4/ Slow Cook: Once the fat starts to gently simmer, reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and let it simmer for 1 hour.

5/ Check for Tenderness: Pierce a piece with a fork. If it still feels firm, continue simmering for another 30 minutes to 1 hour. Once the gizzards are tender, turn off the heat and let them cool in the pot.

6/ Store the Confit: If not using immediately, transfer the gizzards with the fat into a clean glass jar with a lid. Make sure they are completely covered with fat. Store in the refrigerator — keeps well for about 2 weeks.

⭐️Small Secrets Behind the Flavor⭐️

⭐️Simmer Slowly for Deep Flavor: It takes time, but slow simmering allows the salt and umami to soak in deeply. Let the gizzards cook gently—they’ll turn soft and flavorful, just the way they should be.

⭐️Choose Your Fat: Duck or Olive Oil:Duck fat gives a classic French taste, rich and deep. But olive oil works well too, creating a lighter version that’s still packed with flavor.

⭐️A Tasty Snack with Wine: Gizzard confit pairs wonderfully with wine or beer. The flavor is more refined than Japanese yakitori gizzards—herby, tender, and perfect for a relaxed evening.

⭐️Why I Started Making My Own: French supermarkets sell sliced gizzard confit for salads and quiches – so convenient! But living in Germany and Japan, I make my own and use it in all kinds of dishes.

⭐️A Family Tip I’m Grateful For: It was my father-in-law who told me to save the duck fat. That tip inspired me to try making gizzard confit—and now it’s become a regular part of my cooking.