Marscafe Home      CHEF MARS' PICKLING PRIMER
   THE RECIPES: PRESERVED MEATS

QUICK FINDER

| CONFIT D'OIE | CORNED TOUNGE |

In historic French culinary nomenclature, "Confit" refers to the meat of the goose, duck, rabbit, pig, turkey and suitable game, that has been slowly cooked in its own fat and subsequently covered to preserve it with that same fat. During the last 20 years of the 20th century, the term "Confit" has been extrapolated to include the manipulation and preserving of items such as lemons and grapefruit.

Goose and duck confit are considered essential for a number of provincial French stews such as cassoulet and soups. Aside from all of the dishes that require preserved goose or duck, it can be served on its own by removing all of the fat and heating the meat pieces slowly in a skillet. When golden brown on all sides serve them with green peas cooked in goose fat, mushrooms or lentils. It can also be used to garnish a salad.

The overall scheme the is to prepare pieces of more-or-less equal size; remove as much water as possible from the tissue; prepare clean fat; simmer the pieces in the hot fat; strain fat to re-clean; cover the pieces with the fat to seal from the damaging effects of air. It is interesting to note that as important and essential as water is to human survival and the composition of our bodies and brains, it is the destroyer when it comes to preserving, causing rot, mold mildew and decay.

The recipe below is equally applicable to any of the above mentioned animals. In the restaurant environment, I most frequently use the process to preserve duck legs, as duck breast is a very popular menu item.

CONFIT D'OIE or PRESERVED GOOSE...the old fashioned, classical way

    THE INGREDIENTS

  • 1 10-14 pound goose
  • 1 tsp quatre epices
  • 1 tbs powdered thyme
  • 2 tbs powdered bay leaf
  • 4 cloves garlics / crushed
  • 2-3 pounds Kosher salt

    THE PREPARATION
  1. Clean the goose, remove and reserve all the fat then and cut the goose it into 6 pieces:
    • 2 legs
    • 2 breasts
    • 2 carcasses
  2. Mix the thyme and bay leaf with the salt and rub the goose pieces with the *salt.
    • layer the well salted pieces in a deep glass or stainless steel container
    • cover with more salt
    • let rest in a cool place for 24 hours
    • *the function of the salt is to draw out the water from the tissue.
  3. Clean the fat and then render (melt) all the suitable pieces with the garlic in a heavy bottomed large skillet or pot. When completed, strain thru a chinois or fine cheesecloth.
  4. Rinse the salt off the goose pieces and then dry completely.
  5. Place the pieces in the stained fat and simmer uncovered at the lowest heat for about 2 to 2.5 hours. Do not over cook as these goose pieces will all be cooked another time in a stew or soup. Soft but slightly firm is what is needed.
  6. When finished, turn off the heat and let the pot cool down...do not stir. The objective is to allow the meat juices to settle to the bottom and the goose fat to rise to the top.
  7. When the fat begins to settle itself, carefully ladle through a chino is some of it onto the bottom of a sterilized ceramic crock, glass crock or stainless steel dish that is big enough to accommodate your pieces.
  8. Then using a slotted spoon or tongs, carefully remove a piece of goose and place it on top of the fat layer you just poured into the bottom of the container, pour over more stained goose fat, layer another piece of goose and so on.
    • Finish with the fat completely covering the last piece of goose by 1/4 of an inch.
    • Be very careful not to stir the contents or go down too far into the cooking pot to retrieve the melted fat or you may introduce some of the meat juices into the storage container. You only want to use pure fat.
  9. Optional is to make a final layer with about 1/2 inch of lard.
  10. If you only remove some (not all) of the confit make sure you completely reseal the top of the container by re-melting the lard or goose fat, whichever is the top most layer.

CONFIT D'OIE or PRESERVED DUCK...a modern way

    THE INGREDIENTS

  • 12 duck legs (about 8-10 pounds)
  • 4 (approx) pounds of commercial Canadian Goose Fat
  • 1 tsp quatre epices
  • 1 tbs powdered thyme
  • 2 tbs powdered bay leaf
  • 4 cloves garlics / crushed
  • 2-3 pounds Kosher salt

    THE PREPARATION

  1. Mix the thyme and bay leaf with the salt and rub the duck legs with the *salt.
    • layer the well salted pieces of duck legs in a deep glass or stainless steel container
    • cover with more salt
    • let rest in a cool place for 24 hours
    • *the function of the salt is to draw out the water from the tissue.
  2. Melt the goose fat with the garlic in a heavy bottomed large skillet or pot.
  3. Rinse the salt off the duck legs and then dry completely.
  4. Place the pieces in the stained fat and simmer uncovered at the lowest heat for about 1 to 1.5 hours. Do not over cook as these pieces will all be cooked another time in a stew or soup. Soft but slightly firm is what is needed.
  5. When finished, turn off the heat and let the pot cool down...do not stir. The objective is to allow the meat juices to settle to the bottom and the goose fat to rise to the top.
  6. When the fat begins to settle itself, carefully ladle through a chinois some of it onto the bottom of a sterilized ceramic crock, glass crock or stainless steel dish that is big enough to accommodate your duck legs.
  7. Then using a slotted spoon or tongs, carefully remove a duck leg and place it on top of the fat layer you just poured into the bottom of the container, pour over more stained goose fat, layer another duck leg and so on.
    • Finish with the fat completely covering the last duck leg by 1/4 of an inch.
    • Be very careful not to stir the contents or go down too far into the cooking pot to retrieve the melted fat or you may introduce some of the meat juices into the storage container. You only want to use pure fat.
  8. Optional is to make a final layer with about 1/2 inch of lard.
  9. If you only remove some (not all) of the confit make sure you completely reseal the top of the container by re-melting the lard or goose fat, whichever is the top most layer.


CORNED or PICKLED TOUNGE

The term "To Corn" is derived from an old English word for coarse salt, (which has grains the size of corn kernels) used to make the brines that preserved meat. The overall general process is a simple one: place the fresh meat in a heavily salted brine, add spices for flavor and let sit or cure.

The "corning of meat" or "curing in brine" - "pickling", is most commonly applied to cuts of beef. Saltpeter or sodium nitrite is optional and is used to maintain a pink color in the meat. If you choose to use this controversial additive, it is normally used at the ratio of 1 ounce (28.4 grams or 2 tablespoons which equals 6 teaspoons) to each 100 pounds of raw meat; omission of saltpeter will not effect the flavor only the color. The meat is cured for 10 to 25 days in a refrigerator at 38-48 degrees F (3-9 degrees Celsius) depending on the piece's size, or 3 days curing time for each pound. The spice mix can very from the purchasing of a premade picking spice or crab-boil in the supermarket to the making of your own blend. When finished, the brined or corned beef or tongue is placed in a heavy pot with all the corning spices, covered with water and simmered for 3-5 hours depending on the size of the piece.

CORNED TONGUE RECIPE

    THE INGREDIENTS

  • FRESH BEEF TONGUE (3-4 POUNDS) WELL TRIMMED OR
    (3 TO 4 CALVES tongueS 3/4 LB. EACH)
  • 1/2 CUP OF BROWN SUGAR, PACKED
  • 2 BAY LEAVES, CRUMBLED
  • 1/2 TSP. WHOLE ALLSPICE, BRUISED
  • 1/2 TSP. WHOLE BLACK PEPPER, BRUISED
  • 2 TSPS. WHOLE CORIANDER SEEDS, BRUISED
  • 1 TSP. MUSTARD SEED, BRUISED
  • 3 CLOVES OF GARLIC, WHOLE WITH SKIN ON
  • 1 SMALL RED CHILI PEPPER
  • 1 FRESH EGG IN SHELL; TO TEST THE BRINE'S SALINITY
  • COARSE KOSHER SALT AS NEEDED
  • WATER TO COVER

    THE PREPARATION
  • Select a non reactive bowl or container large enough to hold the tongue and enough water to cover by at least 2 inches. Make sure it will fit into your refrigerator. Glass, stainless steel, ceramic or an enameled bowl are good.
  • Place the tongue in a plastic bag and lower into the container you selected. Run enough cold water to cover the tongue by at least two inches. Remember to keep the top of the bag open and above the water level. This step is to determine how much water you will need to "corn or pickle" the tongue. Remove the bag with the tongue(s) when finished measuring the need amount of water. I recommend you use spring or distilled water in place of tap water.
  • Here is where you will use the egg. Begin to add the salt to the water, about 1/2 a cup at a time, stirring well each time to dissolve before adding more. Stop adding salt when the egg floats, and remove the egg. You will probably use between 1-2 cups of salt.
  • Stir in all the remaining ingredients except the tongue, transfer to a pot and bring to a boil and srong-simmer 20 minutes. Then let the brine cool down to room temperature.
  • While the brine is cooling prick the tongue all over with a needle or other similar instrument. This will allow the brine to penetrate the tissue.
  • When the brine is fully cooled pour it over the tongue (which should be in the non corrosive container), top with loose plastic and then weigh the meat down so it will stay under the surface. Cover the whole container with more plastic film and refrigerate for the time indicated based on the meat's weight (remember, if you use multiple pieces it is not the combined weight but the the weight of the heaviest piece only). Make sure the meat is turned every 2 days and that it is always completely immersed....add a bit more water or make some extra brine if need to complete this immersion.

    THE COOKING
  • Place the tongue(s) in a pot with enough water to cover by 3 inches.
  • Add some coarsely chopped carrots, onion, celery, and the brine spices (strain the brine to recover this), and 2 ozs of vinegar and bring to a simmer.
  • Partially cover and simmer until done, or about 2 1/2 hours.
  • Remove the tongue(s), let cool for 5 minutes and slit the skin and peel it off.
  • Slice and serve the corned tongue.