Feeds: 4
Prep time: 30 hours
Active prep time: 30 minutes

4 pc. Brome Lake duck legs (*Wild Game Consultants, 780.452.6890)
1 lt. rendered duck fat (*Wild Game Consultants, 780.452.6890)
½ cup coarse salt
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 clove garlic
4 pc. juniper berries
1 tsp. peppercorns
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 pc. bay leaf

• Lightly rinse, then pat dry the duck legs
• Peel and press the garlic to release the oils
• Using a mallet, squish the juniper berries to release all of the flavour
• In a bowl combine salt, sugar, garlic, juniper berries, peppercorns, fresh thyme and bay leaf
• In a pan, or plastic tub, generously rub the entirety of the salt rub into the four duck legs, don’t worry, this is a cure and is used to flavour the ducks, and to begin to break the ducks down, you won’t be eating all that salt!
• Wrap the duck in plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight, allow it to cure for 18-24 hours
• Once it has cured, lightly rinse the duck legs again, to remove any excess salt, then pat dry
• Preheat the oven to 300F
• In a pot, bring the duck fat to a simmer
• Either place the duck legs in a deep roasting pan and pour the oil over the duck legs to completely immerse them, or carefully immerse the duck legs right into the pot, as lng as the pot can go in the oven
• Cover the pot or pan with aluminum foil and place in the oven
• Allow to slowly braise the duck legs in the fat until they are fork tender and the meat is falling away from the bones, about 4-5 hours, you want to cook it enough for them to be tender, but for the sake of presentation, not so long that the meat falls right off the bone
• Allow the legs to rest in the fat while you prepare the salad