Confit
Fat heat
Slow-cooked fully submerged in fat at low temperature until meltingly tender, then often crisped to finish.
01At a glance
CategoryFat heat
Taste impact↑ Umami, Fat
TextureTender, Silky
02How to do it
- 1Salt the food (often overnight) and pat it dry.
- 2Submerge fully in fat and heat to a low, steady temperature (around 85–95°C / 185–200°F).
- 3Cook gently for hours until meltingly tender.
- 4Store in the fat, or crisp the surface to finish.
03Doneness & pitfalls
Doneness cues
- The food is spoon-tender and yields with no resistance.
Common mistakes
- Letting the fat get too hot fries rather than confits.
- Not fully submerging leaves exposed parts dry.
- Rushing the time leaves it tough.
04How it shifts taste
Taste multipliers
mutesamplifies
Sweet
—
Sour
—
Salty
—
Bitter
—
Umami
1.10×
Fat
1.30×
Heat
—
05Texture outcomes
Tender9.0
Silky7.2