Confit Potatoes
This is a dish of patience and temperature control. You aren't boiling them; you are bathing them until the cellular structure yields to the heat, creating a texture that sits somewhere between a potato cake and a terrine.
Control the fat temperature
The potatoes must be completely submerged to cook evenly. Keep the heat low enough that the fat shimmers but does not aggressively bubble, or the potatoes will fry instead of confit.
- Mandoline
- Small rectangular baking dish
- Parchment paper
- Heavy weight (like a second pan)
What goes in.
- 2 lbYukon Gold potatoes, peeled
- 1 cupduck fat or clarified butter, melted
- 1 tbspfresh thyme leaves
- 2 tspkosher salt
- 1/2 tspfreshly cracked black pepper
Achieving Uniformity
Once cooked, the potatoes must be weighted down while cooling. This compresses the layers into a single, cohesive block that can be sliced cleanly for serving.
The method.
Prep the slices
Use a mandoline to slice the potatoes into 1/8-inch rounds. Do not rinse them; you need the natural starch to help the layers bind together.
Layer and season
Toss the slices with salt, pepper, and thyme. Arrange them in the baking dish like shingles, overlapping slightly until the dish is full.
Submerge
Pour the melted fat over the potatoes. Cover the surface tightly with parchment paper, then foil.
Slow cook
Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 90 minutes. They are ready when a paring knife slides through the center with zero resistance.
Press and chill
Place a weight on top of the parchment paper while the potatoes are still in the dish. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Finish
Turn the block out onto a cutting board, slice into rectangles, and sear both sides in a hot cast-iron skillet until deep golden brown.
Other turns to take.
Garlic Infusion
Add three smashed garlic cloves to the fat before pouring it over the potatoes.
Herb Crust
Swap the thyme for finely chopped rosemary or fresh sage.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a uniform potato size so your slices remain consistent across the whole batch.
If you don't have duck fat, high-quality extra virgin olive oil works, though it results in a less stable final block.
Do not attempt to slice these before they are fully chilled; they will crumble.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use russet potatoes?
Avoid them. They have too much starch and will fall apart during the long cook time, resulting in a mash rather than distinct layers.
How long do these keep?
Once pressed and chilled, the block will stay good in the refrigerator for up to three days before you need to sear them.
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