Sous vide is a great technique for tenderizing fibrous meats without overcooking. I tried a duck breast yesterday, about six hours at 135F, then flash-browned over a wood fire. Perfectly medium-rare, the fat nicely rendered, and the skin very crisp. Way more tender (from older ducks) than a breast from the same hatch crisped in a saute pan then finished to medium-rare in the oven.
I've been making duck confit via the sous vide method for the past year. I'd rate it about 90% of the taste/texture of conventional confit, but way easier and far more economical of fat. For this I do 180F for about 8 hours, then cool in water and refrigerate for two or three days to let it mellow. It also freezes nicely. Just thaw and crisp to eat. And save the fat.
You can do sous vide very inexpensively, with a bit more hands-on. I use a big pasta pot with a strainer insert and a digital thermometer. On an electric stove, I can maintain temperatures plus-or-minus 5 degrees, which is good enough for who it's for, as we say in Maine. The key is to maintain that temperature for a half-hour or so before putting in the vacuum-bagged food, to allow the temperature to stabilize.
I've been making duck confit via the sous vide method for the past year. I'd rate it about 90% of the taste/texture of conventional confit, but way easier and far more economical of fat. For this I do 180F for about 8 hours, then cool in water and refrigerate for two or three days to let it mellow. It also freezes nicely. Just thaw and crisp to eat. And save the fat.
You can do sous vide very inexpensively, with a bit more hands-on. I use a big pasta pot with a strainer insert and a digital thermometer. On an electric stove, I can maintain temperatures plus-or-minus 5 degrees, which is good enough for who it's for, as we say in Maine. The key is to maintain that temperature for a half-hour or so before putting in the vacuum-bagged food, to allow the temperature to stabilize.