maize production made it economical to force-feed fowl and generate the necessary fat In the age of canning and refrigeration, confits are still made as a convenient, longkeeping ingredient that lends its distinctive flavor to salads, stews, and soups The traditional French confit is made by salting pieces of meat for a day, sometimes along with herbs and spices, then drying them, immersing them in fat, and heating very gradually and gently for several hours The meat, often still pink or red inside (p 149), is then drained, placed in a sterilized container over an additional sprinkling of salt, the fat skimmed from any spoilage-prone meat juices, reheated, and then poured over the meat Sealed and stored in a cool place, the confit keeps for several months, and can be reheated periodically to extend its useful life The small but real risk that botulism bacteria could grow in this low-oxygen environment is reduced by the second dose of salt, by storage temperatures below 40ºF/4ºC, and by the addition of nitrate or nitrite to the salt Most modern versions of the confit are either canned or are refrigerated for safety and made to be eaten within a few days, so they’re salted mildly, more for flavor and color than for preservation The flavor of a traditional confit is said to improve over the course of several months Though the cooking presumably kills bacteria and inactivates all enzymes in the meat, there will certainly be biochemical changes in the meat over time, and the fat will oxidize A slight rancidity is part of the flavor of a traditional confit Food Words: Confit These days the word confit is used loosely to describe just about anything cooked slowly and gently to a rich, succulent consistency: onions in olive oil, for example, or shrimp cooked and stored ... and inactivates all enzymes in the meat, there will certainly be biochemical changes in the meat over time, and the fat will oxidize A slight rancidity is part of the flavor of a traditional confit Food Words: Confit These...salt, by storage temperatures below 40ºF/4ºC, and by the addition of nitrate or nitrite to the salt Most modern versions of the confit are either canned or are refrigerated for safety and made to be eaten within a few days, so they’re... salted mildly, more for flavor and color than for preservation The flavor of a traditional confit is said to improve over the course of several months Though the cooking presumably kills bacteria and inactivates all enzymes in the meat, there