Prepare the cure: pat the Duck Legs dry and coat them generously with a mixture of Sea Salt, crushed Garlic Cloves, chopped Thyme, crumbled Bay Leaves and crushed Black Peppercorns. Place the legs in a single layer in a dish, cover, and refrigerate for 12–24 hours.
After curing, rinse the cure off the legs under cold water and thoroughly pat them dry with paper towels. Let them sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes to dry further.
Preheat your oven to 225°F (110°C). Meanwhile, gently melt enough Duck Fat in a saucepan to fully submerge the legs.
Arrange the dried legs skin-side down in an ovenproof dish or deep pan, then pour the warm duck fat over them until they are completely covered. Tuck a few extra thyme sprigs or a bay leaf into the fat if you like.
Cover the dish and bake for 2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender and easily pulls away from the bone.
Remove the dish from the oven and allow the legs to cool in the fat to room temperature. You can refrigerate the legs submerged in fat for storage (this preserves them) or proceed to crisp them immediately.
To finish and serve, lift the legs from the fat and wipe off excess. For crisp skin, sear the legs skin-side down in a hot skillet for 4–6 minutes or place them under a hot broiler for a few minutes until golden and crackling.
Finish with a light sprinkle of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Strain and reserve the remaining duck fat for roasting potatoes or future confit batches.
