I have a real soft spot for duck leg cooked in a pressure cooker. It's the kind of dish that evokes classic French Sunday cooking, but without taking up your entire afternoon. The pressure cooker does most of the work: you brown the duck, season it, close the lid, and you end up with tender meat that practically falls off the bone with a spoon.
I make the most classic recipe possible: carrots, onions, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, a little white wine, and stock. I also add button mushrooms because they love this type of sauce and give it that very comforting, simmered quality.
And for the little homemade touch (without betraying tradition), I finish by reducing the sauce uncovered: this concentrates the juices and gives a nice coating sauce.
Technically speaking, it's quite simple: the secret is to sear the chicken thighs well at the start to render some of the fat and create a flavorful base. Then, deglaze the pan, add the vegetables, and let the pressure cook the rest. In just 50 minutes, you have a complete, simple, and frankly generous dish.
Seasonally speaking, I'm happy when I can add carrots, mushrooms, and a little fresh parsley: it keeps the dish lively and not heavy. And if you like, homemade mashed potatoes or steamed potatoes on the side are just perfect!
Duck legs in a pressure cooker
4
people17
minutes33
minutes540
kcal50
minutesA recipe for duck legs, browned and then simmered in a pressure cooker with carrots, onions, and mushrooms. A light white wine sauce, beautifully flavored with thyme, and melt-in-your-mouth meat that falls right off the bone!
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Ingredients
4 duck legs (approx. 300g each)
2 yellow onions (approx. 120g each), sliced
3 carrots (approx. 100g each), sliced
250g of button mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
20 cl of dry white wine
20 cl of chicken stock
1 tablespoon of tomato paste (approx. 15g per tablespoon)
1 bay leaf
2 thyme branches
1 tablespoon of flour (approx. 10g per tablespoon)
1 tablespoon of fresh, chopped parsley
1 tablespoon of oil (or a little duck fat if you have some)
Salt, pepper
Equipment that may be useful to you
Preparation steps
- Season the duck legs with salt and pepper. Heat the pressure cooker over medium-high heat with the oil. Place the legs skin-side down and brown for 6 to 8 minutes without moving them, then turn them over for 2 minutes. Remove them to a plate. Discard the excess fat, leaving 1 to 2 tablespoons in the pressure cooker.
- Add the onions and carrots to the pot. Sauté for 4 minutes, scraping the bottom well (the juices are what give it flavor). Add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle in the flour, mix for 1 minute to lightly cook the flour. Add the tomato paste and mix for another 30 seconds.
- Deglaze with white wine: pour it in all at once and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let it boil for 2 minutes to evaporate some of the alcohol.
- Add the stock, thyme, and bay leaf. Return the chicken thighs (with their juices) to the pot, skin-side up. Add the mushrooms on top (they will wilt during cooking).
- Close the pressure cooker. When the valve hisses (pressure builds), reduce the heat and cook under pressure for 18 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and release the pressure. Open. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. If the sauce seems too thin, remove the thighs and reduce the sauce uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes over high heat, stirring occasionally.
- Serve the chicken thighs coated in sauce, with the vegetables. Finish with the chopped parsley just before serving.
📊 Nutritional Information
1 portion (approx. 430g, 1 thigh + vegetables + sauce)
| Nutrient | Value |
|---|---|
| Calories | 540 kcal |
| Proteins | 37g |
| Carbohydrates | 17g |
| including sugars | 7g |
| Lipids | 32g |
| including saturated fatty acids | 10g |
| Fibers | 4g |
| Sodium | 780mg |
| Vitamins | |
| Vitamin A | 120% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) |
| Vitamin B3 | 55% AJR |
| Vitamin B6 | 40% AJR |
| Minerals | |
| Iron | 22% AJR |
| Phosphorus | 38% AJR |
| Potassium | 28% AJR |
* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance
📝 Notes
On its own, it's already very good. With steamed potatoes or mashed potatoes, just factor in the extra time required for preparation.
💡 Chef's Tips
For duck legs with less fatty skin, you can lightly pierce the skin of the legs before browning them (without cutting into the meat) before placing them in the casserole dish. And remember to keep the rendered duck fat, as it's perfect for sautéing potatoes.
🔄 Variations
- For a more rustic recipe: replace half the mushrooms with 200g of small bacon lardons, to be cooked after browning the duck and before starting to steam.
- Duck legs with more herbs: add a small sprig of rosemary with the thyme, then remove it before serving.
