The purpose of a confit, if I understand it correctly, is to preserve something by immersing it in oil or fat. IMO, storing something in the fridge over night is not the same as preserving it for days or months. I would not be concerned about keeping under refrigeration for a few hours. If you have any worry about it, maybe you could prepare the confit immediately before using it.

Jim

I agree, it'll be fine tomorrow and I wouldn't hesitate to keep it a couple of days in the fridge, but I sure wouldn't try to can it to keep indefinitely and I'd certainly not try to keep it for a month.

I think that much lemon juice is going to compromise the original recipe to a point where it's not going to be similar.

Normally, oil isn't safely canned. There are some recipes, such as one for three bean salad that takes oil, and those are approved, so it can be done, and there are also approved recipes that allow a person to put bacon in beans, etc.

I wouldn't try to can something like garlic in oil, though, it's just too big a safety issue for me to tackle.

Annie

Annie

It's not recommended to keep it more than a week, even in the refrig. I usually freeze it in small jars, and use it as quickly as possible.

Thanks - to clarify, I'm not at all concerned out eating it tomorrow or even in a few days, I was just wondering what you thought about recipes saying it'll keep for a week, two weeks, or a month. Considering how many people judge "still good" with their senses, I was thinking this seems a bit irresponsible.

Ah. Now I get the gist of your question. Yes, that method of preservation can be a little dicey. If you followed exact instructions from a reliable source, without modification, it should be OK. On the other hand, it's difficult to enjoy food whose safety may be in doubt.

Also, I agree with Annie about boosting up the acidity of a recipe for the sake of safety beyond what is called for in the recipe. Some foods just shouldn't be pickled.

Jim

Just glancing at a couple recipes, they said the end product could be sealed and kept for a week or a month (varies) *** in the refrigerator ***. I'm guessing refrigeration is the key here. I'd be dubious about a recipe that suggested keeping something like that for weeks unrefrigerated.

I will frequently take a cup of peeled Garlic cloves, put them in a small saucepan and cover with Olive Oil. Turn on the heat until the cloves just begin to bubble, and then back the heat down just a bit. After an hour or so, the garlic cloves are cooked until they are very soft, and spreadable, just like Roast Garlic. This, I will then store in the fridge. Since the Garlic is thoroughly cooked, it is biologically inactive, I believe, and will not spoil very quickly. The Garlic can be removed and stored separately, giving a delicious garlic flavored oil, but the point of a confit is to store in / under Oil. Herbs can be added during the "cooking " process as the heat and length of time also renders them biologically inert.

The pressure canner part of the process seems redundant. Am I way off base?

Steve

I'm thinking the pressure cooker was simply to keep it sufficient hot without burning and without monitoring it. And, maybe, to complicate things. The recipe also called for .4 (yes point four!) grams of xanthan gum, so consider the source!

foas - I'm confused by this whole recipe. I *think* the point of the pressure cooker is to get the temperature up sufficiently that botulism would be killed. But as annie says, preserving in oil is very iffy because acidity is low. I would guess that home pressure canners can't get to sufficiently high temperatures for the final product to be safe.

So why the pressure cooker? The NCHFP says no canning is oil is recommended. See NCHFP link, scroll down to "how do I can oil with herbs?"

skeip - cooking garlic on a stove will not ensure that botulism is killed.

Cheryl

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP faqs

Cheryl - I think it's a cooking method and not intended to imply a preservation method. There is no discussion of head space, and it is to be stored in the fridge for a limited time. And between the garlic and the oil it breaks too many canning rules.

By the way, it's a recipe from Modernist Cuisine at Home and it's used in their creamed spinach recipe which is excellent; if anyone is interested I'll post it.

foas - yes, please post the creamed spinach recipe. I use Berghoff's one which has a lot of ingredients clearly meant for convenience of a commercial kitchen.

Cheryl

Here you go, Cheryl. Paraphrased and my comments mixed in.

Creamed Spinach - Modernist Cuisine at Home
Saute in batches until wilted

600 grams baby spinach (About 10 cups - I used one 1lb and one 5oz pkg to come close)
ý tsp salt
1.5 Tbsp neutral tasting oil (I used grape)

Cool, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible using cheesecloth or strainer. Chop finely. Next, saute

1.5 Tbsp garlic confit or Dijon mustard (I see no reason not to simply roast garlic, and as much as I love Dijon IâÂÂm not picturing it here.)
2.5 Tbsp minced shallot
1.5 Tbsp neutral oil

until shallot is translucent. Stir in the spinach and cook 3 minutes, then stir in

ý cup mascarpone

until melted and then remove from heat. (This is the point where I held the recipe until minutes before serving.) Separately, mix

.4 grams xanthan gum (ask your neighborâÂÂs kid to borrow his scale, or else substitute ý tsp Wondra)
1/3 cup whole milk

Mix the milk mixture into the spinach mixture and bring to a simmer. Then just before serving fold in

5/8 cup (40g) Comte cheese, finely grated.
ý tsp, finely grated

Go careful when adding the cheese - it melts well but some clumps stayed gooey clumps so next time IâÂÂll be more careful to sprinkle/fold/sprinkle/fold. Season with S&P to taste and serve.

My "edit" rights seem to have been revoked. That last ingredient should be 1/2 tsp lemon zest.

Funny, I forgot it in my post just like I forgot it when I cooked it!

foas - thank you! This is quite different from the recipe I use which is basically a seasoned bechamel made with cream and milk, to which chopped spinach is added. I have to try yours for comparison with a gourmet recipe.

Cheryl