Rub the duck legs thoroughly with coarse salt

Add thyme, garlic cloves (cut into thin slices), freshly ground black pepper, and bay leaves torn into smaller pieces. If you are using fresh thyme, make sure to either blanch it briefly or rinse/wash it thoroughly before use.

Place everything in a container and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Remove the container from the fridge after 24 hours and take out the duck legs.

Rinse them in cold water and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Vacuum seal the legs, adding 1 tablespoon of duck fat per leg (this is not really necessary, as there is enough fat in the legs for them to "fry" in). However, adding more duck fat does enhance the flavor!

Fill your sous vide with warm water (this shortens the heating time) and set the machine to 75 degrees Celsius (167 degrees Fahrenheit).

Place the duck legs in the water bath and let them cook for 12 hours.

Remove the legs from the bag and dry them well with a clean kitchen towel - save the fat!

Fry the legs in duck fat in a hot pan until they have a good crust and crispy skin.