Ingredients for the Known Ground reconstruction
Ingredient amounts shown for 4 servings.
Known Ground reconstruction
- 2whole pheasants, patted dry
- 3 tbspbutter
- 1medium onion, quartered
- 1 cupsour cream or heavy cream
- 1 tsplemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1/2 cupgame stock, as needed
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Known Ground reconstruction
The reconstruction keeps Escoffier’s simple covered-saucepan treatment and its cream finish; a thermometer replaces the historical three-quarters-cooked timing cue. This version has not been personally tested by Known Ground. Cook the bird and any poultry forcemeat to 165°F (74°C) in its thickest portion.
Instructions
1. Season the pheasants. Brown them gently in butter with the onion in a covered Dutch oven.
2. Add stock, cover, and cook at 350°F until the thickest portion reaches 165°F (74°C).
3. Stir cream with lemon juice. Add it during the final 10 minutes, basting the birds with the cream rather than boiling it hard.
4. Rest briefly and serve the pheasant in its cream sauce.
Historical formula
Method
Cook the pheasant in butter, in a saucepan, with a medium-sized, quartered onion. When the cooking is three-parts done, sprinkle the bird with one-quarter pint of cream (sour if possible), or with ordinary cream, acidulated by means of a few drops of lemon juice.
Finish the cooking, basting the piece the while with cream and serve in the saucepan.
Source
A Guide to Modern Cookery — Recipe no. 1836.
Updated since publication
Last revised 8/21/2026. Evidence and limitations should be interpreted as described in the article.
Discussion
Comments are moderated before appearing here. Keep it useful, specific, and civil.
No approved comments yet. Be the first to add something useful.