Ingredients for the Known Ground reconstruction
Ingredient amounts shown for 2 servings.
Known Ground reconstruction
- 1whole plucked wild duck, 2 to 3 pounds, patted dry
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 1/2 tspblack pepper
- 2 tbspwater, Apple sauce
- 1 tsplemon juice, Apple sauce
Apple sauce
- 2tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1 tspsugar, or to taste
Known Ground reconstruction — not personally tested
Escoffier's historical formula specifies wild duck directly.
The reconstruction keeps the source’s direct wild-duck identity and separate apple sauce; it does not add domestic-duck stuffing.
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 475°F. Season the duck and roast it breast-side up until the breast, innermost thigh, and wing each reach 165°F (74°C).
2. While it roasts, cover the apples with the water in a small saucepan and cook until soft. Mash, then season lightly with sugar and lemon juice; keep the sauce barely sweet.
3. Rest the duck for 10 minutes, carve, and serve the warm apple sauce separately.
Historical formula
The English-fashion direction says to roast the wild duck as in the plain formula and send apple sauce to the table with it.
Source note
Source-preserving summary from Auguste Escoffier, *A Guide to Modern Cookery* (1907), a public-domain English edition. Source location: No. 1981, p. 627; 1903 p. 989.
Historical source vs. current safety guidance
Escoffier directs that this bird remain underdone. The Known Ground reconstruction instead follows current USDA guidance to cook duck and goose to 165°F (74°C), checked in the thickest breast and innermost thigh and wing without touching bone.
Published after editorial review
Last revised 8/21/2026. Evidence and limitations should be interpreted as described in the article.
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