Wild Duck Hot Pie, after Escoffier’s Duckling

Known Ground wild-waterfowl reconstruction based on Escoffier's domestic duckling formula.

Source reference: No. 1752, p. 542; 1903 p. 874 · Read the public-domain source

Photograph: Reserved for a future Known Ground field photograph and testing note.

Known Ground reconstruction — not personally tested. Escoffier specifies domestic duckling roasted underdone. The reconstruction uses fully cooked wild duck and poultry forcemeat, while retaining the alternating molded layers, truffles, mushrooms, and Madeira finish.

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.

Safety note. 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.

Adaptation sources: A Guide to Modern Cookery (1907) · Waterfowl Cooking Basics · Duck and Goose from Farm to Table

Mise en place

Ingredients for the Known Ground reconstruction

Servings

Known Ground reconstruction

2whole plucked wild ducks
2 tbspunsalted butter
1 lbshortcrust pastry
1 1/2 lbprepared poultry-liver gratin forcemeat
1/3 cupvery thick demi-glace
8 ozmushrooms, cooked and sliced
3 ozfresh black truffle, thinly sliced
1 tsppowdered thyme and bay leaf
1egg, beaten
1 1/2 cupsMadeira sauce, divided

Known Ground reconstruction — not personally tested

Escoffier's historical formula specifies domestic duckling. The practical version below is a Known Ground wild-waterfowl reconstruction; it is not presented as Escoffier's wild-duck formula.

Escoffier specifies domestic duckling roasted underdone. The reconstruction uses fully cooked wild duck and poultry forcemeat, while retaining the alternating molded layers, truffles, mushrooms, and Madeira finish.

Instructions

1. Roast the ducks until every portion reaches 165°F (74°C). Cool, remove the skin, and slice the breast meat lengthwise; reserve the remaining meat for another use.

2. Line a buttered 8-inch charlotte or springform pan with pastry. Mix forcemeat with thick demi-glace and coat the bottom and sides.

3. Alternate layers of duck breast, mushrooms, truffle, and forcemeat. Finish with forcemeat, season with powdered thyme and bay, close with pastry, vent, and brush with egg.

4. Bake at 350°F until the center reaches 165°F (74°C), about 60 minutes. Rest 15 minutes, unmold, open the pastry base as a lid if practical, garnish with mushroom and truffle, and serve Madeira sauce separately.

Historical formula

Escoffier roasts a duckling underdone, slices the breast, and lines a buttered Charlotte mold with short paste and gratin forcemeat enriched with reduced half-glaze. He alternates breast, cooked mushrooms, truffles, and forcemeat, closes and bakes the pie for one hour, then unmolds and finishes it with Madeira sauce, a grooved mushroom, and truffle slices.

Source note

Source-preserving summary from Auguste Escoffier, *A Guide to Modern Cookery* (1907), a public-domain English edition. Source location: No. 1752, p. 542; 1903 p. 874.

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.

Editorial record

Published after editorial review

Last revised 8/21/2026. Evidence and limitations should be interpreted as described in the article.

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