Skip to Content
Menu

Julia Child's Stuffed Duck

  • Jump to Recipe
  • Save
The Food in My Beard
Updated Mar 7, 2017
  • Save
  • Share
  • Jump to Recipe
This is a much easier version of stuffed duck in pastry made famous by Julia Child that will significantly cut down on the cooking time, but not the flavor.

More About This Recipe

  • If you've never made duck before, try this classic recipe made famous by Julia Child. Tackling a beast of a recipe like Julia Child’s Pate De Canard En Croute (the French title for this dish) can be very intimidating. That’s why I'm here...to guide you through harder recipes and make them easier and more approachable. For the original recipe, one of the hardest parts is deboning a whole duck. I have done this a few times, and let me tell you, it is not only an hour of hard work, it's completely unnecessary in this day and age. After you debone a duck you are left with two breasts and two legs that are held together only by a thick layer of fat. It makes a lot more sense just to buy the breasts and legs already separated and then do our best to stick ‘em back together! I cut this recipe down from 7 hours to about 3, and I think anyone could make it. So if you're feeling adventurous this holiday season, give this recipe a try! Julia's recipe has veal, pork, pork fat, and canned truffles. I went with more common and modern ingredients to create a similar flavor profile. If you wanted to do this recipe with just the boneless breasts, that would be fine too! Serve with some simple cooked veggies for a tasty and festive meal.

Julia Child's Stuffed Duck

  • Prep Time 1 hr 30 min
  • Total 3 hr 0 min
  • Servings 4
  • Ingredients 9
  • Save
  • Share
  • Print
  • Keep Screen On

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb ground pork
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1 bunch scallions
  • 1 tablespoon truffle oil
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 egg
  • 2 duck legs
  • 2 duck breasts
  • 1 box (14.1 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Pie Crusts (2 Count)
Make With
Pillsbury Pie Crust

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Chop the bacon and scallions. Mix the pork with the bacon, scallions, truffle oil, Worcestershire, egg, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Step 
    2
    Remove the bone from the duck legs. Working from the flesh side, being careful not to cut through the skin, run your knife along the leg bone until you are able to fully remove it.
  • Step 
    3
    Place the breasts and legs skin side down onto a sheet of plastic wrap, alternating breast and leg. Place another sheet of plastic on top. Pound the duck meat lightly to thin it out. You want the duck to sort of form one full sheet of meat. It wont be attached, so don't worry about that.
  • Step 
    4
    Remove the top sheet of plastic and pull the bottom sheet tight. Place a log of filling onto the middle of the duck.
  • Step 
    5
    Use the plastic to wrap the duck around the filling and seal it tight. Again, use the plastic to tighten the duck log. Spin the ends and make sure it is really tight. Place this into the fridge for 45 minutes to an hour.
  • Step 
    6
    Very gently, take the duck and pork log out of the plastic and place it directly onto the baking sheet. Bake the duck at 500°F for about 20 minutes to brown the skin. Keep your eye on it and get the vent going, because there will be smoke.
  • Step 
    7
    While the duck cools, place the two pie crusts on the counter slightly overlapping in the middle. Roll the crusts out to combine and form a nice big rectangle. Carefully place the duck onto the pie crust and roll the crust around the meat very tightly. Overlap and seal on the bottom and make sure to tuck in the ends.
  • Step 
    8
    Bake the whole thing for 45 minutes at 350°F until lightly browned and cooked through.

Nutrition

No nutrition information available for this recipe
© 2025 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved