11/24/2025
🦆 Duck stuffing this year. Takes two days to make if making braised duck:
Start a day early to braise duck & make duck stock:
Serves 8-10
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📝 Ingredients
For the duck
• 1 whole duck cut into quarters or 4-6 duck legs (or duck confit)
• ¼ - ½ cup dried mix wild mushrooms
• 2 tsp dried thyme (double if making stock)
• 1 tsp dried sage (double if making stock)
• 1 tsp juniper berries (ditto for stock)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 small onion (double if making stock)
• 1-3 cups half duck/chicken stock or water, half good red wine (GL Petite Sirah) – stock/wine mixture should cover meat about ½ way up
1. Braise the Duck: sear duck in an oven-proof pan until brown, then remove. Sauté onion in the rendered fat. Return duck to the pan with the re-hydrated dried mushrooms, spices, stock and red wine, then braise in oven 2-3 hours until meat is fork-tender. Check every 30 minutes and add stock/wine mix as needed
2. Making duck stock: and boil bones in 5 cups water with chopped onion, dried herbs/salt/pepper until reduced to 4 cups stock & strain
OR, Buy duck stock & confit legs/thighs and simmer with mushrooms, bay leaves, stock and red wine for 20-30 minutes
Rice Base
• 1/2 cup wild rice, rinsed
• 1 – 1/2 cups basmati rice, rinsed
• 4 cups chicken or duck stock, plus more as needed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Stuffing
• 4 pieces braised duck (about 1.5 lbs),
• 2 tablespoons rendered duck fat
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 pound crimini mushrooms• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup green onions (scallions), thinly sliced (white and green parts)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional 1-2 beaten egg to bind stuffing
Instructions
Bone & shred duck into bite-sized pieces. Reserve 2 tablespoons of duck fat for sautéing.
In a medium pot, combine the wild rice, 1.5 cups of stock, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until the grains have bloomed and are tender. Drain any excess liquid.
Toast and Cook the Basmati Rice: In a separate pot, melt 1 tablespoon of reserved duck fat over medium heat. Add the basmati rice and toast for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the grains look translucent around the edges. Add 1.5 cups of stock and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-18 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
Sauté aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon duck fat in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced yellow onion and sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Add the sliced crimini mushrooms. To avoid adding more fat, use a splash of the remaining 1/2 cup of stock (or red wine) if the pan becomes too dry. Cook until the mushrooms have browned (5-8 minutes). Add Garlic and Herbs: Stir in the minced garlic, thyme, and sage. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Combine Ingredients: Add the cooked wild rice, basmati rice, shredded duck confit, parsley, and green onions to the pot with the vegetables. Stir gently to combine. Moisten with the remaining 1/2 cup of stock. Stir thoroughly. Optionally, add 1-2 beaten eggs to help bind the rice slightly without being sticky. Add an additional 1/4 cup of stock if the mixture seems too dry; the goal is moist, fluffy rice, not a soup. If you do not use eggs, the texture will be looser and more "pilaf-like" than traditional stuffing. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Preheat your oven to 375∘F (190∘C). If using pumpkin, halve a medium large pumpkin & clean out cavity. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Transfer the stuffing into prepared dish or pumpkin. Cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes – pumpkin requires an additional 10-30 minutes
Brown Top: Remove the foil and bake 15+ minutes until edges crisp.
Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
.wines
