Crisp mornings, sunrises, and the smell of gunpowder are a few of the things about duck season in Louisiana I find enchanting. My first dive into duck hunting was at a young age during a “coot shoot”. It was at this infamous roundup of pouldeau where I got hooked on duck hunting. Throughout the years, I always longed for recipes and dishes other than duck poppers. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love a duck popper just as much as the next person, but there’s something rewarding about transforming wild duck into a dish that everyone will love. As my duck hunting evolved, so has my cooking.
For cold weather nights, there is nothing better than a flavorful rib sticking meal. Duck pot pie is a comforting dish that is sure to warm your soul on the cold nights. This recipe was featured on the Louisiana Sportsman website on January 20, 2022.
Happy Hunting,
~Recreational Chef
Difficulty: 4 of 5
Yield: 4 people
Ingredients:
Duck Fat Pie Crust (Makes 2 Pie Crust):
½ Cup Butter
½ Cup Duck Fat
2 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Smoked Sea Salt
½ Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
¼ Cup Ice Cold Water
1 Egg, Whisked
Roasted Duck:
2-3 Whole Ducks
2 Tablespoons Duck Fat
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Pepper
½ Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1 Pinch Cayenne
Pot Pie Filling:
3 Cups Roasted Duck
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil or Duck Fat
½ Cup Onion
½ Cup Carrot
½ Cup Celery
¼ Cup Peas
4 Cloves Garlic
¼ Cup Flour
2 Cups Stock
¼ Cup Half and Half
1 Tablespoon Herb de Provence
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven set to 350°F.
2. (If you prefer to use store bought pie crust, skip to step 7.) For the pie crust, cut your butter into pieces, measure out the duck fat, and place both in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill.
3. Place the flour, smoked salt, sugar, and smoked paprika into a food processor and combine.
4. Add the chilled butter and duck fat to the flour mixture and pulse the food processor until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
5. Drizzle the ice-cold water into the food processor and pulse until just combined. Do not over work the dough.
6. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
7. For the roasted duck, quarter the ducks and place in oven safe pan or roasting dish. Toss the quartered ducks in the duck fat, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika then roast in the oven set at 350°F oven for 30-40 minutes.
8. Remove the roasted duck from the oven and let cool. Once cool, debone the duck quarters and chop or shred the duck meat. 2-3 medium sized ducks should yield 2-3 cups of cooked meat. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F to preheat for the pie crust.
9. For the pot pie filling, mince the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic into 1/8” or smaller size pieces. Add the olive oil or duck fat to a Dutch oven. Sauté the minced veggies and the peas in the dutch oven until tender and translucent (3-5 minutes) at medium to high heat.
10. Sprinkle the ¼ cup of flour into the Dutch oven and cook with the sautéed veggies until it is fragrant and a light tan color (5-10 minutes).
11. Add the stock, roasted duck, herb de Provence, and half and half to the Dutch oven. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat to come to room temperature.
12. While the pot pie filling is coming to room temperature, remove the pie crust dough from the refrigerator. Split the dough into two pieces and roll one out into a 13 inch circle. You can rewrap and freeze the other piece of dough from future use.
13. Fill a 9 inch pie pan with the pot pie filling. Place the pie dough on top of the pie pan and trim the excess.
14. Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash and cut 3 slits in the center of the pie.
15. Place the pie in the oven and bake for 40 minutes at 375°F.
16. Serve piping hot and enjoy.
