Bolognese is a great use for duck legs and can be made in large batches and frozen for when you need a quick meal.

As hunters we have to be accepting of the fact that wild game has a lot of variability in flavor. There are many factors at play here, too many to get into for this recipe. To keep it simple, if the ducks come from a soupy, funky slough… they may be better suited for a more flavorful preparation like asian stir-fry.

Remove all the fat and skin from the duck legs before grinding.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 Duck legs, coarse ground and patted dry with paper towel
  • 6 Oz Pancetta, finely diced
  • 2 Tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 Onion, finely chopped
  • 1 Carrot, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 Small celery root, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Salt
  • ¼ Cup Tomato paste
  • 2 Cups Dry white wine
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 3 Sprig Thyme
  • 2 Quart Chicken stock, low sodium
  • 1 Cup Milk

Steps

  1. Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat.
  2. When the oil just begins to smoke, add the ground duck and pancetta and cook until browned all over, approximately 5-8 minutes.
  3. Drain off the excess fat from the pot, leaving 2-3 Tbsp.
  4. Add the onion, carrot, celery root and salt to the pot and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
  5. Add the tomato paste and cook until the paste turns a dark red and starts to stick to the bottom of the pot. If the tomato paste appears to be about to burn, go to the next step immediately.
  6. Add the white wine to the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
  7. Cook the wine until it is almost evaporated then add the chicken stock, bay leaves and thyme.
  8. Turn the heat to low and gently cook the bolognese for 2½ hours. The sauce should be barely bubbling at this point, only the odd bubble bursting now and again.
  9. Check the meat for tenderness, it should melt in your mouth. If not, continue to cook and check at 30 minute intervals.
  10. Once cooked, adjust the seasoning with salt.
  11. To serve, toss liberally with your favorite pasts and top with fresh ground black pepper and freshly grated parmesan. For a different twist, make into a baked pasta dish.
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