A traditional ballotine is a boned leg of chicken, duck or other poultry stuffed with a farce and other ingredients. It is tied to hold its shape and sometimes stiched up with a trussing needle. A ballotine is cooked by braising

Braising

Braising , is a combination cooking method using both moist and dry heat; typically the food is first seared at a high temperature and then finished in a covered pot with a variable amount of liquid, resulting in a particular flavour...

 or poaching

Poaching (cooking)

Poaching is the process of gently simmering food in liquid, generally milk, stock or wine.-Utilization:Poaching is particularly suitable for delicate food, such as eggs, poultry, fish and fruit, which might easily fall apart or dry out...

. A ballotine is often shaped like a sausage or re-formed to look like the leg, often with a cleaned piece of bone left in the end.

In todays commercial kitchens a ballotine is often made from other parts of poultry like the breast, also todays ballotine may be made using many types of meat and not always poultry. Although ballotines are related to galantines

Galantine

A galantine is a French dish of de-boned stuffed meat, most commonly poultry or fish, that is poached and served cold, coated with aspic. Galantines are often stuffed with forcemeat, and pressed into a cylindrical shape...

they are distinctive by being single serve items classified as Entrées as opposed to Relevés. They are also served hot or cold where as a galantine will be served cold.