Joshua Creek Ranch is known as a world-class hunting lodge and sporting resort with luxury resort amenities and warm Texas hospitality. But the five-star guest experiences over the last 35 years at this Texas Hill Country gem simply wouldn’t be as noteworthy without talking about the food.
No matter how you slice it (pun intended), great food is a big part of what makes Joshua Creek Ranch so special. Here are a few guest-favorite recipes from the Hunter’s Harvest cookbook.
Pheasant Chardonnay
Ingredients:
4 pheasant breasts, slightly pounded
Cooking oil
1 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
½ cup chardonnay
½ cup toasted pecans or sliced almonds
¼ cup each red, green, and black grapes, halved
¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
Directions:
Heat oil in a saucepan. Dredge the pheasant in seasoned flour and fry in oil to brown. Place in a baking dish, add Chardonnay and cover. Bake in 325° oven for 10-15 minutes. Place breasts on plates. Top with the Chardonnay Sauce* and add a sprinkling of nuts, grapes, bell pepper, parsley, and feta.
Chardonnay Sauce
2 cups Chardonnay
4 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons chicken base
Roux, to thicken
Salt and white pepper to taste
In a saucepan over medium heat, reduce white wine to ½ cup. Add the cream and chicken base. Bring to a simmer and let reduce by about half. Add roux to thicken, if necessary. Season to taste.
Fried Quail
Ingredients:
Quail
Cooking oil
Buttermilk
Eggs
2 pounds buttermilk pancake mix
2 tablespoon salt
1 ½ cups black pepper
3 tablespoons granulated garlic
Directions:
Cut the quail in half lengthwise, removing the backbone. Place halves in a bowl and cover with buttermilk, and let soak in the refrigerator for at least two hours. Mix the remaining buttermilk and eggs to make a wash. Combine pancake mix, salt, pepper, and granulated garlic, mixing well.
Heat the oil to 320°. Dip the quail in the buttermilk wash, and roll the quail in the seasoned flour mix. Fry until golden brown (about 5-7 minutes). Use a thermometer to ensure that the temperature remains at 320° as you cook, and fill the skillet only half full of quail to avoid a drop in the oil temperature. Serve immediately.
Axis Medallions with Peppercorn Sauce
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup red onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons green peppercorns
¼ cup cabernet sauvignon wine
1 cup veal demi-glace
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon green peppercorn juice
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Salt to taste
Directions:
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onions and cook until they are nearly tender. Add garlic and peppercorns and cook for one minute. Deglaze with wine and then add demi-glace and heavy cream. Let simmer until reduced by one-third. Then, add the remaining ingredients and simmer for about five more minutes. Season with salt. Heavy cream can be added to adjust consistency.
Drizzle sauce over seared venison medallions and serve.
During hunting season, the professional chefs at Joshua Creek Ranch are busy cooking three freshly prepared meals daily. The format is “lodge-style,” where all guests are served the same thing at the same time. Weather permitting, lunch is set up on the oak-canopied patio at Cypress Lodge. Breakfast and dinner are typically served fireside in the rustic, elegant, and cozy dining room inside Cypress Lodge or Branch Haus Lodge.
Specializing in wild game and regional favorites, the menu is a unique combination of southern comfort food and gourmet chef cuisine. One thing is for sure: you will never leave hungry. “Food is a big part of our end-to-end guest experience. It’s not uncommon for repeat visitors to arrive craving some of our featured recipes from the last 35 years,” says Ann Kercheville, Vice Chairman and President.
In addition to the lodge dining program, Joshua Creek Ranch also features banquet dining for group events and private dining options for guests staying in multiple rental houses located around the property. In the summer season, the Ranch showcases a variety of dining options for resort guests, including a casual poolside menu at Shooters Cantina, Wednesday Steak Night, and gourmet 3-course dinners at Cypress Lodge on weekends.
Look for the Hunter’s Harvest cookbook at the Joshua Creek Ranch Pro Shop.
joshuacreek.com | 830-537-5090