Wild Game, Southern Roots & A Little Fire

Joshua Flohr-Crumpton approaches cooking with the instincts of a hunter, the curiosity of a traveler, and a deep respect for Southern ingredients. From Royal Red shrimp and boudin to Thai-inspired venison and wood duck with bourbon-maple French toast, these three recipes showcase his knack for turning wild game and regional flavors into memorable meals—whether gathered around a campfire or served at the table.

Maple-Bourbon Duck Breast & Brioche French Toast

Mascarpone Cream

●     1 cup heavy cream, very cold

●     ½ cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature

●     Zest of 1 lemon

●     1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender

●     ¼ cup powdered sugar

● Pinch of salt

Bourbon-Maple Sauce

●     1 cup bourbon

●     1 cup Grade A Dark maple syrup

●     2 sticks cold butter, cubed

● Pinch of salt

French Toast

●     4 thick slices brioche (1.5" thick)

●     4 large eggs

●     1 cup heavy cream

●     1 vanilla bean, scraped

●     Pinch of salt

● Butter for cooking

Duck Breasts

●     4 wood duck breasts, cold from refrigerator

●     Salt and pepper

● High smoke point oil (if needed)

Garnish

●     Fresh blackberries

●     Fresh Thyme

● Flaky sea salt

Preparation and Assembly

Mascarpone Cream

Gently warm cream with lavender until bubbles form around edges. Remove from heat and steep 20 minutes. Strain and chill completely. Whip cold cream and powdered sugar to soft peaks. Add lemon zest, then gently fold in room temperature mascarpone. Keep chilled until service.

For the Bourbon-Maple Sauce

Combine bourbon and maple syrup in a saucepan. Reduce by half over medium heat. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in cold butter cubes until sauce is silky and emulsified. Add salt and keep warm.

Duck Breast

Score skin in a tight crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into meat. Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Place skin-side down in a COLD pan. Turn heat to medium-low. Let fat render slowly, about 12-15 minutes, until skin is golden brown and crispy and temperature is about 125°F. Flip and cook to medium-rare (130°F). Rest 5-10 minutes before slicing.

For the French Toast

Whisk eggs, cream, vanilla seeds, and salt. Strain mixture. Soak brioche slices until saturated but still stable. Cook in butter over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.

To Serve

Slice rested duck against the grain. Place French toast as base, layer with duck slices. Drizzle with warm bourbon sauce, add a dollop of mascarpone cream. Garnish with blackberries, herbs, and flaky salt. Serve immediately.

Braised Venison Roast with Coconut Lemongrass Polenta Cakes

Because Thai cooks know what to do with tough cuts, and Texas has plenty of deer. And because the best camp meals are made before you leave home.

Serves 6-8

Venison Roast & Braising Liquid

●    1 venison roast (approx. 2 lbs)

●    Salt and pepper

●    Brandy or rice wine (for deglazing)

●    1 tbsp finely minced lemongrass

●    1 tbsp minced ginger

●    1 tbsp minced garlic

●    1 onion, diced

●    2 cups coconut milk

●    2 cups chicken stock

●    2 tbsp Thai chili paste, plus more to taste

●    1 tbsp fish sauce

● 1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)

Coconut Lemongrass Polenta Cakes

●    1 cup dry polenta

●    2 cups water

●    2 cups coconut milk

●    2 tbsp finely minced lemongrass

●    1 tbsp minced ginger

●    1 tbsp minced garlic

●    Salt to taste

● Butter or oil for searing

Thai Chili Cherry Sauce

●     1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and halved

●     1-2 tbsp Thai chili paste (to taste)

●     1 tbsp fish sauce

●     Brown sugar (optional)

● Lime juice or rice wine vinegar (for acidity)

Crispy Brussels Sprouts

●     1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

● Salt and pepper

Garnish

●     1/4 cup toasted peanuts, chopped

●     Fresh cilantro

● Lime wedges

At Home (Do This First)

Season the venison roast with salt and pepper. Sear on all sides in a hot Dutch oven until browned. Remove and set aside. In the same pot, sauté the lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and onion until fragrant. Deglaze with brandy, scraping up the good bits.

Add coconut milk, chicken stock, Thai chili paste, fish sauce, and brown sugar if you’re using it. Return the roast, cover, and braise at 325°F for 3-4 hours until fork-tender. Cool completely, then refrigerate roast and strained braising liquid separately.

For the polenta cakes: Combine polenta, water, and coconut milk in a pot. Cook according to package directions, stirring in the lemongrass, ginger, and garlic. Pour into a greased baking dish, cool, then refrigerate until firm. Cut into whatever shapes make you happy.

Make the cherry sauce by simmering cherries, chili paste, fish sauce, and a hint of brown sugar until it thickens. Adjust heat and acid to taste. Store in a jar.

Blanch the Brussels sprouts for 2 minutes, then shock them in cold water and dry thoroughly.

At Camp

Gently reheat the roast in the braising liquid in a Dutch oven over the fire. In a skillet, crisp up those polenta cakes in butter until golden. In the same skillet (or another if you prefer), sear the Brussels sprouts cut-side down until they are charred.

Warm the cherry sauce.

To Serve

Stack it up: polenta cake, sliced venison, braising liquid over everything. Brussels sprouts on the side, cherry sauce wherever it looks good. Top with peanuts and cilantro, squeeze of lime.

Watch your camp go quiet except for the sound of forks on plates. 

Royal Red Shrimp & Boudin Polenta

Serves: 2-3 

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Parmesan Polenta

●     1 cup coarse polenta (or stone-ground grits)

●     4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

●     3 tbsp butter

●     ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

● Salt and pepper to taste

For the Royal Red Shrimp

●     1 lb Royal Red shrimp, head-on (substitute large Gulf shrimp if needed)

●     2 tbsp olive oil or duck fat

● Salt and pepper

For the Boudin Cream Sauce

●     4-6 oz boudin sausage, casing removed

●     ¼ cup white wine or stock

●     ½ cup heavy cream

● 2 tbsp butter

For the Vegetables

●     1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

●     1 cup fresh okra, sliced

●     1 medium onion, diced

●     2 tbsp olive oil

● Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1.   Prepare the Polenta: In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring the stock to a boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta to prevent lumps. Reduce heat to a bare simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring often until creamy. Stir in butter and Parmesan. Season and keep warm.

2.   Sauté the Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add the okra and tomatoes, cooking for another 4-5 minutes until tender. Season and set aside.

3.   Build the Sauce: In the same skillet, melt the butter. Sauté the shrimp heads (if using) for 2 minutes, pressing on them to release their fat. Add the white wine to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits—this is where the flavor is. Add the crumbled boudin and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 2 minutes until it thickens.

4.   Cook the Shrimp: Heat oil or duck fat in a clean skillet over high heat. Pat the shrimp dry and season them. Sear for 90 seconds per side. Royal Reds cook incredibly fast; pull them the moment they curl. Overcooking is their only enemy.

5.   Assemble: Spoon a generous amount of polenta onto each plate. Arrange the vegetables around it. Ladle the boudin cream sauce over the polenta, and finish by crowning the dish with the seared Royal Red shrimp.

Notes: If you’re using regular Gulf shrimp instead of Royal Reds, add 30 seconds to the cooking time. But if you ever see Royal Reds at your fish market, grab them. You’ll taste the difference that a thousand feet of pressure makes.