Recipes From the 'Old West'

We all love to eat. Some of us love to cook, and some of us only have a favorite dish or two we enjoying making. Two things I like to cook are lasagna and the Thanksgiving turkey. And I like to have the kitchen to myself when I’m cooking. Another thing I like to do is scour old west towns in search of old west cookbooks. One that I found years ago has become a favorite. Sections include Sauces and Gravies, Desserts, Breads and Biscuits, and Everyday Cooking. From the “Original Cowboy Cookbook” by “Wild Wes” Medley, Rodeo Champion, I have prepared a few of the everyday meals, more often than not incorporating my own spin on the dish. And met with excellent results. Below are a few of the one I like best, in their original format.

Rodeo Pork with Onions:

2 1 lb pork tenderloins cut into julienne strips

6 medium onions, chopped

½ cup cooking oil

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp paprika

¾ tsp pepper

¼ tsp crushed red chilies

1-2 sweet red peppers cut into long strips

Feta cheese (optional)

Sauté onions in ¼ cup oil in warm skillet, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in spices. Place on low heat to keep warm. In separate skillet, brown pork in remaining oil. Cover over medium heat and cook 15-20 minutes. Top with pepper strips. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir onion mixture into poke. Garnish with Feta cheese and serve.

Julie’s version: (I’m not one for spicy food so I cut out the red chilies and I don’t add the peppers.)

Onions, cut lengthwise. Simmer in skillet and add paprika and chili powder to taste.

Coat pork strips in flour and cook in separate skillet, add more paprika to taste. Mix with onions and Serve.

Pot Roast & Sour Cream Gravy:

1 4 lb beef pot roast

3 Tbsp. cooking fat

1 beef bouillon cube

1 cup boiling water

4 Tbsp. catsup

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. onion, minced

½ clove garlic, minced

2 tsp salt

1 tsp celery seed

½ tsp black pepper

1 small can mushrooms

4 Tbsp. flour

1 cup dairy sour cream

Brown pot roast in fat in Dutch oven. Pour off drippings. Dissolve bouillon cube in 1 cup boiling water, add to roast. Add catsup, Worcestershire sauce, onion, garlic, celery seed and pepper. Cover and cook over low fire 2 ½- 3 hours, or until meat is tender. Remove meat from kettle. Blend in flour and mushroom liquid and stir into remaining beef liquid to make gravy. Add mushrooms. Remove kettle from heat and stir in sour cream. Serve slices of beef with gravy

*** I have made this (substituting cooking oil for fat) and it is yummy!

Station Pot Roast:   

3 lb pot or rump roast

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup flour

1 tsp celery salt

1 tsp thyme

1 Tbsp. parsley

2 Tbsp. cooking oil

2 cups sliced onions

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups hot beef broth

3 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Combine seasonings and flour. Rub roast with this mixture. Heat oil in ovenproof casserole pan. Brown beef. Add onions and garlic, stirring until soft. Add remaining ingredients and bake covered at 325 degrees until tender, about 3 hours (or on stope top over low heat).   

*** I have also made this on the stove top. Very tasty.

The ‘Original Cowboy Cookbook is available on Amazon. 
Happy eating!