MAIN DISHES

Why let those good mesquite coals in the fireplace go to waste? After the fire has burned down, spread the coals out and place a grill above them, at least 12 inches, depending on the amount of ashes. When grill is hot, throw on a well-seasoned rib eye or T-bone steak. Or you can use your Dutch oven in the fireplace by scooping hot coals on top of the oven, taking care to keep an even temperature.

BEEF & GAME

When you’ve touched and felt beef as it cooks many times, you can tell different degrees of doneness by the change in the firmness of the meat.

Beef

Tenderloin

Beef tenders are always a favorite in the ranching country.

2 beef tenderloins, well trimmed, about 3 pounds each

2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper

Brisket Rub, recipe page 59

In long pan to accommodate tenderloins, mix one portion of Brisket Rub with black pepper. Roll tenderloins in rub until all sides are equally coated. Cover with towel and bring tenderloins to room temperature. Roll meat in rub again before putting on your pit.

Cook on medium heat, rolling to brown all sides. Cook 1 to 1½ hours for medium rare (135°). Remove from pit and let rest 15 minutes before serving. This can be cooked 2 to 3 hours ahead and wrapped in aluminum foil and kept at room temperature. Meat will cook an additional 10 to 15°.

When cooking a single tenderloin, cook on the steak grill, 6 to 8 inches above hot coals. Watch carefully, turning frequently, about 40 to 45 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 140° for medium rare and 150° for medium. Remove from grill and let meat rest for 10 minutes before carving.

To cook in home kitchen, preheat oven to 350°.

Follow instructions for coating meat with Beef Rub. Roast for approximately 30 minutes until internal temperature reaches 140° for medium rare and 150° for medium. Remove from oven and let meat rest for 10 minutes before carving. Slice and serve.

Serves 10 to 12

FEEL YOUR BEEF

It’s a shame to cut into a steak or to stick a meat thermometer in to tell if it’s cooked correctly. Punctures let that good juice run out and tend to dry the meat. Do it if you have to, but we swear by the “touch” method. When a steak is raw, it feels like jelly when you slightly jiggle it. As it cooks, it will firm up. If it doesn’t shake at all, it’s medium. Do this often enough and you’ll learn how to “feel” the doneness of your steaks or tenderloins. Of course, if we’re doing whole rib eyes or prime ribs, we’ll use a thermometer.

Whole

Rib Eye

Some may be accustomed to calling this a rib eye roast, but cooked whole and then sliced is our preferred preparation. When you order a whole rib eye, it comes “lip on.” After cooking, we slice the lip off and one of our favorite canine pets has a good supper.

When you’ve done this many times, you can tell different degrees of doneness by the change in the firmness of the meat. To be perfectly sure, use a meat thermometer.

14- to 15-pound whole rib eye–lip on

2 quantities Brisket Rub, recipe page 59

4 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

In a pan large enough to hold the rib eye, place it fat side down. Coat generously with Brisket Rub and freshly ground black pepper. Roll meat and coat fat side. Pat rub and pepper onto the ends.

Place over medium-hot coals—30 to 32 inches above coals. Using clean gloves or thick cloth, turn rib eye once or twice, never cooking it very long with fat side down. When cooking several Whole Rib Eyes, you may use a large fork, but only pierce the fatty lip with the fork—never the meat. Allow 4 hours for medium rare (140°) and 4½ hours for medium (160°).

When meat has reached desired temperature, take off coals and let rest 10 minutes. Cut lip off before serving. Slice into ¾-inch slices and serve.

To cook in home kitchen, preheat oven to 350°.

Roast for 3½ to 4½ hours, until internal temperature reaches 140° for medium rare, and 160° for medium. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove lip before serving.

Serves 15 to 20

depending on thickness of each serving

Brisket

Brisket

Brisket is a favorite at barbecue joints and picnics. The key to success is not for the faint-hearted or impatient. The best brisket is cooked over coals, not a live flame. Flames may produce impurities from the wood that enter the meat–you’ll get a bright pink smoke ring, but it may be accompanied by a lingering aftertaste. Mesquite is our preferred wood, but others may be substituted.

We also stand by our mopping technique. We use a clean wash cloth or rag, taking care that no strings hang down. We tie a piece of wire around the cloth to transfer the mopping sauce to the meat. Some may feel more comfortable using a long-handled brush.

1 brisket, 7 to 11 pounds

Coat brisket with Brisket Rub, recipe page 59, especially on lean side.

Brisket should be cooked 12 to 13 hours at a constant 200º temperature until the brisket reaches 180º on meat thermometer. If cooking over live coals, cooking time may require 14 to 15 hours due to temperature fluctuations.

Mop with Brisket Mopping Sauce, recipe page 59, each time the brisket is turned; keep the mopping sauce on the pit to warm. Do not mop the last 2 hours of cooking.

Serves 8 to 10

Brisket Mopping Sauce

Brisket tends to become dry sometimes when cooked over live coals. This mopping sauce enhances the flavor and juiciness.

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup red wine, Burgundy or Chianti

2 cups water

2 sliced lemons

1 sliced onion

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

In saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil. Remove from heat and use to mop brisket.

Yields 5 cups—

enough to mop and cook one brisket

Brisket Rub

Everyone has his own favorite, but this one works for us.

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon kosher salt or sea salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon sugar

Thoroughly mix all ingredients and rub on brisket. May double or triple amount and store in dry container for two to three weeks.

Yields ½ cup— enough to rub one brisket

The best brisket is cooked over coals, not live flames.

Steak Gravy

Leave about ¼ cup oil and browned bits in skillet. Add enough flour to absorb oil, approxiamtely ¼ cup. Stirring constantly, add milk, about 4 cups, and continue stirring until gravy reaches a smooth consistency. Thicker is usually preferred. Add 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Remove from heat and serve, or keep warm and stir again before serving.

Chicken-Fried

Steak with Gravy

Double-dipping the steaks before frying gives the best results and makes lots of flavorful browned bits for your gravy-making.

7 to 8 pounds cubed steak or lean round steak, cut into hand-sized pieces

2 eggs

2 cups flour

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons pepper

4 cups shortening or vegetable oil

Beat eggs; mix with milk in 3-inch deep round pan. Place flour in similar pan.

Season meat with salt and pepper; place 4 to 5 pieces in milk mixture and let stand while heating 1½ to 2 inches of oil in large iron skillet or Dutch oven. Heat oil to 350º. Dredge meat in flour one piece at a time, back in milk, and again in flour. Place in hot oil and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once. Drain on paper towels.

While first batch is cooking, prepare next batch of steaks to be double-dipped just as previous batch is removed from frying pan. Save browned bits left in oil for making Steak Gravy.

Serves 12 to 14

Pan-Fried

Steak

Cowboys like most anything fried, even their steak on occasion. This is always a crowd pleaser.

7 to 8 pounds round steak

3 cups flour

3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

3 teaspoons kosher salt

2 cups vegetable oil

3 large sliced onions

Cut fat from round steak and save. Tenderize steak with tenderizer hammer or edge of metal plate by hammering one way and then hammering across first cuts. Cut into hand-sized pieces. Place fat in large skillet and render fat. Remove and discard pieces that did not render.

Salt and pepper each piece and dredge both sides in flour. Place several pieces at a time in a large skillet, cooking 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown, turning once. Place on paper towels and then in warm Dutch oven until serving time.

Repeat process until all meat is cooked. Vegetable oil may be used in skillet if you run out of rendered fat.

Slice onions and sauté until soft, placing a slice on each piece of meat when serving.

Make Steak Gravy, recipe page 60. Put gravy on plate, steak on gravy, topping with a slice of sautéed onion.

Serves 12 to 14

Chicken-Fried Steak

Smothered

Steak

Serve this steak with mashed potatoes, a green vegetable or green salad, and bread. It makes a hearty meal and you may use different cuts of beef.

4 pounds round steak, sirloin tip, or clod steak, tenderized

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon pepper

6 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced

3 cups beef broth

2 cups flour

2 cups vegetable oil

2 cups sliced yellow onions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cut steak into hand-sized pieces, about 8 to 10 steaks. Salt and pepper meat. Dredge in flour and fry in oil over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Place meat in medium-sized oven pan, cover with mushrooms, onion and bell pepper. Pour beef broth over mixture. Bake for 1 hour.

Serves 8

Texas Cowboy

Reunion Sirloin

This recipe comes from Gerald Proctor, who is the host of the “The Cabin,” the rustic ranch house where special guests are entertained, at the Texas Cowboy Reunion in Stamford, Texas. Held annually on or near the 4th of July, the Cowboy Reunion is the largest amateur rodeo in the world. People come from all around to visit with good friends, talk about the drought or brag about their inch of rain. A good time is had by all.

4 pounds sirloin steaks, 1 inch thick

6 lemons, juiced

garlic powder to taste

coarsely ground black pepper to taste

salt to taste

Two hours prior to grilling, coat both sides of steaks with lemon juice and seasonings. One hour prior to grilling, build a mesquite fire and burn down to coals. Shovel coals underneath grill to heat it up. Adjust grill to at least 8 inches above coals. Grill about 4 minutes on each side or to desired doneness. Medium rare is best because it leaves plenty of juice in the steak. Do not overcook.

Serves 6 to 8

Cookshack

Round

Whole rounds may weigh up to 30 pounds. Figure ½ pound per person for serving. Adjust seasonings accordingly. This large roast takes time, but is worth the wait. Serve with hot Sourdough Biscuits.

1 whole round, 10 to 20 pounds

olive oil to coat meat

1 cup coarsely ground black pepper

1 cup Western Wagons Beef Seasoning, recipe follows

Coat round with olive oil, follow with seasonings. Place meat on grill 30 inches above medium hot mesquite coals. Add coals to keep pit about 250º. This will take 6 to 8 hours to cook.

Serves 6 to 8

Western Wagons Beef Seasoning

1 cup freshly ground black pepper

⅔ cup salt

¼ cup cayenne pepper

¼ cup garlic powder

1 tablespoon sugar

Thoroughly mix all ingredients and rub on beef roasts or beef steaks. Store in dry container in refrigerator. Keeps for two to three weeks.

BEFORE REFRIGERATION

Clifford Teinert’s grandfather belonged to a “beef club” near Copperas Cove, Texas in the days before refrigeration. Each week, ranchers in this German community would gather to butcher a calf furnished by one of the club members. The men would bring clean flour sacks and take home just enough beef to feed their families until the next week when another calf would be slaughtered.

KEEP ‘EM SHARP!

Nothing thwarts a cook more than a dull knife— whether you’re cutting rib eye steaks or slicing brisket to feed the masses. Clifford and Bill swear by a ceramic steel to keep their knives sharp because today’s tempered steel is so hard. They suggest you watch a butcher at work…the knife will be sharpened every few cuts.

Beef

Tips

As with many beef recipes, different cuts can be substituted with this recipe. Seasoning and cooking time are important to this dish’s success. Serve over rice.

8 pounds sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes

4 cups mushrooms, halved

2 cups diced onions

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons kosher salt or sea salt

2 tablespoons dried parsley

3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

8 cups hot water

1 cup red wine (Burgundy)

Season meat with salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Heat vegetable oil in 16-inch Dutch oven. Brown meat in oil for about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and onions and brown an additional 10 minutes. Add parsley, wine and hot water; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 2 to 2½ hours, stirring every 30 minutes.

Serve with Wild Texas Rice, recipe page 139, and Sourdough Biscuits, recipe page 40.

Serves 16 to 20

Dutch Oven

Roast

Cooked in a Dutch oven or roasting pan, accompanied by different vegetables, this pot roast is a one-pot meal. Use either a bone-in or boneless roast.

8 pound chuck roast, 2- to 3-inches thick, bone in if available

¼ cup vegetable oil

½ cup Burgundy wine

2 cups warm water

3 cups sliced yellow onions

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

½ cup mushrooms, sliced

6 carrots, cut into sticks

3 tablespoons cornstarch

½ cup water

If cooking in oven, preheat to 350º.

Heat vegetable oil in 16-inch Dutch oven or oven-proof roasting pan. Salt and pepper roast on both sides. Sear both sides in hot oil. Pour warm water and Burgundy wine over roast; add garlic, onions, carrots and sliced mushrooms. Cover and cook about 2½ hours, turning every 30 to 45 minutes.

If done in oven, cook for 2 to 2½ hours, turning only once. If roast becomes too dry, add hot water ½ cup at a time.

Pour cooking liquid into a large measuring cup. Skim away fat. If necessary, add a little water or red wine to make 4 cups liquid and return to the cooking pan. Stir in the cornstarch dissolved in ½ cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.

Return roast to cooking pan and arrange vegetables around the roast. Cover and allow to rest 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 14 to 16

Dutch Oven Roast

Cowboy

Hash

As with many of our recipes, this was created to use leftover roast beef—another hearty meal.

3 to 4 pounds leftover boneless roast beef, cubed

6 large potatoes, peeled and diced in small cubes

1½ cups diced onion

4 tablespoons flour

2 cups water

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon oil

Preheat oven to 350º.

When dicing meat, discard any fat. Place meat and potatoes in large baking pan or dish and set aside. Sauté onion in oil until soft; stir onion into meat and potatoes. Pour enough water in pan to reach halfway mark around meat and potatoes. Sprinkle salt and pepper over mixture. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Mix flour in cold water. Add to meat-potato mixture until gravy just begins to thicken. Place back in oven for 15 minutes. Remove and serve over biscuits or sourdough bread.

Serves 10 to 12

Dutch Oven

Beef Pie

While sitting around the wagon one day, good friend Bud Lowrey told us about Jimbo Humphreys’s version of this dish. Jimbo was a mighty fine chuck wagon cook—but it still took several years to perfect this recipe. Top with Pico de Gallo and you have another one-pot meal.

6 cups Camp Chili, recipe page 71

6 cups cooked Pinto Beans, recipe page 131

8 ears corn, kernels cut from cob

2 quantities of Best Basic Cornbread, recipe page 47

Pour prepared Camp Chili in a 16-inch Dutch oven. Spread with wooden spoon. Add cooked Pinto Beans and smooth with spoon. Cut corn from ears and layer over beans, spreading smoothly. In a mixing bowl, double cornbread recipe, and pour batter over corn.

Cover; cook over coals 25 to 30 minutes until cornbread is brown. Let rest 10 minutes and serve with Pico de Gallo, recipe page 123.

To cook in home kitchen, preheat oven to 375°. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until cornbread is brown.

Serves 12 to 14

Mountain

Oysters

This is the by-product of turning bulls into steers and is considered a delicacy by ranch hands and owners alike. A great appetizer.

2 pounds mountain oysters, cleaned

2 eggs

2 cups milk

½ cup coarsely ground black pepper

2 tablespoons salt

3 tablespoons Cavender’s Greek Seasoning

2 cups flour

1 cup cornmeal

To clean mountain oysters, remove first membrane. Place in boiling water for 1 minute to loosen the meat from the skin. Cool slightly, then slice skin with sharp knife to expose or pop out the meat.

Beat together milk and eggs. Soak oysters in milk mixture, remove, then season. Coat with flour and cornmeal mixture. You may prefer flour or cornmeal alone rather than the mixture. Fry in hot oil.

Serves 8 to 10

Beef

and Beans

This is good for cooking all day when you’re camped out. It’s a one-pot meal ready when everyone makes it back to camp.

3 pounds boneless beef roast, preferably sirloin

1 pound pinto beans

3 slices thick-sliced bacon

7 cups water

½ cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon oregano

3 serrano peppers, chopped

Dice bacon and sauté lightly with onions in a 14-inch Dutch oven. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook on low heat for about 5 hours. Break up or slice meat and serve over tortillas or corn chips, topping with grated cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole and Pico de Gallo, recipe page 123.

Serves 6 to 8

Clear Fork

Meatloaf

A good meatloaf is full of meat, not full of filler. Don’t try to entice a cowboy to eat meatloaf that’s not meaty.

2 pounds ground round

2 beaten eggs

1 cup uncooked oatmeal

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1½ cups diced onion

1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

¼ cup Granddad Mickan’s BBQ Sauce, recipe page 121

Preheat oven to 350º.

Mix all ingredients except barbecue sauce or catsup. Shape into a loaf. Place in 11x16-inch baking pan. Cook 1¼ to 1½ hours. Baste top with barbecue sauce or catsup 15 to 20 minutes before done.

Serves 8

Don’t try to entice a cowboy to eat meatloaf that’s not meaty.

Clear Fork Chili con Carne

Clear Fork

Chili con Carne

All you need with this is a big slice of Jalapeño Cornbread.

4 pounds lean ground beef (use chili grind for chunkier consistency)

2 cups chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground oregano

1 teaspoon cumin seed

2 tablespoons chili powder, rounded

1 dried red chile, coarsely chopped

3 cups water, more if needed

Sear meat in heavy iron skillet. Add onion and garlic, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining ingredients. Blend and bring to boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour.

Serves 8

Camp

Chili

Chili is great for parties—whether it’s cool outside or not. You can always freeze leftovers in various sized freezer bags to pop into a microwave oven for a quick meal. Coarsely chopping your own steak makes a heartier chili; you can always substitute hamburger meat.

7 to 8 pounds round steak, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 pound thick-sliced bacon, chopped

4 cups diced onions

¼ cup flour

2 tablespoons kosher or sea salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

8 cloves garlic, crushed

4 large tomatoes, chopped

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons paprika

8 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled and chopped (See page 138.)

4 cups beef stock

Brown bacon in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions before bacon is done and continue browning until onions are soft. Dip bacon and onions out.

Dredge meat in flour, salt and pepper. Place in Dutch oven, stirring continuously until beef is browned. Return cooked bacon and onions to pan; add garlic. Stir and brown 2 to 3 minutes. Add ground cumin, paprika, peppers, tomatoes, beef stock and enough water to cover completely. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 2½ hours or until tender, stirring occasionally, adding a little water as needed.

Serves 12 to 14 hungry men

Black Bean

Casserole

This one-dish meal pleases cowboys or company.

2 pounds ground beef (half ground round, half chuck)

1 cup chopped yellow onions

2 cups cooked black beans, drained

1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

salt to taste

4 flour tortillas

1 cup sliced mushrooms

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup milk 10-ounce can tomatoes with green chiles

1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350º.

In skillet, cook beef and onions until done; drain. Add beans, chili powder, cumin and salt. Mix and pour into a nonstick 9 x 13-inch pan. Arrange tortillas on top.

Sauté mushrooms in butter for 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour and stir to combine. Gradually add stock and milk, whisking until smooth. Add tomatoes, stirring to blend. Pour sauce over tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until heated thoroughly. Serve hot.

Serves 8

Dutch Oven

Stew

You will find this stew a wonderful fireside one-dish meal for cold winter evenings.

6 pounds boneless sirloin, cut into 1- to 1½-inch cubes

8 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 tomatoes, chopped or 10-ounce can of tomatoes and green chilies

8 carrots, scraped and chopped

4 zucchini squash, washed and chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped

4½ cups chopped onions

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt or sea salt

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

4 cups beef broth

4 cups hot water

Heat vegetable oil in 16-inch Dutch oven. Add meat and brown. Add onions and continue browning until onions are soft. Add hot water, beef stock, tomatoes, carrots, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.

Add potatoes, celery and zucchini. Cover and cook an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Add hot water or broth as needed.

Serve steaming hot in large soup bowls with hot bread.

Serves 12 to 14

Green Chile

Stew

This stew is good with beef or pork or a combination of the two.

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 pounds beef or pork (round or chuck), cut into 1-inch cubes

salt and black pepper

½ cup flour, white or whole wheat

1½ cups chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

10 poblano or Big Jim peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 cups chicken stock

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ cup fresh cilantro, optional

In large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Season meat with salt and pepper; coat with flour. Brown the beef in the oil, cooking in small batches. Transfer to bowl or platter. Add more oil as needed.

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in skillet or Dutch oven. Add onion, stirring often until softened. Add garlic and chiles. Transfer ½ of the mixture to blender; add 1 cup of chicken stock and process until smooth. Return the green sauce and beef or pork to skillet. Stir in remaining chicken stock, cumin and oregano. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Reduce to low and cook covered for 1½ hours until meat is tender. Add water if necessary. Stir in cilantro and serve hot.

Serves 6 to 8

Green Chile Stew

Dutch Oven Stew

Beef

Stroganoff

This is a rich, wine-flavored dish. We always make enough for leftovers the next day. Mix in the rice, heat it up and serve it over toasted English muffins.

4 pounds London broil or sirloin (extra lean), cut in 1-inch cubes

1 cup butter

3 cups mushrooms, halved

¾ cup diced yellow onion

1½ cups golden sherry

1½ cups cream sherry

¼ cup red wine

½ cup water

4 tablespoons flour

3 cups sour cream

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

1 recipe Wild Texas Rice, recipe page 139

Trim all fat from meat when cubing. Melt butter in large wide deep skillet or cast iron pan. Sear meat 8 to 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and onions and cook on medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat. Add golden sherry and cream sherry. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours until meat is tender. Mix 3 tablespoons of flour in ½ cup water and stir into mixture. Add 1 tablespoon flour in ¼ cup red wine and stir into mixture to thicken gravy. Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in sour cream. Cover and let stand 30 minutes.

Serve over piping hot mounds of Wild Texas Rice.

Serves 8 to 10

Beef Tortilla

Soup

This recipe comes from Jon and Jackie Means of the Moon Ranch in Van Horn, Texas. It’s excellent for a cool fall evening or anytime!

2 tablespoons corn oil

4 corn tortillas

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1 large can tomato purée

1½ cups chopped onion

1 tablespoon cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 bay leaves

2 quarts beef stock, chilled and skimmed of fat, or beef broth

salt to taste

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more if preferred

8 ounces lean cooked beef, cubed or shredded

1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped

1 avocado, peeled, seeded and cubed

1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

3 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips and crisply fried

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté tortillas, garlic and cilantro over medium heat to soften tortillas. Add onion and tomato purée, bring to boil. Stir in cumin, chili powder, bay leaves and beef stock. Return to boil; reduce to simmer. Cook 15 minutes and taste; add salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, 15 minutes. Add beef, tomatoes and avocado to soup bowls and pour in equal portions of soup.

Garnish with cheese and tortilla strips. Serve piping hot with hot flour tortillas.

Serves 8

GRILLS AND IMPROVISING

The original mesquite pit used by chuck wagon cooks on the range was the Open-Fire Pit, which was simply a hole in the ground rigged with a crossbar frame above it. From the bar hung S-hooks that could hold a pot or kettle such as a Dutch oven. A flat metal grill could be laid across the hole for cooking meat. To adjust for distance from coals to meat, the chuck wagon cook would dig the hole to the desired depth. The authentic Open-Fire Pit remains a desirable grilling method.

Highly convenient Barrel Grills have come into popular use. The benefit of the Upright-Barrel Grill is that it allows the cook to grill meats 24 to 30 inches from coals. With its cover and greater depth, the Upright-Barrel Grill allows the burning coals to impart their smoke flavor to the meat. The versatile Split-Barrel Grill, with its horizontal orientation, has a greater surface area, allowing the cook to use indirect heat for smoking at one end while using high, direct heat for grilling steaks on the other end. Coals lie at a distance of 10 to 12 inches from the meat.

The Kettle Grill is a common backyard grill that can be purchased at hardware, discount and department stores. It allows meat to be grilled 4 to 10 inches from the coals.

Open-Fire Pit

Split-Barrel Grill

Upright-Barrel Grill

Kettle Grill

Illustrations by Bill Cauble

Crown Roast of Lamb

Crown Roast

of Lamb

A dramatic roast for special occasions!

3 3-pound racks of lamb

1½ cups water

1 cup white wine

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

8 cloves garlic, several sprigs of fresh rosemary

Stand the racks, rib ends up, ends together to form a circle. Form the circle around an empty 24-ounce tin can. Lace the ends together using butcher twine.

Moisten the surface of the meat and the exposed bones with olive oil. Season well with Spice Rub for Lamb, Venison and Cabrito, recipe page 78. Fill the can with the water, wine, onion and garlic. Roast on the grill, 24 inches above mesquite coals, until an internal temperature of 160° is reached, for medium doneness.

In the home kitchen, preheat oven to 375°. Roast approximately 40 minutes, until an internal temperature of 160° is reached, for medium doneness.

When done, remove the can and discard the contents, and place roast on a large platter. Fill center with roasted potatoes, or Wild Texas Rice, recipe page 139, and sprigs of fresh rosemary. Carve between ribs to serve.

Serves 8

Spice Rub for Lamb, Venison and Cabrito

2 tablespoons coarsely ground pepeper

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoons rosemary leaves, chopped

Combine and rub onto oiled meat. Allow meat to rest with rub on for a few minutes before cooking.

Rack of

Lamb

Slow grilling makes the meat more tender.

1 3- to 4-pound rack of lamb

½ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Coat rack of lamb with oil and spices that have been mixed together. Place on grill, bone side down, about 18 inches above mesquite coals. Grill for about 20 minutes, turn and cook on meat side for 30 minutes. Continue turning and basting with oil and spices until done, about 170°.

We also grill the rack of lamb on the “steak grill” setting, 6 to 8 inches from hot coals, for approximately 5 minutes on each side. Watch carefully to avoid over cooking. We like these chops medium done…pink centered…with an internal temperature of 160°. Baste several times during cooking.

Serves 4

Chicken-Fried

Venison Strips

This is an excellent appetizer or main course.

2 pounds venison round, cut into finger-sized strips

2 cups buttermilk or milk

2 cups sliced yellow onions

½ cup coarsely ground black pepper

2 tablespoons salt

1 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 cup flour

Soak venison strips in milk for at least two hours. Combine spices with flour. Remove venison strips from milk and coat with flour mixture. Fry in 1 inch of hot oil. Place onion slices on top of meat as you fry. Drain on paper towels.

Serves 6

Chicken-Fried Venison Strips

Venison

Backstrap

While cooking a whole backstrap and some bacon-wrapped venison tenderloin steaks one evening, friend Don Koch suggested using orange slices atop the venison to prevent dryness. It works every time.

1 venison backstrap

6 slices bacon

6 thick slices of orange, peel on Brisket Rub, recipe page 59

6 toothpicks

Rub all sides of backstrap with Brisket Rub. Wrap outside edges with bacon; secure with toothpick. Place on grill over medium-hot coals. Place orange slices on venison. Cook 15 minutes per side, removing and replacing orange slices until meat begins to firm and internal temperature of 150° is reached for medium doneness.

To cook in home kitchen, preheat oven to 350°.

Follow instructions for coating meat with Brisket Rub. Roast for approximately 30 minutes until internal temperature reaches 150° for medium. Remove from oven and let meat rest for 10 minutes before carving.

TIP: The backstrap is the venison tenderloin.

Serve hot.

Serves 6

Venison

Leg

The secret to venison is to cook it slowly, basting often.

1 leg of venison

3 to 4 cups water

1 cup vinegar

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

3 lemons, sliced

1 cup olive or vegetable oil

Combine water, oil and seasoning. Boil for 5 minutes. Pour over venison. Cover and let stand in the marinade overnight. Keep cool.

Place on grill about 30 inches from mesquite coals. Reheat the marinade and use to baste the venison, adding more liquid if needed. Turn the meat every hour. About one hour before meat is done, wrap in heavy foil and continue cooking. This will help tenderize the meat. Allow 2 to 3 hours cooking time.

To cook in home kitchen, preheat oven to 350°.

Follow instructions for marinating meat. Roast for approximately 20 minutes per pound, basting frequently with marinade, until internal temperature reaches 150° for medium or 160° for medium well doneness. Remove from oven and let meat rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Serves 8

Venison Leg

Venison Backstrap

mesquite in spring foliage with Texas bluebonnets

chuck-wagon cooking over a pit of mesquite coals

mesquite wood pile

mesquite wood fire— coals in the making

cooking briskets over mesquite coals