We’re heading west for Sunday Supper this week and paying homage to the humble cowboy cook! Our tastemakers are busy preparing cowboy cooking recipes made with Certified Angus Beef® brand. Plus, we’re sharing how to care for cast iron! That’s a subject that’s sure to please any cook. We’d love ya’ll to come sit around the virtual campfire and join us!
What is Cowboy Cooking?
When you hear the phrase “cowboy cooking”, it probably conjures up images of the old west. But, the truth is, there are cowboy cooks alive and well today, and they are cooking up meals for hungry cowboys all across the country! According to Kent Rollins, one of today’s most accomplished modern day cowboy cooks, cowboy cooking isn’t about fancy food. Kent says, “You can’t get full on fancy!”
Cowboy cooking is hearty stick-to-your-ribs food often made in cast iron cookware over a wood burning stove or open fire. When you’re out on the range, availability of fresh ingredients is minimal, so cowboy cooks make due with what they have. Food items such as beef (we love Certified Angus Beef® brand), potatoes, and beans are mainstays of cowboy cooking. While most of us don’t have Chuck Wagons full of cast iron pans (“chuck” is cowboy talk for food and the wagon is where chuck is prepped and stored) or wood burning stoves to cook on, we can still enjoy the tastes that define cowboy cooking in our own kitchens.
Cowboy Cooking celebrity Kent Rollins
How to Care for Cast Iron
It’s no secret that most cowboy cooking is done in cast iron cookware and that’s why it’s important to know how to care for cast iron. Cast iron is preferred for its excellent heat retention and durability. Plus, a cast iron pan can last for generations if cared for properly. Below are a few tips to help you keep your cast iron cookware in tip top shape:
- Season your cast iron pan properly! Seasoning is the process preparing the pans surfaces so food doesn’t stick. There is a plethora of information available on how to season cast iron pans on the internet. Even pre-seasoned cast iron pans can benefit from the process of seasoning.
- Never boil beans or pasta in non-enameled coated cast iron pans. The boiling water will cause the seasoning on the pan (that non-stick surface you worked so hard to achieve) to boil right off into the water!
- When storing your cast iron, make sure you allow the pans to “breathe.” Moisture is a cast iron pan’s enemy. If storing in high humidity areas, a little dry rice in the bottom of the pan will help to absorb any moisture that might form and keep your pan from rusting.
Cowboy Cooking dessert recipe Cherry Clafoutis
Sunday Supper Cowboy Cooking Recipes
Looking for some cowboy cooking inspired recipes to feed your hungry cowboys (aka your family)? Check out this easy recipe for Shepherd’s Pie made with Certified Angus Beef® ground beef. And don’t forget, hungry cowboys love dessert too! This Cherry Clafoutis from The Cast-Iron Baking Book sounds fancy, but it’s not. You’ll be the only one who knows you didn’t go through a heap of trouble getting it on the table!
Don’t forget to join us on Twitter this Sunday, June 25th, at 7p ET for a LIVE Twitter Chat with Certified Angus Beef® brand. We’ll be talking all about cowboy cooking and sharing more cast iron tips! You can follow along with #SundaySupper .
Make sure to check out all the Cowboy Cooking inspired Sunday Supper recipes! You’re sure to find one that you and your family will love. And sign up for our newsletter to get great recipes delivered right to your inbox every Thursday! 
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