1865-1890

South Texas was the origin point of the era when ranchers returning from the civil war found millions of head longhorn cattle roaming from the Rio Grande to the West Texas Prairies unattended and unclaimed.

The cattle drive phenomenon started as ranchers began to learn of the hunger for beef in the northern and eastern regions.  The cowboys, Mexicans, blacks, and frontiersmen of varied cultural backgrounds, melded into cohesive teams and moved herds of 1,200 to 3,000 head to the Missouri railheads 1,000 miles away for shipment to the eastern markets.

In 1866, Charles Goodnight invented an addition to these long cattle drives which made life on the open range much more tolerable.  A farm wagon was converted into a mobile kitchen, which was a welcomed luxury.

The first wagons contained large water barrel, toolbox, a canopy frame for protection, and most important, the chuck box.

The cook needed to feed a crew of men with foods that would last several months in the scorching heat.  He used dry supplies such as coffee, beans, baking powder, flour, corn meal, rice, sugar, dried chili peppers, dried fruit, salt for port and canned foods.  Utilizing these ingredients the chuck wagon cook had to be able to build and cook over an open fire.  Hardwood was used for fuel and mesquite for flavor.

The cook would prepare the favorites such as soups and stews, sourdough biscuits and breads and the most popular dish chili.     For vegetables, the cowboys liked onions and potatoes.  Fresh meat was usually rabbit, antelope, deer or prairie grouse.  These meats were basted with a concoction of bacon fat, vinegar, molasses, salt and chili peppers.  The start of the Texas passion for Bar-b-que.

The Wagon Master

700 South FM 1016

Mission, TX  78572

(956) 821-0370

(956) 580-1005 (fax)