Little - Cowboy Food

Copyright 2010 by DD Little
All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, photographic including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.
The information, ideas and suggestions in this book are not intended to render professional medical, culinary or historical advice. If you need special dietary meals as a result of a medical condition you should consult your physician prior to trying any of these recipes or information.
Print ISBN 0-7414-6210-9
eBook ISBN 0-7414-9238-5
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Watch for the coming adventures of DD,
Pappy Jack and Crazy Kate in Chuck wagon BBQ In 1983 I suffered a heart attack.

I was advised by a number of specialists to change the way I was living. That attack gave me all the incentive I needed. The first thing I had to do was leave my job as a stockbroker. I walked away from a six-figure income. In addition I was told to lose forty pounds. at the time. at the time.

I was to change my diet by eliminating as much salt as possible. In addition, I was to eliminate caffeine and cholesterol and I was to reduce my sugar intake. It seemed impossible to me then. There were other life style changes too. One of my favorite foods is chili. Chili was and is more than a tasty meal to me.

I was born and raised in the west and chili is a part of western romance and lore. If you enjoy camping and fishing as I do, you know there is nothing more satisfying than sitting around a fire at night with a hearty bowl of chili chased by a cold beer or hot cup of Joe. It doesnt get much better than that! The elimination of salt altered my taste for all foods. I should say salt altered my taste for food and I was getting the real taste back. I found that foods I had not cared for, I liked. I read as much as I could about healthy foods.

In the process, I found my treasure trove of families recipes, many of them chili recipes. I decided to make them as healthy as I could. This book is devoted to the results. I believe that all Man-Food lovers will appreciate and enjoy these recipes. They are outstanding for parties, BBQs, camping and so on. Enjoy!

Southwestern taste is a complicated subject.

I believe the original taste comes from a simple down to earth approach to cooking. It originated out of necessity. I am not trying to say that during the periods we are talking about, we did not have great chefs, because we did. Still, the majority of recipes we connect to the early West are simple. Thousands of new Americans moved west on every kind of transportation. Many rode horses and others were lucky enough to ride in a wagon.

There were no microwaves, refrigerators or zipper style food bags. Much of the meat was fatty and preserved with salt or smoke. When on the trail, fresh vegetables were hard to come by and did not last long. Dried vegetables were carried in wagons, on pack horses and mules. Fresh water was collected from rain, streams, lakes and wells. Lard was the primary greasing ingredient.

It becomes easy to understand how cactus, squirrels, snakes and other strange items wound up in many a meal. Getting back to basics helped maintain the taste. When I got to the fat and the heavy amounts of salt, I had to make substitutions. All of the recipes, except one, have been cleaned to some degree. I have spent considerable time trying to find substitutions. I left one recipe as it was to illustrate the difference.

Feel free to put your own fixens in saddlebags if it helps re-create the Wild West for you. Have a lot of fun, I certainly have!

When cooking, try using very little oil and stir continuously to keep ingredients from sticking. 1. Meats are frequently browned in a skillet or pot prior to mixing with other ingredients. Onions, fresh peppers, mushrooms and other items may be mixed with the meat during the browning period. 2. 2.

After step 1, other ingredients are added. Heat is reduced to low and the mixture simmered, covered or uncovered for one or more hours stirring occasionally. During the simmering period the mixture is inspected and water or flour added to thicken or thin. You may wish to vary your recipes by altering the browning of the meat. Try browning more or less prior to adding other ingredients. Also try searing the meat by quick frying on high heat.

When seared the meat should appear a rich crispy brown on the outside and pink on the inside. Drain off the fat that remains in the browning pan prior to adding other ingredients. Chili recipes are meant to be fun, so get wild. I tried mixing peanut butter in a recipe once. I do not recommend it!

COOKING BEANS - Most beans really do not need to be soaked overnight. Old beans, stored for awhile should be soaked overnight.

Simmer beans covered with water for about 1 hour. Many of the recipes in my book request canned beans which may or may not be drained, your choice. SPICES OR HERBS - To toast herbs like cumin and oregano place them in a dry skillet over low heat. Toast them for about 1 minute and stir frequently. Do not burn them, it makes them bitter tasting. ROASTING GARLIC - Place cloves that have not been peeled in a cast iron skillet and dry roast over low heat for about 30 to 40 minutes.

Stir the cloves occasionally. Another method is to roast fresh solid garlic bulbs in a preheated oven for about 20 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Try cutting the top third of the bulb off and throw it away. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the cut end of the garlic and add a sprinkle of herbs to each bulb. ROASTING AND PEELING FRESH CHILES - You should wear rubber gloves for this process and avoid rubbing your eyes or face. Place the peppers on a wire rack over an open fire or under a broiler.

You may also use a hand held butane torch. Blister and blacken the peppers all over. Put them in a bowl or pot and cover with a lid or plastic wrap and let them steam for about 25 minutes. You should be able to easily remove the skins with the tip of a knife. You can also remove the seeds and interior ribs but this will reduce the heat of the pepper.

I start with tomatoes (your choice) they can be chunked, mashed or just about anything.

Other tomato family products help as well, like tomato paste, tomato sauce, etc. Other than tomatoes and good clean water, just about everything else is optional. You might choose to add onions (your choice) chopped, chunked, whatever, just not whole. Beans are of course in many chili creations, but not all. Most of the bean families may be used, especially black beans or chili beans. The heart of all chili recipes of course is the chile.