Kent Rollins - Comfort Food the Cowboy Way: Backyard Favorites, Country Classics, and Stories from a Ranch Cook

C omfort comes in many forms, from the clothes we wear to our surroundings and the food we eat. I think growing up we all have those memories of backyard cookouts, family reunions, and Sunday dinners. It was often a time when family traditions and recipes were served up in hearty portions. There is just something about those old classic dishes that have been passed down through the generations that do more than fill your stomach; they bring about peace and togetherness. That is what comfort food isa sense of contentment brought on by memories of good home cooking. Comfort food is hearty dishes that have not only stood the test of time but that also rekindle a memory with every bite.

In this book, it is Shannons and my goal to celebrate all the classic recipes that have brought us comfort through the years, whether its Grandmas special pie, or a meal from a favorite hole-in-the-wall diner that wasnt on any tourist map, or a creation born from hard times that is still replicated today. Its important for us to remember not only these recipes but also the history and stories behind them.

Being a chuck wagon cook, my most important job is to feed cowboys. My second most important job is to make them feel comfortable in camp, to feel like family and give them a sense of being at home. When cooking on remote ranches, my home isnt made of solid walls but of canvas. The conditions are much different than a typical dining room. The chairs are replaced with wood benches, and the fine china with enameled plates. But wherever Shan and I are cooking, we want to create a sense of home and comfort, and whats the easiest way to do that? With food.

It is a special feeling when I see plates licked clean after a meal and hear the comment, That was just like Mama used to cook. A comparison to a mama or grandma is probably the highest compliment you can get. I love cooking true homestyle foods, and not only is this a way to share food and fellowship, but its also an opportunity to pass on traditions and history.

Cowboys need to be fed well to work well. Its very common for cowboys to lose weight during spring or fall works because the hours horseback are long, the nights short, and theyre burning a lot of calories throughout the day. However, those fellers often have to let out another notch on their belts after too many extra helpings at the wagon. Its often those homestyle favorites that do it.

Ive walked in the boots of some tough cooks who came before me. I admire those old men who sat in that wagon seat, driving an ornery team of mules, day after day, in some of Mother Natures harshest conditions. Our cooking methods today are still the same, but Im grateful for the wider selection of groceries we have to work with now. In our area, we have a great influence of Mexican cooking. This dates back to the cattle drive days, when many Mexican immigrants became cooks on the trail.

With that came the influence of new spices, including dried chiles, fresh oregano, ground cumin, among others. These spices found their way into a lot of dishes that were prepared during the long journey north. Ive always said I like a dish that bites back, and were sharing some of my favorite authentic Mexican dishes, with a little heat. The heat comes from traditional chiles that we use, whether they are ground down or rehydrated for sauces. This is what makes these recipes uniqueyou wont be using prepackaged seasonings, but creating a unique blend of flavors that you might only find south of the border.

Along with good Mexican food, some of my greatest memories of comfort food come from cafs and diners that populated small-town main streets, as well as one greasy spoon that served up the best patty melt in five counties. We didnt grow up with a lot of money, so caf dining was sure a treat, and we looked forward to special occasions when we could indulge. I know Mama enjoyed the night off from cooking and doing the dishes!

When I was on the road doing a lot of rodeoing, I looked forward to pulling into these little diners to satisfy some hunger pains. I might be in the mood for a chili cheese dog with homemade chili or maybe a famous Oklahoma fried onion burger. These are the places where you can count on the menu being filled with all-American comfort foods that are filling and satisfying. Now, most of the old stops I went to across rural America are boarded up and no longer exist, but were saving you some gas money since you can now re-create these classic caf dishes right at home.

Lets not forget that good outdoor cookingwhich is what Im known for. One of my favorite methods of cooking is with fire and cast iron. Now, you may not have a 385-pound wood stove like my Bertha, but you can still enjoy these flame-grilled recipes were going to share with you. And dont you be using any briquettes! Whether its smoking or grilling, these recipes are guaranteed to give you that authentic fire flavor with natural wood. Outdoor cooking is one of the most social types of cooking, so lets celebrate gathering around the fire!

There have been several times that Ive cooked for ranches when I didnt know anyone on the crew and it was in new country. You know when youre in those situations, you often feel a little out of place. But the things that put me back in the saddle were the things that I had always relied on, and that was cooking, fire, and cowboys. Its not a good feeling being out of your comfort zone, so you have to look to something you can count on, like family, friends, your trusty roping horse, and even food. I have found out that in what may seem like the worst of times or the biggest challenges, if you just ride that horse a little longer, there aint nothing you cant overcome. The uncomfortable becomes comfortable, and the hopeless becomes hopeful.

The pages ahead are not just filled with feel-good recipes. We want to also take you on a journey through history. This book provides you with a ticket right in the wagon seat to travel with us to some of the ranches where weve cooked. It is filled with stories that explore what it was like going down the dusty trails in the 1800s to modern-day cowboy mischief that I seemed to get myself into growing up. This will be a look back at the tales of cooks, cowboys, and cow bosses who blazed the trails before us. If the stories dont transport you, then surely Shannons beautiful photography will give you an up-close view into our unique lifestyle.

So get in the wagon seatthere aint no seat belt, so just hold on tight! Were traveling to your favorite caf, that authentic Mexican restaurant down the road, and the backyard to smell that good woodsmoke roll off the grill. Youll be tasting it all with a little cowboy twist, because sharing food and history has been going on around the table for centuries. It is what gets us through both times of crisis and times of celebration. It is important that we carry on these traditions and re-create comfort wherever you may hang your hat.

I t was a cold November night in the Palo Duro Canyon of Texas. Factor in the forty-mph winds and it sure wasnt a night for calm sleeping conditions. I remember the flapping of the canvas walls of my teepee hitting me in the head every time Mother Nature took a breath. Thats one thing about Mother Nature: Shes always in charge of the lighting and the thermostat when ranch cooking.

On nights like these, Id always sleep with my clothes next to me so in the morning theyd be warm and I wouldnt have to fight putting on a stiff pair of half-frozen britches. I was afraid to look at the actual temperature when I woke up that morning, but I knew I had to stoke Bertha (my trusty wood stove) full of mesquite knots that morning to melt the layer of ice in my kitchen. I had snapped in all the walls around the fly of the wagon to help block the arctic blast, and I was determined to get my kitchen as warm as possible for those cowboys I could hear rustling in their teepees.