What Did Cowboys Eat in the Old West? (2024)

Camp wagon on a Texas roundup, 1900. William Henry Jackson.

Image Credit: Library of Congress via Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

Depictions of cowboys today show them engaging in fearsome shootouts, epic horseback rides and dangerously heroic missions. However, spending large amounts of time in the wilderness also required careful planning, especially when it came to food.

Cowboys could spend months away either herding cattle or avoiding law enforcement. Fresh food was therefore a rarity, so foods were developed that were both highly nutritious and had an epic shelf life.

Just as an army marches on its stomach, so did cowboys.

Cowboy food was influenced by the ‘vaqueros’ of Mexico

Much of the food that cowboys ate was influenced by the vaqueros of Texas, a North African-Spanish/Mexican people who were the ‘original’ cowboys. The vaqueros were early versions of independent contractors who would sell their skills to anyone who needed a highly-skilled rancher. They owned their own horses, saddles and ropes.

Mexican Cabellero, by Doerr & Jacobson, 1876-9.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Meat formed a big part of the cowboy diet

In the early to mid-1800s, food in the old west would have been significantly better than pretty any other wilderness fare. A significant part of the cowboy diet was made up of the large amounts of cattle that abounded. Smoked jerky was the most common way of consuming beef since it lasted longer and could be used in stews.

Salted pork was used when beef wasn’t available since it had a very long shelf life. However, it had to be soaked in water for many hours to reduce the salt, as eating it directly would make you ill.

As the most heavily-traded food product amongst the indigenous American population, pemmican was a portable and high-calorie food. Made up of rendered fat mixed with dried meat and formed into bars, it was able to last for years and was used as a backup food.

Depending on the area, cowboys might hunt and fish for fresh meat, but this was uncommon and not relied upon.

Beans, biscuits, potatoes and fruit were popular

Cowboys would have eaten hardtacks, a dense bread made with few ingredients that resemble modern-day biscuits. These were edible for years. The only downside is that they were rock hard, so had to be soaked in water or milk before eating.

‘His first experience of pemmican’ by Harry Bullock-Webster, 1874-1880.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Beans and potatoes were also by far the two most common vegetables in the old west. They could be cooked quickly and added to a number of dishes, like stews. Beans could also be dried and rehydrated months later. A favourite way to do so was to slowly rehydrate them by cooking them in a mixture of molasses and water.

‘Chuckwagons’ started accompanying cowboys on cattle trails

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the gold rush and a general population increase meant that there was a sudden uptake in demand for food. This led to beef needing to become yet more mass-produced, meaning that cowboy teams would increase up to 30 men for the larger herds.

‘Mess scene on “round up”. Cowboys eating near chuckwagon; small groups of horses and cattle in campsite. Between 1887-1892.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Rancher and cattle baron Charles Goodnight recognised the importance of attracting the best possible ranchers available, so invented the chuck wagon – a military wagon with a trunk attached – as a means of attracting the best talent.

Chuckwagons carried food, cooking supplies and medical kits and were driven by the cook who rode alongside the cowboys on the cattle trail. This allowed the ranchers, who often had to travel long distances, to enjoy freshly-prepared hot food rather than whatever preserved food they could carry.

The cook was a vital member of the team

The drive’s cook, often nicknamed ‘cookie’, worked longer hours than the cowboys. He would rise long before the ranchers to grind coffee and work on his sourdough starter which would then be used to make bread, biscuits or flapjacks for breakfast.

He would then ride ahead as the cowboys ate and start preparing the lunch in a designated area. Along the way, he might look for herbs and vegetables, eggs from nests or even hunt and fish to provide fresh food for the coming party of ranchers.

In addition to his role as head chef, the cook’s job was important, since they also took on the roles of doctor, nurse, pharmacist, veterinarian and even letter-writer too. Their reputation could influence whether a cowboy decided to work for one ranch or another.

At the end of the American Civil War, thousands of African Americans ventured west to the frontier in a bid to achieve freedom and escape the prejudice they faced. Many of these frontiersmen became cowboys with up to 25 per cent of cowboys were in fact black. Whilst Westerns became big business in Hollywood this fact was largely been ignored by major film studios. Why is this?

Listen Now

Sure, let's break down the concepts and information from the article you've provided:

Cowboy Food Origins and Influences: The food consumed by cowboys in the American West was influenced by the vaqueros of Texas, who were skilled ranchers and horse-people of North African-Spanish/Mexican descent. These vaqueros introduced techniques, clothing, and lifestyle practices that became fundamental to the cowboy culture. The food, thus, carried a distinct Mexican influence due to this historical connection.
Meat in Cowboy Diet: The cowboy diet heavily relied on cattle. Beef, in the form of smoked jerky and stews, was a primary source of sustenance due to its durability and ability to last longer. When beef was unavailable, salted pork was used, but it required soaking to reduce its saltiness.
Pemmican: A highly traded food product among indigenous American populations, pemmican, made from rendered fat mixed with dried meat, provided a portable and high-calorie option that could last for years, serving as a backup food.
Hunting and Fishing: While not the primary source of food, cowboys sometimes hunted or fished for fresh meat, although this was not relied upon due to its infrequency.
Staple Foods: Cowboys consumed foods like hardtacks (similar to modern-day biscuits), beans, potatoes, nuts (pecans and almonds), and dried fruits (mainly apples, but also apricots, cherries, and peaches, depending on the region). These foods were easily preserved and constituted a significant part of their diet.
Chuckwagons and Evolution of Food Preparation: The chuckwagon, invented by rancher Charles Goodnight, revolutionized food provision on cattle trails. It carried supplies and was driven by the cook, providing freshly prepared hot meals, thus attracting skilled ranchers.
Importance of Cooks: The cook, often referred to as "cookie," played a vital role in the team, working longer hours than the cowboys. They prepared meals, but also acted as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, veterinarians, and sometimes even letter writers. Their reputation influenced a cowboy's decision to work for a specific ranch.
African American Cowboys: After the American Civil War, thousands of African Americans moved west, with a significant portion becoming cowboys. Despite their substantial presence (up to 25% of cowboys), this aspect has been largely ignored or overlooked in mainstream Western films, raising questions about representation and historical accuracy in Hollywood.

This information showcases the diverse influences, food sources, cooking methods, and the crucial role of cooks in the historical context of cowboy life in the American West.