Black Pots and New Homes

This past weekend I had the absolute pleasure to travel down to Hurricane, UT, just outside of Zion National Part and help out a black pot caterer, my friend Crazy Richard Christensen and his lovely bride Ann. Crazy Richard picked up a gig with a new home developer who was participating in an area Parade of Homes show. This particular developer has an incredible area that includes a panoramic view of the mountain around Zion National Park. Every single home has been designed to blend with the natural landscape and no cookie-cutters - every single home will be unique.

OK, enough of that, let's talk about what we did. Crazy Ricard was asked to set up a Dutch Oven menu that could feed, well, a bunch. We had no idea how many people would be floating through the model home and the giant tent display that that demonstrated all of the features and opportunities the new community provided. The first thing the visitors ran into when they exited the model home and entered the tent was Crazy Richard and yours truly, Splatterdab. The first comments we heard were, "We couldn't wait to get outside to see what was cooking. The aroma was filling the house." For the kiddies and those wanting a quick bite we had dogs and burgers going on a Camp Chief griddle placed on top of a Camp Chef gas stove. For the black pot dishes we had Cowboy Beans, Dutch Oven 'Taters, and to top it all off Crazy Richard crafted some cobblers that were a definite hit. I had one lady take a bite of a slice and before she finished it she asked if she could buy the whole danged cobbler. Made a few bucks on that one I'll tell ya. Of course, in my humble opinion, what really crowned it all was Splatterdab's own Cowboy Coffee. I used the basic recipe I talked about in an earlier post. Well, I'm here to tell ya, that got folks attention and they kept comin' back for more.

I'm guessing that in the two full days I was there we served over 500 visitors, maybe more. They came from all over, San Diego, Las Vegas, Idaho, Phoenix, Denver and other places outside of Utah. Because we didn't know how many would be comin' the key to success here was keeping it simple and keeping it fast. Crazy Richard's menu reflected this necessity. So, that prompted him to offer up the Cowboy Beans, Dutch Oven Potatoes, and cobbler which was actually what many of us know as a dump cake. On arrival at the site in the morning, I got to work brewing the cowboy coffee in an 'ol graniteware coffee pot while Crazy Richard set up preparing the cobblers. I then immediately got to work on the beans and "taters once I got my instructions from Crazy Richard. After all, we was the chief coussie at this affair and I've learned that only a damned fool will argue with a skunk, a woman, or a chuck wagon cook. So, I followed his directions to the T.

As I have promised, each of these posts come with a recipe of some sort so here it goes for what Richard cooked up. By the way, Crazy Richard did this just like the cooks did on the trail - weren't no measuring cups or the like, just use yer own judgment. A heapin' handful here a pacel there. Though the best one was Just fill 'er up?. We were using 14 deeps for the beans and 'taters.

Cowboy Beans
In a medium hot oven fry up some sausage. Once the sausage browns throw in a good amount of diced red, yellow, and green bell peppers and a pacel full of onions. For the beans we used what was handy - pintos, kidney, black, and garbanzos. You want to use enough to almost fill the pot. add water. Bring up the heat so that it begins to bubble but then adust it down so that it starts a slow simmer and let her go. Longer the better. But, we only had about 3 hours before the event got started but that was plenty. Besides, they got better as the day progressed. About 30 to 45 minutes before serving Crazy Richard threw in a couple cans of chunky pineapple. So, this really was a sweet bean concoction rather than a spicy bean mix. If your beans are too thin, sort of soupy, you can do what Crazy Richard did and add about half a large can of Rosarita's Refried Beans. I was skeptical but it worked just fine.

Dutch Oven 'Taters  
Dice up some bacon so that it covers the bottom of the pot. Once the bacon starts to get crispy throw in a couple or 3 handfuls of onions. Pile on some sliced potatoes, enough to nearly fill the pot. We sliced the potatoes the night before and stored them in a bucket covered with water and sealed with a lid. Add salt and pepper to taste and finish off with a smattering of garlic then give it all a real good stir. Over a medium heat and stirring occasionally this should be ready in 35 - 40 minutes. Mind you, this was in a 14 deep so it won't take as long in a 12 regular. Once the steam starts coming out from under the lid you'll know it's ready to serve up. In one day we went trough 4 full pots of these 'taters.

Cobbler (Dump Cake)
This is your basic cobbler that, for many of us, was our first dish cooked in a Dutch oven. As I said, Crazy Richard chose this one because it's simple and he could keep knocking this delicious desserts as needed. So, thorw in some canned fruit filling of your choice. Richard did apple, peach, and cherry, On one I think he combine apple and peach. Next, dump in a box of cake mix. For apple, peach, or pear use a white or yellow cake mix. For cherries, use a chocolate cake mix. Then pour in some soda pop. For the peach, pear, or apple, use 7-Up, Sprite, or similar soda that suits yer fancy. Do not completely mix the ingredients. Just cut through it very lightly a could of passes if that. The natural bubbling that occurs during the baking process in a Dutch oven will mix the ingredients sufficiently. Depending on the weather, this could take around 45 - 60 minutes. About every 15 minutes use a lid lifter to turn the lid 1/4 turn (do not lift the lid off the pot). Also use the lid lifter and lift the entire pot by the bail and turn 1/4 of a turn over the coals. This will help to prevent getting hot spots and reduce the risk of burning. The idea is to have a nice evenly browned cake.

That's it. I really want to thank Crazy Richard and Ann for letting me be a part of their catering event this past weekend. The drive down from Utah was great, since it was my first time going to the St. George area. Some of the most beautiful scenery in the country and best of all, I met new friends, had great food, and had fun.

An Ol' Sourdough Talks about Sourdough

First, you need to know to always take care of your sourdough. It requires care and feeding. The Ol' coussies were known to even tuck their sourdough in their bed role with themselves at night to keep it warm. So, what's up here? Did these Ol' coots have some sort of warped relationship with this stuff. Well, it is a living organism - sort of. But, no, these guys were not slipping off the ol' rocker.

Historically, sourdough has been around for centuries. and referred to by different names. The name Sourdough is a recent name, considering how long this stuff has been around. It came about, so I've been told, when a French family moved to San Francisco and opened a bakery n 1849. They promptly began preparing bread with this culture that was popular and well known in Europe. In 1848, miners began flocking to San Francisco as it was the port of entry on their way to the California gold fields. Once Boudin opened up in 1849 the miners, as well as the locals, found this bread so desirable that the Boudin Bakery became the premier bakery in San Francisco and is still in business today. The miners flocked to this bakery every morning for this special tasting bread. Since 1849 Boudin's have been using the same sourdough culture, which they call a "Mother Dough" and the same recipe. It was called the "Mother Dough" because in 1906 Louise Boudin saved the original starter in a bucket during the Great San Francisco Earthquake.

The Boudin family discovered that their culture produced a bread with unique characteristics that they didn't have back in France. Must have been somethin' in the air. Well, that's exactly correct, there was. No matter what part of the world where sourdough starter is made the flavor will be unique. This is because of the wild yeast found in the air. In each geographic area the composition of the wild yeast will be dependent on the unique environmental conditions. In the San Francisco area the bacteria found is such that it creates the unique aroma and distinct tangy flavor we know as San Francisco sourdough. But, the credit goes to the Boudin's.
http://www.boudinbakery.com/meetboudin/

So, why was this so important to the chuck wagon cook? It's all got to do with the rise or what the old timer's called proofing. All ya'll might also know it as the leavening process. Without a concoction that allows the bread to raise the ol' coussie would have been restricted to making flat breads (to be read tortillas) which the cowboys might tire of over time. Although baker's yeast was available during the last quarter of the 19th century it was expensive and not readily available on the trail. So, enter sourdough.Sourdough, when used in bread and other dough based recipes, lowers the pH level of the dough, causing the starch to partially gelatinize, and enabling it to retain gas bubbles. It was much easier for the coussie to mix a batch of sourdough starter and keep it feed thereby making it generally available whenever he needed it.

Alright, recipe time. If you ask a sourdough purist, this recipe would be called cheatin' 'cause it uses yeast. I call it makin' a starter in 24 hours.

Splatterdab's Overnight Sourdough Starter

4	cups warm water	1 1/4	teaspoons yeast
4	cups flour

Mix the yeast in the warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Place the flour in a large plastic, glass, or crock bowl or container. Stir the liquid into the flour and mix well. It should be the consistency of a slightly thick pancake batter.

Cover container with a towel or plastic wrap but make sure the mixture can breathe. Allow to stand in a warm place for at least 12 hours or more. Make sure your container is deep enough because the yeast will cause the mixture to raise. If the starter gets too close to the top of the container just stir it down.

Use whatever is called for in the recipe yer usin' but make sure to feed it. That means that if the recipe calls for 1 cup of starter then make sure you replenish it with equal amounts of flour and water.
If you keep it fed it will serve a bunch and it will get better with age - kinda like your ol' Splatterdab here. Oh yeah, don't forget, if it gets really chilly at night you can keep your sourdough warm and alive by tuckin' it in the bed roll with ya.

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Back in the Saddle - Let's Talk About Cowboy Coffee

I have been remiss in my posts and need to get back in the saddle. My somewhat lengthy stay in California and getting back into the swing of things at work took me away from what I really love doing  and that's working from the back of the chuck wagon.

So, since this is a new year, uh-oh - just looked at the calendar and it's the end of January already, I want to start out fresh and fresh starts always calls for a good cup of coffee. That's what I'll ramble on about today. But, before I get into the details I've decided to form a new society - THE C. C. D SOCIETY or The Cowboy Coffee Drinkers Society or CCDS (I just thought this up so I'll make up the rules as I go). Since the real recipe for Cowboy Coffee, herein referred to as C.C, has been a closely guarded secret one of the objectives of the CCDS will be to spread the C.C word and provide it to the world. So here goes:

Throw 4 pounds of coffee into one gallon of water. Put the can or pot on an open fire. Ah rule time. If it an't on an open fire, it ain't C.C! Stir violently with a stick until the grounds are wet. Bring the mixture to a boil.  You will know it's done after the coffee sinks to the bottom and when you throw in a horseshoe or length of lead pipe and it floats. If it sinks, it's not C.C. Being to weak, it is relegated to class of tin-horn, wanabe C. C. coffee.

OK, OK, rule time again. Those bona fide and installed members of the CCDS are hereby authorized to modify the official CCDS recipe with the stipulation that they provide the alternate recipe for publication.

Now that the current membership has voted on the rule changes (I polled myself as I am the only member at this time) I am posting this modified recipe.

Throw a large handful of coffee into a 140 year old graniteware coffee pot, hanging from fire irons over an open fire, and 1 gallon of water. Boil. Move over lower heat coals. Pour a couple spoonfuls of cold water down the spout. This will help the grounds sink to the bottom of the pot.  Rule time yet again. First man at the pot is obligated to serve others waiting on a cup. Any CCDS member around the campfire may, in a loud voice, proclaim, "MAN AT THE POT". The man at the pot is also obligated to serve others waiting on a cup.

Additional CCDS rules ideas:
1. Every member is President
2. The President can call for a vote on any matter, at any time.
3. A quorum will consist of any odd number of members present - 1, 3, 5, 7, etc. The odd number being specified so as to prevent a tie and any tussles that might happen around the camp. I hate it when I have to pull out the ol' hog-leg to settle arguments.

So it begins. Let's see how the membership grows.

History
As far as I can tell one of the most popular brands of coffee during the time of the great cattle drives was Arbuckles'.

In 1865, John Arbuckle and his brother Charles, partners in a Pittsburgh grocery business, changed all this by patenting a process for roasting and coating coffee beans with an egg and sugar glaze to seal in the flavor and aroma. Prior to this, coosies had to roast green coffee beans themselves. Marketed under the name ARBUCKLES' ARIOSA COFFEE, in patented, airtight, one pound packages, the new coffee was an instant success with chuck wagon cooks in the west faced with the task of keeping Cowboys supplied with plenty of hot coffee out on the range (from http://www.arbucklecoffee.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=ACR&Category_Code=AL).


What was interesting about Arbuckles' is that they packaged the roasted beans with a coupon for future merchandise purchases but the really neat part is that each one-pound package came with a stick of peppermint. Didn't have any problems finding a cowboy to help grind the beans.


Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht-vD7a_7To
OK, CCDS business: I move that the song, "Arbuckles' Coffee in an ol' Tin Can" be made the official song of CCDS. Do I hear a second? I second. any discussion? Nope. There being no objections, the motion passes. 


More later,
Splatterdab

California for the Holidays

I hopped a plane and headed west to be with family over the holidays. Now, let me tell you, I really love Dutch oven cooking outdoors. And, the weather where I am in CA is not bad so, I was thinking what a great time to try out some new recipes. Oh yeah, I do keep a couple of black pots and a fire table at my family's place out here. The problem is my Mom-in-Law. I love her dearly but she is just not into this idea of cooking outdoors over hot coals when there's a perfectly good kitchin to use inside. So, bribery is in order.

It's the holidays I really like's pumkin pie. But, I want to try something a little less traditional. A friend of mine pointed me to a recipe that he got off of the Internet somewhere and said was worth sharing. It's pumpkin cake with a coconut cream topping. Since my wife and Mom love coconut here goes:

Ingredients
1 box yellow cake mix
1 can pure pumpkin
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/4 cup milk

Topping
1 2/3 cups coconut
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon milk
1 t vanilla extract

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine cake ingredients. Mix until batter is smooth

Preheat Dutch oven to 350°. Coat lightly with canola oil.

Pour cake batter into into Dutch oven. Bake 35-45 minutes, or til a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Tip: You can use parchment paper or aluminum Dutch oven inserts. But the Dutch oven purists (who I tend to pay attention to) will tell you that if your oven is well seasoned the cake shouldn't stick. Do what works best for you.

Meanwhile, combine the topping ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring til blended. Simmer about 1 minute, or til thickened. Spread the topping over the warm cake. Let rest at least an hour before slicing.

A little Chuckwagon History

In my last post and in my profile I mentioned my chuck wagon. So, for those not in the Great State of Texas or those areas near where the cattle drives took place in the last quarter of the 19th century here's a little history. Mind you, I'm not a degreed historian, just an ol' cook with an interest.

At the end of the Civil war (or the War of Northern Aggression for my friends in the South) the economy in Texas, as well as the other southern states, was a wreck. In Texas, most of the cattle were scattered. One enterprising Texan, Charles Goodnight, who was a scout for the Confederate Army, came back and understood the opportunity that lay ahead. But, only if he could round up the cattle and drive them to the established markets in the north. Without going into how he pulled this off and wound up building one of the largest and most productive cattle ranches in Texas, one of the things he did was buy a used Army Studebaker wagon and modified it to include a chuck box that provided a complete trail kitchen. He understood that an Army traveled on it's stomach. So did an outfit driving cattle. The chuck wagon became the kitchen as well as the camp HQ and gathering point. Don't know about you but my kitchen in the house is also the social hub. It was the same back on the trail drives.

A good coosie, an Americanization of the Spanish cocinero or cook, was a valued resource who's pay was only 2nd to that of the trail boss. In fact, if the trail boss was out it was the coosie who would wind up in charge. He was the cook, doctor, dentist, teacher and arbiter of camp arguments.

There were three meals a day usually - breakfast, dinner, and supper. Breakfast and supper were somewhat substantial assuming the chuck in the wagon was available. There were times when a cowboy might only get away with some warmed up gun wadding, biscuits from the night before. Of course these instances did not indear a cook to the outfit. But, a cowboy had to be careful about criticizing the cook. No telling what might wind up in his grub. Worse, the complainer might very well be called on to assume cook duties if anything happened to the coosie. The dinner meal was usually fast as the herd was on the move. Coosie would get ahead of the herd far enough to set up a quick camp and get a meal of biscuits and beans prepared.

As you can guess, the day for ol' coosie started before sun up and went pretty much non-stop until after the supper was served, cleaned up and he was able to role and light up his last fixin's of the day before undressing up and hitting the bed role.

Well, there's so much more I could talk about but it's recipe time. The supper meal was quick on the trail. Here's an old recipe for Skillet Bread. It's done in a cast iron skillet over a heat source providing a medium heat.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sourdough starter
1/4 cup lard (that's what they used back then or even salt pork or bacon grease. You can substitute with vegetable oil)

Mix flour, sourdough and lard (hehehe) in a large bowl. Do not overmix. Gently knead the dough in the bowl until it forms a ball. The dough should remain sticky. Tip: do this with your hands floured. Grease up a cast iron 8 - 9 inch skillet and set over a medium heat. Pat the dough into the skillet.

Let the dough cook until it starts browning in spots on the bottom - 8 to 10 minutes. Use an appropriate tool to lift the bread onto a plate. Turn it back into the skillet so the top side is now on the bottom of the skillet and continue to cook another 6 to 8 minutes. Turn the finished bread out onto a plate and serve up in wedges. This will serve maybe 8 but I've seen 4 hungry cowboys make quick work of one skillet of this stuff.

Once your happy with the basic recipe I encourage you to experiment with fillings or spices such as sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg or whatever's handy. That's they way the ol' coosies did it.

See ya down the trail.

My First Blog & the Wagon is in the Barn

It's Winter in Salt Lake City evidenced by the accumulation of snow on the ground. The wagon is in the barn although the barn is in the form a a 20' enclosed trailer. But, that hasn't kept me from trying to figure out how to keep the heat under a Dutch oven in 8" of snow. Answer? Wear gloves that won't melt and have plenty of briquettes or dry firewood on hand. First of all, on a nice day, the heat is usually good to go for about 45 minutes to an hour. Today? 30 minutes at best (there was a very slight breeze but it sure made a difference).

So, I was a tad lazy today and didn't want to try anything that required baking so I thought I would give doughnuts a try. Just required bottom heat so I didn't really have to worry about top and bottom formulas for baking in a DO. Just needed to get in tune with the heat required to get a good deep fry for the doughnuts.

You want the oil to just be at a nice roll but not more than a steady, active bubble. Uh, a thermometer for deep frying helps. The secret isn't in the flame but in the white heat from the coals. If I average out what I've seen on several web pages 365 degrees seems to be the recommended temperature.

Well, the bottom line is that when you're cooking out-of-doors there will be some learning curve and experimentation. Here ya go with the recipe. I used a 12" standard DO:

Disclaimer: Be careful, use common sense, and wear protective gear when working with hot oil - at least gloves and eye protection.

Dutch Oven Doughnuts

3 c Flour	1 tb Cooking oil
3/4 c Milk	2 ts Cream of tarter
1 c Sugar	1/2 ts Powdered ginger
2 Eggs	1/2 ts Powdered cinnamon
1/2 ts Salt	1/2 ts Nutmeg
1 ts Baking soda

Combine all ingredients into a smooth dough, rolled flat to 1/2" thickness. Using can covers (or what you have) cut into doughnut shape, using additional flour to keep dough from sticking. If no suitable doughnut cutters are available, cut into 2" squares. Fry in hot fat (OK, cooking oil - but back in the day donuts tasted pretty good fried in fat) until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. While frying, keep the fat hot enough to actively bubble.