Cowboy Cooking Tips We Learned from a Real Cowboy

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The possessor of Bear Creek Smokehouse shares his favorite cowboy cooking tips for smoked meat, jalapeno cornbread and more.

A couple hours east of Dallas yous'll find Bear Creek Smokehouse, a family-owned business organisation that has been effectually for most lxxx years. Current possessor Robbie Shoults is the third generation of "The Kickoff Family of Texas Smoked Meats." He grew up watching his family unit run the smokehouse, which is now a 60,000-square-foot facility consummate with a retail store, an upshot space and a pit room, where they concur weekly barbecues for the public.

Between running the family business and raising Longhorn cattle, Robbie is plenty busy. He doesn't have as much time to cook at dwelling house equally he'd like, but he's e'er making food up at the smokehouse, like tender barbecue and over-the-top sides! Here's how he adds a Texas twist to everyday cooking.

Cowboy Cooking Tips

Arrive spicy!

Texans like information technology spicy. Robbie always has jalapenos, onions and garlic around to toss into whatever he's making. "My have is always have plenty of fresh jalapenos on hand. Fresh onions, garlic, chili powder and that kind of stuff. Those things can go with only about anything," he says. He's even made a jalapeno peach cobbler, and "it was actually pretty darn adept."

Use the magic spices

Besides fresh ingredients, Robbie also keeps cumin correct by his side. "I love cumin in savory dishes," he says. "Nosotros but love putting that Tex-Mex flair in a lot of our dishes. I recall it's actually appealing and attracts a lot of people."

Chili powder is another spice that should be kept shut by. Use it in homemade taco seasoning and Tex-Mex recipes.

Smoke your meat

As a professional smoker, Robbie knows a thing or two almost how to smoke meat. When he's not smoking meat at Behave Creek Smokehouse, yous may find him smoking in his own backyard. "The main matter to remember is that you lot want to melt everything depression and ho-hum," Robbie says. He recommends keeping the temperature at 225 to 250°F. "Virtually of the cuts that people fume, like brisket and pork butts, ribs, that sort of thing, are actually tougher cuts of meat. They've got a lot of connective tissue, sinew, fat, all that kind of stuff," he explains, but adds that "the meat can be very tender and some of the best around if you practise it correct."

Smoking meat is an all-day issue, so you lot might besides make information technology a family affair. According to Robbie, "This is gonna take a while to do it right. Simply you tin can make information technology a fun activity with everybody. Play games or whatever while the smoker is going and go gear up for some fun later in the twenty-four hours when it'south all ready." Sounds like a dandy idea!

Turn your grill into a smoker

For those who don't own a smoker, you lot're nonetheless in luck. It's easy to turn your grill into a smoker and, according to Robbie, "information technology works." The key hither, he says, is to only light one side of the grill: "I would suggest lighting just half of the burners, on one side of the grill. Soak wood fries, put them in a fiddling pan and get them right above that, and then put your brisket on the opposite side. In other words, you're using indirect heat on the brisket." Monitor the temperature closely, not letting the grill get above 250°.

This is a corking technique if you want to effort smoking meat just aren't sure if you want to invest in a smoker. Experiment with a classic brisket or even smoked salmon.

Cook over a campfire

When we remember of cowboy dinners, nosotros think of campfire cooking. Robbie loves cooking over a campfire and has done lots of burgers, steaks and fifty-fifty beef tenderloin. Just he admits it's tricky, since "it's a little harder to regulate a constant temperature." His move is to pull the meat off the heat for a little bit if the fire gets likewise big. He has a grate that can swing effectually, making it easy. Whatever y'all exercise, don't wander away—you take to pay attention to the size of the fire.

E'er end with dessert

After a hard day'south work, it's nice to look forward to a habitation-cooked dinner and satisfying dessert. I of Robbie's favorite recipes is his grandma's German Chocolate Cake. "She took the time to broil," he says. "I can remember her making pies and cakes every mean solar day because we had a lot of farm hands out here and she always cooked for everybody."

Whether it's a High german chocolate block, campfire cobbler or other cowboy dessert, we can concur that something sugariness is the all-time fashion to finish a long twenty-four hours!

And remember, family unit recipes are priceless

At Gustatory modality of Home, we certainly know the value of family recipes. They're delicious, evoke fond memories and usually can exist fabricated past middle since they're on the card so often. In other words, they've been passed down for a reason!

The Shoults family has so many cherished recipes, they put them all in a cookbook. The Bear Bottom Elation Cookbook is full of down-dwelling favorites, plus photos of the Texas landscape and family stories. Robbie explains, "Our motto is 'nutrient, family and faith.' Information technology's part of the cute legacy my grandparents and parents have left behind and nosotros plan on continuing to uphold into the future."

Ranch Hand Cornbread Recipe

courtesy Robbie Shoults

Robbie shared his favorite cornbread recipe with us. As the story goes, "We were looking for the perfect cornbread to serve to family and friends, too as customers, that made a large Texas statement," he says. "We beloved cooking it up every Saturday for our Pit Room BBQs and it has become so popular that nosotros tin can't serve brisket without it!" The cornbread can exist made in a traditional skillet, but a Texas-shaped skillet makes it actress fun. To get started, here'south what y'all'll need:

Ingredients

• 1 cup yellowish cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 loving cup light brown carbohydrate, packed
• i tablespoon baking powder
• i/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/two cup sour foam
• one/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg plus ane egg yolk, room temperature
• 1 8-ounce can of whole kernel corn, drained
• one/4 cup beloved
• 5-1/two tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 small jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 1/ii jalapeno, sliced for garnish

Directions

Step ane: Preheat skillet

Preheat oven to 400°. Season a bandage-fe skillet with bacon grease. Place in the oven until hot. If you don't take whatever bacon grease on hand, substitute with cooking spray.

Pace ii: Mix dry ingredients

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, brown saccharide, baking powder and salt.

Step iii: Combine wet and dry out ingredients

Add in the sour foam, buttermilk, egg, egg yolk, corn and dear. Use a fork to lightly mix these ingredients together, using a wooden spoon to fold the moisture ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the melted butter and jalapenos, stir until combined.

Step 5: Cascade into skillet

Pour the cornbread mixture into the skillet and garnish with jalapeno slices.

Step 6: Bake

Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly dark-brown on top. Place the skillet on a cooling rack to cool.

Step 7: Serve

Serve warm and get ready for a stampede!

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Source: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/cowboy-cooking-tips/

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