{"id":1757,"date":"2020-06-05T12:24:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-05T12:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/recipesmomy.com\/?p=1757"},"modified":"2020-06-05T12:34:26","modified_gmt":"2020-06-05T12:34:26","slug":"20-lost-recipes-from-the-pioneers-what-they-cooked-in-their-journey-westward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/recipesmomy.com\/?p=1757","title":{"rendered":"20 LOST RECIPES FROM THE PIONEERS: WHAT THEY COOKED IN THEIR JOURNEY WESTWARD"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\n\nCooking was a major part of each day. Early settlers butchered their own\n meat and made corned beef, sausage, smoked and dried meats. Large \ngardens yielded produce for canning, pickling and other preserves. Root \ncellars stored potatoes, carrots, and onions. Milk was separated into \ncream for butter and baking and milk for drinking. Breads, cakes and \npies were of course all baked at home from scratch from whatever was \navailable.\n\nFor the most part meals were informal and the food hearty. Nothing was \nwasted. Dried bread was made into bread pudding; a bone was turned into \nsoup and extra milk was made into pudding or cheese. Often there was a \nshortage of some ingredient. As you will see from the recipes, many are \nbased on very basic ingredients and several on how to make a meal with \nonly a few ingredients. Recipes would not only be for food but also for \nperfume, home remedies, wine and soap making.\n\nRecipe books were not common and cooking was very much a passed down art\n or trial and error. It is interesting to read recipes from this period,\n as often they are vague and written with a few small hints that only \nthe person who wrote them would understand.\n\nPioneer women who had to decide what few precious things to carry across\n the plains surely made one choice in common\u2014their own individual \ncollection of \u201creceipts,\u201d as recipes were then called. For them, these \nwere reminders of a security left behind and a hope for the abundance of\n the future. In the interim, they simply did what they had to do to keep\n their families alive.\n\nMany early memories of pioneer food concerned the frugality with which \nthe Saints lived: \u201cWe lived on cornbread and molasses for the first \nwinter.\u201d \u201cWe could not get enough flour for bread \u2026 so we could only \nmake it into a thin gruel which we called killy.\u201d \u201cMany times \u2026 lunch \nwas dry bread \u2026 dipped in water and sprinkled with salt.\u201d \u201cThese times \nwe had nothing to waste; we had to make things last as long as we \ncould.\u201d *<\/a>\n\nNo doubt the \u201creceipt\u201d books were closed during these times, and efforts\n were given simply to finding food and making it go as far as possible.\n\nBut slowly, even out of this deprivation, recipes grew. The pioneer \nwomen learned to use any small pieces of leftover meat and poultry with \nsuch vegetables as they might have on hand\u2014carrots, potatoes, corn, \nturnips, onions\u2014to make a pie smothered with Mormon gravy.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n20 Lost Recipes From The Pioneers<\/ins><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Side Pork and Mormon Gravy<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Mormon gravy, common fare among the early settlers and apparently a creation of necessity expressly for the times, is still hearty and nourishing for many of this generation who like to make it with ground beef or frizzled ham or bacon and serve it over baked potatoes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • 8 thick slices side pork (or thick-cut bacon strips)<\/li>
  • 4 tablespoons meat drippings<\/li>
  • 3 tablespoons flour<\/li>
  • 2 cups milk<\/li>
  • Salt, pepper, paprika<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    \n\nCook meat on both sides in heavy frying pan until crisp. Remove from pan\n and keep warm. Measure fat and return desired amount to skillet. Add \nflour and brown slightly. Remove from heat and add milk, stirring well \nto blend. Return to heat and cook and stir until mixture is thick and \nsmooth. Season to taste. Serve with side pork on potatoes, biscuits, \ncornbread, or even pancakes.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \nMud apples<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    \n\nThis is a variation on a Native American cooking method.\n\nYou will need<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    • 4 large apples<\/li>
    • A bucket of mud<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      \n\nCoat the apples with about an inch of mud on all sides, being sure that \nthe mud is of a nice thick consistency. When the fire has burned long \nenough to make some coals, have your adult help you to scoop some of the\n coals to the side. Bury the apples in the coals, and leave them there \nfor about 45 minutes. Scrape away the cooled coals. Knock the dry cooked\n mud off of the apples and discard the skins. Spoon up the sweet steamy \npulp for a surprising treat.\n\nSome groups of Native American people used a mud coating on their food \nas a sort of oven. The steam from the mud would keep fresh-caught fish \nmoist, and as it dried and became clay-like, it protected the food from \nburning. When the mud was peeled off, it took a lot of the fish scales \nwith it. A delicious instant meal.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \nChuckwagon beans<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      \n\nThis is a cattle trail recipe from the Midwest. Although this was \noriginally done on the campfire, it might be best if you bow to modern \nconvenience and do the cooking on a stove top.\n\nYou will need<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      • A 16-ounce package of dry pinto beans<\/li>
      • 9 cups of water<\/li>
      • Two large onions, peeled and chopped up<\/li>
      • 2 teaspoons of salt<\/li>
      • \u00bd teaspoon of oregano<\/li>
      • \u00bd teaspoon of garlic powder, or two cloves of sliced garlic<\/li>
      • \u00bc teaspoon of pepper<\/li>
      • 1 tablespoon of brown sugar or molasses (add this last, and put in a little more if you like.)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        \n\nWash the beans and heat them along with 6 cups of water \u2019til they boil \nfor five minutes, then turn the stove off. Let them sit for an hour. Add\n three more cups of water and boil it all again. Now add everything \nelse, stir it up, and cook it for about an hour.\n\nCowpokes on the drive west had to settle for foods which were portable. \nThat meant a basic menu of beans and lots of meat. For a treat, there \nwas cornbread, biscuits, or a sweetened rice dish. Pinto beans (which \nare small and spotted when raw, like a pinto pony) seemed to be the \nfavorite. When cooked, these beans swell up and turn a sort of pinkish \nwhite. They were first given to the settlers by the natives on the \nMexican border.\n\nWhen you eat beans with rice or corn, the two foods mix up inside your \nbody to create an important type of protein which is like the protein in\n meat. (Your body is made largely of protein, and so you need to eat a \nlot of it.) That\u2019s why the native Southwestern people were so healthy \nwith a diet of mostly beans and corn and not much meat.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \nBaked pocket yams<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        These were \u201chandy\u201d during the winter months, and not particular to any one area of the country. Take several sweet potatoes, individually wrap them in foil, and surround them on all sides with mounded hot coals. Occasionally turn the potatoes. Cook till the sweet steam pipes out of the foil (about 45 minutes). Poke into the potato with a clean sharpened twig to check for doneness (the center will be soft). When the potatoes are done, DON\u2019T EAT THEM YET. Let them cool a bit, then slip one into each pocket to be used as hand warmers. These will keep you comfortable while you chat around the campfire. Pioneer mothers used to send their children off with these in the winter months to keep their hands toasty on the long walk to school. Then the kids would eat them for lunch. When you eat yours, you might want to use a dish and slather them up with butter. Spotted Pup Take whatever amount needed
        for hungry cowboys of fluffy, cooked rice. Put in Dutch oven and cover with milk and well-beaten eggs.
        Add a dash of salt.
        Sweeten well with sugar. Add raisins and a little nutmeg and vanilla. Bake in slow oven until egg mixture is done and raisins are soft. Jerky Gravy Jerky, ground or chopped fine
        Little Fat or Grease
        Flour
        Salt & pepper
        Milk Fry the jerky until done.
        Remove meat from grease, and add flour.
        Add milk, and salt & pepper. Cook gravy. Add meat to gravy.
        The amount of each ingredient depends on how much gravy you want. Lemon Pie One cup of hot water
        One tablespoonful of corn-starch
        One cup of white sugar
        One tablespoonful of butter
        Juice and grated rind of one lemon Cook for a few minutes; add one egg; bake with a top and bottom crust.
        This makes one pie. Cooked Cabbage Salad 1 Pint or more of chopped cooked cabbage Add: 1 Egg well beaten
        \u00bc Cup vinegar
        1 Tsp butter
        Dash of salt and pepper Sweeten to suit taste. Simmer a few minutes and add \u00bd cup of thick fresh cream. Serve immediately. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Winter Red Flannel Hash<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        A great way to use left over corned beef is to add a few new ingredients and create Red Flannel Hash. Who knows who came up with the beets, but it really is colorful, and sticks to the ribs. 1 \u00bd Cups chopped corned beef
        1 \u00bd Cups chopped cooked beets
        1 Medium onion, chopped
        4 Cups chopped cooked potatoes Chop ingredients separately, then mix together.
        Heat all ingredients in a well- greased skillet,
        slowly, loosen around the edges, and shake to prevent scorching.
        After a nice crust forms on bottom, turn out on a warmed plate and serve.
        If it seems a little dry add a little beef broth.
        Try with a couple poached eggs, for a hearty meal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Spiced Corn Beef<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        • To 10 pounds of beef\u2026<\/li>
        • take 2 cups salt<\/li>
        • 2 cups molasses<\/li>
        • 2 tablespoonfuls saltpeter<\/li>
        • 1 tablespoonful ground pepper<\/li>
        • 1 tablespoonful cloves<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Rub well into the beef.
          Turn every day, and rub the mixture in.
          Will be ready for use in 10 days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

          Allow milk to form clabber.
          Skim off cream once clabbered.
          Set clabbered milk on very low heat and cut in 1 inch squares.
          Place colander into clabber.
          Dip off whey that rises into the colander.
          When clabber becomes firm, rinse with cold water. Squeeze liquid out and press into ball.
          Crumble into bowl.
          Mix curds with thick cream. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Mormon Johnnycake<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Here is a form of cornbread used not only by the Mormon immigrants,
          as the name indicates, but quite often by most of the immigrants traveling west.
          Because of the inclusion of buttermilk, a source of fresh milk was a necessity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          • 2-cups of yellow cornmeal<\/li>
          • \u00bd-cup of flour<\/li>
          • 1-teaspoon baking soda<\/li>
          • 1-teaspoon salt<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            Combine ingredients and mix in
            2-cups of buttermilk and 2-tablespoons molasses. Pour into a greased 9\u201d pan and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.
            To get a lighter johnnycake include two beaten eggs
            and 2 tablespoons melted butter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Soda Biscuits<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Take 1lb flour, and mix it with enough milk to make a stiff dough;
            dissolve 1tsp carbonate of soda in a little milk;
            add to dough with a teaspoon of salt. Work it well together and roll out thin;
            cut into round biscuits, and bake them in a moderate oven.
            The yolk of an egg is sometimes added. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Vinegar Lemonade<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a 12 ounce glass of water.
            Stir in 2 tablespoons of sugar to taste. Note: The pioneers used vinegar for numerous reasons.
            One reason was to add vitamin C to their diet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Fried Apples<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Fry 4 slices of bacon in a Dutch oven. Remove bacon. Peel and slice 6 to 8 Granny Smith apples. Put apples in Dutch oven with bacon grease,
            cover and cook down the apples, but not to mush. Serve topped with butter or cream and crumbled bacon. They\u2019re great for breakfast or desert!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Dutch Oven Trout<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            As soon as possible after catching your trout,
            clean them and wipe the inside and outside of the trout
            with a cloth wet with vinegar water. Don\u2019t put the trout in the water.
            Roll the trout in a mixture of flour,
            dry powdered milk,
            cornmeal,
            salt and pepper. Heat deep fat in a Dutch oven and fry until crisp and golden brown. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Black Pudding<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Here\u2019s an old ranch recipe courtesy of Winkie Crigler, founder and curator of The Little House Museum in Greer, Arizona. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            • 6 Eggs<\/li>
            • 1 Cup Sweet Milk<\/li>
            • 2 Cups Flour<\/li>
            • 1 Tsp Soda<\/li>
            • 1 Cup Sugar<\/li>
            • 1 Tsp Cinnamon<\/li>
            • 1 Cup Molasses<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              \n\nMix well.  Pour into 1-pound can and steam for 2 to 3 hours by placing in kettle of boiling water.  Keep covered.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              • This is to be served with a vinegar sauce:<\/li>
              • 1 Cup Sugar<\/li>
              • 1 Tbsp  Butter<\/li>
              • 1 Tbsp Flour<\/li>
              • 2 Tbsp Vinegar<\/li>
              • \u00bd Tsp Nutmeg<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                Put in enough boiling water for amount of sauce wanted.
                Add two slightly beaten eggs and cook stirring constantly to the desired consistency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                How To Fry Quick Doughnuts<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The following recipe for doughnuts came from the March 17, 1885 Daily Missoulian.  Obviously, anyone making these doughnuts will want to find a substitute for fat as a cooking oil. Put a frying kettle half full of fat over the fire to heat.  Shift together one pound of flour, one teaspoonful each of salt and bicarbonate of soda, and half a saltspoon full of grated nutmeg. Beat half a pound of butter to a cream and add them to the flour.  Beat the yokes of two eggs to a cream, add them to the first-named ingredients, beat the whites to a stiff froth and reserve them. Mix into the flour and sugar enough sour milk to make a soft dough and then quickly add the whites of the eggs.  Roll out the paste at once, shape and fry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Kid Pie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                If the kid (goat) is too fat to roast, cut it into pieces and make pies.  Make a sauce of cut up perejil (parsley) and put in the pies with a little sweet oil and place it in the oven. A little before you take it out of the oven beat some eggs with vinegar or orange juice and put into the pie through the holes made in the crust for the steam to escape. Then return pies to oven for enough time to repeat The Lord\u2019s Prayer three times, then take the pies out and put them before the master of the house, cut it and give it to him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Brown Gravy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The following is a farm recipe for gravy from the late 1880\u2019s. This gravy may be made in larger quantities, then kept in a stone jar and used as wanted. Take 2 pounds of beef, and two small slices of lean bacon. Cut the meat into small pieces. Put into a stew-pan a piece of butter the size of an egg, and set over the fire. Cut two large onions in thin slices. Put them in the butter and fry a light brown, then add the meat. Season with whole peppers. Salt to taste. Add three cloves, and pour over one cupful of water. Let it boil fifteen or twenty minutes, stirring it occasionally. Then add two quarts of water, and simmer very gently for two hours. Now strain, and when cold, remove all the fat. To thicken this gravy, put in a stew pan a lump of butter a little larger than an egg, add two teaspoonfuls of flour, and stir until a light brown. When cold, add it to the strained gravy, and boil up quickly. Serve very hot with the meats. <\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                Cooking was a major part of each day. Early settlers butchered their own meat and made corned beef, sausage, smoked and dried meats. Large gardens yielded produce for canning, pickling and other preserves. Root cellars stored potatoes, carrots, and onions. Milk was separated into cream for butter and baking and milk for drinking. Breads, cakes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1759,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipesmomy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1757"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipesmomy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipesmomy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipesmomy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipesmomy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1757"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/recipesmomy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1757\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1761,"href":"https:\/\/recipesmomy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1757\/revisions\/1761"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipesmomy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipesmomy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1757"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipesmomy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1757"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipesmomy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1757"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}