The Cowboy-Style Souffle John Wayne Loved So Much That He Carried The Recipe With Him

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Fans of cowboy cuisine looking to lasso up a new recipe for their chuck wagon victuals need look no further than legendary actor John Wayne for inspiration. His favorite bite was called Duke's Soufflé, according to the 1982 cookbook, "Pilar Wayne's Favorite and Fabulous Recipes." Pilar Wayne (formerly Pilar Pallette, and John's third wife) describes how the Waynes were first introduced to the dish at a brunch honoring Miguel Aleman, the President of Mexico from 1946-1952. "Duke had one bite of this south-of-the-border dish and flipped," she wrote. Apparently, he enjoyed it so much, that from then on, the recipe accompanied him everywhere. He'd even make the dish for fellow castmates on set. 

If you like cheese, pillowy egg, a mild peppery kick, and a bit of tomato, this extra cheesy soufflé might just be worth wrangling up on your next camping trip. Just as easily as you can bake a soufflé in a cast iron pan, you can you whip up this savory dish with a (south)western twist in a skillet on your stovetop in the form of a soufflé omelet. Alternatively, it can be made in a Dutch oven — cowboy style, over the open flame of a campfire. Wayne's not-so-secret recipe has appeared in multiple cookbooks throughout the years — some with nominal changes (like the addition of evaporated milk and flour). And though it's gone by many names, among the most fitting might be Pilar's Soufflé, as Mrs Wayne popularized the recipe after it was gifted to her, and it went on to be featured in "The Official John Wayne Family Cookbook."

The recipe for Duke's Soufflé doesn't state how many it serves, but cheese lovers will be delighted to see that it calls for a whopping 1 pound of cheddar as well as 1 pound of Monterey Jack cheese, grated. Additional ingredients include eggs (of course), diced chiles (with a side note specifying 2 large cans because "the Duke" liked it, "extremely hot"), and topped with tomatoes. 

Instructions in Pilar's cookbook are short and simple: Just layer the cheese and chiles into the bottom of a buttered baking dish, fold separated egg yolks into the egg whites (which have been beaten stiff). Next, carefully pour the mixture into the pan, "covering the cheeses and chilis and oozed through with a fork." After a half hour of baking, press tomatoes into the par-baked soufflé with a fork, before returning it to the oven for an additional half hour. In its simplest terms, a soufflé is just a deliciously light and fluffy baked egg dish that can be made savory or sweet, and this simple recipe shouldn't need to cause stress to the cook.

Pilar notes that this dish was among her larger-than-life husband's "two most favorite recipes." The other one, according to her, was yet another soufflé — Hominy-Grits Soufflé. That one also contains 1 pound of mild cheddar cheese, as well as 1 ½ cups of, "quick grits." Seems the iconic actor of such famous films as, "True Grit," "Stagecoach," and "Red River," had a lot of high-low dining favorites on and off set, including a chicken dish that used a grilling trick involving tequila. And if you're interested in more of the actor's meals, read our article on other favorite food and drinks of John Wayne.