One Staple Cowboys Relied On Looks So Familiar, But Wouldn't Be Touched Now

Necessity is the mother of invention, and in the chuckwagon kitchens cowboys once ate from necessity mothered many inventions. One such staple was a stew that at a glance looked much like any other, but it made use of almost every part of the animal. This was called son-of-a-gun stew among cowboys, although you can probably assume what word cowboys might have used in place of "gun" out on the range. Regardless, the offal (aka organ meat) used in son-of-a-gun stew were an essential part of a cowboy's diet, though they aren't as well-received today.

Although most stews look basically alike, what went into son-of-a-gun stew would be considered less-than-appetizing to most modern Americans. When nutritious vegetables were scarce out on the range, cowpolk had to make use of nutrient-rich parts of the animal that don't often make it to the plate at Texas Roadhouse. Heart, sweetbreads (if you know what those are), brain, tongue, tripe, and kidney were what made the stew so rich and ... hearty. One more ingredient that's a bit stomach-churning (in more than one sense) is marrow gut, a tube that connects the two stomachs in a cow which is really only edible when taken from unweaned calves. These hold a flavorful substance described as marrow-like which contributed a distinctive taste that characterized the stew. Son-of-a-gun stew was generally offal-rich in flavor and supposedly a go-to-meal for cowboys and trailhands.

Not only was son-of-a-gun stew made from what we now consider the more undesirable portions, but they were also not taken from the best cattle either. Cattle that were falling behind or for whatever reason didn't look like they'd be worth much money were destined for the Dutch oven. While there are several newer recipes for son-of-a-gun stew to be found online, most are somewhat toned down and incorporate more of the usual ingredients of contemporary stew, like onions, carrots, celery, and tomatoes. Some recipes suggest using meats other than veal, like pork or venison. In keeping with the vibe of necessity, a swap-around of meat types should be permitted so long as the spirit of the stew is upheld — meaning keep the organ meat.

The good news is that even if you can't find marrow gut, son-of-a-gun stew is still highly nutritious due to the presence of offal. These are higher in vitamins and minerals than boring old muscle meat, for one, and putting meats that are generally less desirable to use in a meal also helps to reduce food waste. While there are several classic cowboy staples that many would consider inedible today, son-of-a-gun stew was genuinely nutritious. If offal still sounds awful to you, there are plenty of other cowboy campfire meals that built the American west for you to try.