First Adventure Conclusion

Well our first adventure of the year went very well. Our little pig did not have enough meat on it to roast it. Walter and I decided to do a chili with it. Walter is a big Johnny Cash fan and Johnny liked chili he decided to do that in honor of Johnny Cash. The recipe had all ingredients but no amounts, so begins the adventure. According to Walt he put together several different recipe's to make the chili. It was one of the best chili's we have ever had. He also made an Apple Cobbler that was delicious. I made two loaves of Sourdough bread that were delicious as well. I also had just the bare amount of information for a recipe to follow so I did the old wing and prayer type of cooking.  Wayne and Vickie  brought appetizers, Lora brought Ice cream for the cobbler, it all was delicious.  Here is what you missed if you could not make it. Sorry. A special thanks to Judy (Walt's wife) for hosting our adventure at their house.


Wild Pork Chili                                                         Homemade Sourdough Bread    

 

Apple Cobbler                                                       Appetizers



   

         Some of the participants                                   Miss Julie giving directions
                                                                              

                            

One of the Black Iron Gang members, Walter, is working on a project that will add to our capabilities. He calls it a “Chuck Truck”.

Mentioned earlier was that the gang didn't have a chuck wagon so we borrow one from time to time. A couple of years ago at the Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium there were a couple of  “Chuck Trucks”. Ever since seeing them, he wanted one so this thread will discuss the project as it develops.

Initially a 1941 Chevy pickup truck was purchased. After obtaining the pickup and looking at it closely and giving it considerable thought, Walter decided that he wanted a truck that would go down the highway at speed, and a one that could be driven daily, with good brakes, good steering, reliable engine, etc. This 1941 truck did not meet any of  that criteria. 

Next, then, on the agenda was to find a newer pickup truck and combine the qualities of both. Located was a 1982 GMC S15 pickup. What you are  seeing in the picture is the chassis of the S15 and the body of the 1941. Took some welding to attach the body but it is secure. All the front end steering elements have been replaced as well as the brakes. Soon the engine and transmission will be installed. After that, a flatbed truck bed will be bolted on. And last, but certainly not least, and the object of the whole project will be the Chuck Box that will make this a Chuck Truck.

To be continued........

                                         Cab and front end.

                              This is the bed being uses as a work bench for now.

                                                     The rear chassis

                                                All new front end parts.

First Adventure

Well as promised here is our first adventure for the new year. Our friend Jerrod Harral went pig hunting in Texas. He brought us one wild pig back. So today I skinned it and processed it. We did not get very much meat it had several holes in it and a piece of a bullet. Any how the plan is to make a pig chili with it this weekend. I will let you all know how that turned out. Jerrod next time we need about a 100 pounds with a clean shot. Better yet take us with you and we will pick out supper. LOL. Thank you for the pig.

This year I decided to post our Black Iron Gang cooking adventures and outings. We are a bunch of fella's that like the old cowboy ways of cooking. We have participated in the Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium World Chuck Wagon Cook Off for the last 4 years. We have been fortunate to have placed in two categories, we had a 3rd place in potatoes our first year and a 4th in meat this past year. I assure you we are not in it for the glory of winning, and we are surprised with these two honors. We are there to have fun, good fellowship, cook a good cowboy meal for the paying customers and friends and family.

This is most of us. From right to left: Walter Lowe, Wayne Slinkard, Gary Heil, Bill Hartman (holding his new granddaughter PJ Roebuck) and Bob Wooley, missing is Madux Hobbs and our newest member Robert Floyd.

I can only tell you we sure eat a lot and our friends and family who join us really get fed well. Some of us have been as far as Amarillo Texas cooking on a ranch at branding time. Others have been to political gatherings serving as many as 300 people. There has been weddings that were done for friends and relatives, reunions, memorials. It has all been done for the love of cooking dutch ovens.

We get a lot of our inspirations from different cookbooks that feature cowboy cooking, then we either tweak them to fit our tastes or leave them be and enjoy them. I can truly say we experiment a lot.

This is our wagon at Ruidoso New Mexico competing in the cook off in 2011. We do not own the wagon ourselves we borrow it. Our good friend Phelps Anderson of the Circle Diamond Ranch has two of them we use the Circle Diamond wagon. It has been said that back in the day when Pat Garrett was chasing Billy the Kid, he would go out of his way to eat at this wagon when it was out working on the ranch to get the best meal around.

Well I better get out of here for know I think I have a practice session brewing in my head. Hope you enjoy our adventures we only wish you were here enjoying them with us.