Every year the fourth Saturday in July is set aside as the #NationalDayOfTheCowboy. This is a day to preserve our pioneer heritage and cowboy culture at the same time, but it neither has to focus on ranchin', rustlin', nor rodeoin', but Dutch oven cooking with sourdough, the leaven of the American West, could be the way to celebrate today.

If you're a "cookie" (or at least want to be like me), this is just a great excuse to pull out that old camping Dutch oven from the shed to bake some REAL™ Sourdough Bread on a campfire again. 

On cattle runs, "the 'cookie' was in charge of the chuckwagon, usually second only to the 'trailboss' on a cattle drive. The cookie would often act not only as cook, but also barber, dentist, and banker."

Yikes! That is all I can say to that. So maybe I don't want to be a "cookie," but I do want to bake bread in my cast iron ovens. And the recipe of choice is Abigail's Oven Country Loaf made with 27% fresh ground whole wheat and 73% Artisan Bakers Craft*, along with REAL water and REAL salt

Abigail's Sourdough Country Loaf

Ingredients:

• 5 ½ cups [700g] Bread or All-purpose flour
• 2 ½ cups [300g] Whole wheat flour
• 3 cups[650+70g] Water
• ¾ cup [180g] Active sourdough starter
• 2 Tbsp [34g] REAL™ or Himalayan salt

 Directions:

1. Activate the starter by mixing ¼ cup [60g] starter with ½ cup [120 g] water and a scant cup [120 g] flour.
2. Let it double (4–6 hours).
3. Mix 2¾  cups (650g) water, ¾ cup [180 g] starter, and 8 scant cups [1000g] total flour. Rest for 30 min. covered.
4. Add 2 Tbsp [34 g] salt and ¼ cup [70 g] water. Work this into the dough, then cover and “turn” the dough.
5. With lightly wet fingertips, grab down a side of the dough and stretch it upward. Fold it over toward the center of the bowl, then turn the bowl one-quarter turn and repeat 3–4 times. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Repeat every 30 minutes for a total of 3 sets.
6. Finally, cover the dough for a bulk rise (8–12 hours).
7. When ready, dump the dough on a floured or oiled surface. Split it in half and let each half rest for 30 min.
8. Then shape and tension by rolling the dough like a jellyroll. Turn and repeat several times until the dough comes into a ball. Cover and rest for 45-90 min.
9. 20 minutes before baking, place a Dutch oven in your home oven to preheat to 465°F (240°C).
10. Meanwhile, score the top of each loaf with a sharp knife and put the dough into the Dutch oven and cover with the lid.
11. Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and bake for 25 more minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200°F (93°C).
12. Cool completely before cutting (1-2 hours) to allow the dough to set internally. Enjoy!

*(NOTE: you can purchase Organic Artisan Bakers Craft, unmalted artisan bread flour and/or the wheat berries from Central Milling in Logan, UT.)

Now let's get back to our celebration. Monday is Pioneer Day in Utah, so no matter whether you were a cowboy or a pioneer, food was vital on the trail. And sourdough played a huge role in their daily fare.

Whether it was sourdough pancakes, biscuits, cornbread, or Dutch oven bread, it was all sourdough, because it was the natural leaven of the West.

The Era of the Cowboy

This era began as the Civil War ended, right in the heart of Texas. "Cattle were herded long before this time, but in Texas, they grew wild and unchecked. As the country expanded, the demand for beef in the northern territories and states increased. With nearly 5 million head of cattle, cowboys moved the herds on long drives to where the profits were," wrote John Hallowell, in his "The Return of the Chuckwagon."

Back then, the chuckwagon served as the frontier's first mobile kitchen, accompanying every cattle drive across the American West. The chuckwagon cook, affectionately known as "cookie," was responsible for feeding the crew—a daunting task given the exhausting hours and harsh conditions. Trail food had to be simple, hearty, and capable of traveling long distances without spoiling.

Trail Staples of the 1860s

• Beans: A cheap, nutrient-dense staple that was incredibly easy to prepare. Usually simmered with salt pork or bacon for flavor, beans served as either a hearty main course or a reliable side dish.

• Biscuits: Baked in a heavy cast-iron Dutch oven right over the campfire coals. These trail favorites were crafted from flour, water, sourdough starter, and a pinch of salt—sometimes with a dash of baking soda for extra rise—and were best enjoyed warm with butter or honey.

• Dried Fruit: A vital source of essential vitamins and minerals on long cattle drives. Because it packed light and traveled well, dried fruit offered the cowboys a quick energy boost as a snack or a rare, sweet treat for dessert.

• Coffee: The ultimate fuel of the chuckwagon diet. Brewed strong and served black, a hot cup kept the cowboys alert and focused through grueling, exhausting days on the trail.

• Beef: The primary protein powerhouse for the entire crew. Fresh or preserved, it was roasted directly over the open fire, thrown into a bubbling stew, or seared as steaks to keep the men going.

To break the monotony of the trail, a resourceful cook would occasionally whip up special items, including:

• Sourdough Pancakes: 

  Whipped up using flour, sourdough starter, milk, a pinch of salt, and a dash of baking powder. Fried over an open fire, these were a comforting breakfast luxury when served with butter or syrup.

• Sourdough Bread:
  Crafted using a wild yeast starter that imparts its signature tangy flavor. It was the perfect, sturdy companion for wiping clean a plate of beans or stew.

• Pies: A rare but highly anticipated luxury on the trail. "Cookie" would bake these inside a Dutch oven using a flaky sourdough crust, filling them with dried, canned, or freshly foraged fruit whenever available.

An exceptional chuckwagon cook had to be highly creative and incredibly resourceful to keep a crew fueled on a grueling cattle drive. While the fare was simple, it was robust and nutritious enough to sustain the cowboys through their long, grueling days on the trail.

For further reading about sourdough and cowboys, read "Sourdough: Yeast of the American West," by Donald Duke.