Welcome to The Genealogy Trails Chuckwagon! A chuckwagon was originally a wagon that carried food and cooking equipment on the prairies of the United States and Canada. They would form a part of a wagon train of settlers or feed nomadic workers like cowboys or loggers. "Chuck" was a slang term for food. Chuckwagon food included easy-to-preserve items like beans and salted meats, coffee, and sourdough biscuits. During the 1880s to 1890s the menu consisted of beans, beef, biscuits (sourdough type), salt pork, lick (molasses), rice, dried fruit (mainly raisins, apples, and prunes), and, of course, coffee. Canned tomatoes, canned peaches, and canned milk slowly became available on the northern range—Montana, the Dakotas and Wyoming—in the late 1880s; while the southern range did not start importing airtights until the late 1890s. Various spices and herbs were available and used by many of the range cooks, even in the very early days, to give variety to the meals. [source: National Park Service] Chuck Wagon Recipes from the Grant-Kohrs Ranch a National Historic Site Campfire Cooking Recipes from the "Sod House Museum Cookbook" Meat, Fish and Poultry -- Cheeses -- Jellies and Syrups Household Products HOLIDAY RECIPES from our Genealogy Trails Hosts Recipes from Hometowns across America Recipes we've transcribed from old cookbooks (not just chuckwagon fare!) Meat, Fish and Poultry -- Cheeses -- Jellies and Syrups Breads -- Desserts -- Beverages Recipes by State: Alabama State Site: -- Recipes Lamar County: Recipes       Colorado State Site: -- Recipes Georgia Murray County: -- Recipes     Idaho State Site: -- Recipes Illinois McLean County: Recipes Rock Island Co.: Swedish Recipes     Kentucky New Mexico Lea County: - Recipes     North Carolina State site: -- Recipes Ohio Hocking County: -- Recipes Preble County: -- Recipes Wood County: - Recipes     Oregon Coos County: -- Recipes   Pennsylvania Allegheny County: -- Recipes     Rhode Island State site: -- Recipes       Tennessee Polk County: -- Recipes Texas Carson County: -- Recipes     Rural electrification in the U.S. "The electric range or stove in the American farm kitchen eliminates the need of building fires, carrying fuel and emptying ashes, thus allowing the housewife at least ten more hours per month for other tasks. Food for farm workers is cooked faster and better on an electric range, improving the health and efficiency of the family. If the range has an automatic timer, food can be placed in the oven long before it needs to start cooking; at the proper minute the heat will turn itself on and the cooking proceed at the proper length of time, then turn itself off again, all without attention" Source: Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection (Library of Congress) HOME The Genealogy Trails Chuck Wagon started rolling in 2008 ©Genealogy Trails