Anyone ever do the chuckwagon thing at a match?

[Dapper Dave]

I know I speak from ignorance, since I have never been to any of the big gatherin's, but watching a couple of video from Kent Rollins got me thinking it would be pretty fun to try to do some cowboy cookin' at a match, and when everyone was done, a nice hot plate of beans and cornbread might go down well.

I'll bet EOT and Bordertown have something like that, but since I've never been, I don't know.

Just a random thought. 

[Kid Rich]

Usually food vendors are present at annual or larger shoots. Eot will have a variety, Bordertown usually has one.

kR

 

[Eyesa Horg]

We do a lot of Pot Lucks at matches in New England. So yup, Cowboys cooking for Cowboys!

[Cypress Sun]

There used to be a couple of local matches that would have grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, cowboy baked beans and the like after the match was done. Most of the times, they were shooters or family of the shooters that did the cooking but one or two were non participants.

 

The larger matches always have had food vendors on hand. 

Most of the food was pretty good, sometimes....not so much. 

 

One year, one of the larger matches in Florida thought it would be a good idea to have a mandatory lunch break halfway through the match. You weren't required to buy anything from the food vendor but you HAD to take a 30-45 minute break during the middle of the match. Personally, I hated it as did the majority of match participants. I might have understood it if we had been shooting 8+ stages that day but we weren't, it was only a 6 stage day. They never did that again.

 

 

 

 

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

Most but not all the local shoots do a lunch after the day of shooting is done .

We all gather and eat .

Tell Gunfight stories from threw out the day .

And awords are given out .

With a lot of laughs and camaraderie.

Most fun you can have with clothes on lol .

[Rye Miles #13621]

Our local shoots have food vendors at the annual 3 day shoots . Some provide lunch even at the monthly shoots🤠

[Boggus Deal #64218]

Sad about him losing his home in the Ruidoso wild fires last year. I’ve learned a lot from his videos.

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

21 minutes ago, Boggus Deal #64218 said:

Sad about him losing his home in the Ruidoso wild fires last year. I’ve learned a lot from his videos.

Did you post this in the wrong thread?

[Alpo]

4 minutes ago, Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L said:

Did you post this in the wrong thread?

 

I'm pretty sure this is a reference to

 

3 hours ago, Dapper Dave said:

watching a couple of video from Kent Rollins got me thinking

 

I'm guessing Mr Rollins house burned up.

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

7 minutes ago, Alpo said:

 

I'm pretty sure this is a reference to

 

 

I'm guessing Mr Rollins house burned up.

Oh OK maybe that is it.

[Boggus Deal #64218]

12 minutes ago, Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L said:

Did you post this in the wrong thread?

No, Kent Rollins lost his home in the fire last year. Probably should have made that clear. 

[Texas Maverick]

We had a lady cater our 3 day annual match and she brought her chuck wagon and cooked with the iron pots over a woodfire. It was decent food but for some unknown reason to me she never returned. Not sure if we didn't invite her back or she didn't want to come back. 

 

TM

[Boggus Deal #64218]

https://youtu.be/lB_O0tzZgpA?si=pQ2sB6x0BFyecMjs

 

Dave, don’t mean to hijack your post.

[Choctaw Jack]

4 hours ago, Dapper Dave said:

I know I speak from ignorance, since I have never been to any of the big gatherin's, but watching a couple of video from Kent Rollins got me thinking it would be pretty fun to try to do some cowboy cookin' at a match, and when everyone was done, a nice hot plate of beans and cornbread might go down well.

I'll bet EOT and Bordertown have something like that, but since I've never been, I don't know.

Just a random thought. 

Chuckwagon cooking takes a particular set of skills, and a set of dedicated tools and utensils.

I can see someone giving a demonstration but cooking for all the attendees at a larger match would be quite an undertaking.

I doubt that, unless you're a collector, the utensils needed would even be available.

Having said that, I would also like to experience that type of fare.

I really enjoy Kent Rollins' videos as well, and hope he wasn't affected by the fires.

 

 

 

 

[Choctaw Jack]

Bogus,

Thanks for the link.

Sad to hear about Mr. Rollins' loss.

[Cypress Sun]

22 minutes ago, Texas Maverick said:

We had a lady cater our 3 day annual match and she brought her chuck wagon and cooked with the iron pots over a woodfire. It was decent food but for some unknown reason to me she never returned. Not sure if we didn't invite her back or she didn't want to come back. 

 

TM

 

May have not been enough revenue to make it worthwhile. 

 

How many participants at the 3-day match? I'd guess that 40% of the folks there visited the vendor once, 15% more than once.  

 

Have to remember, the caterers are a business that is looking to turn a profit. For the most part, they really don't care about shooting sports, it's about profit....or loss.

[Rip Snorter]

10 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

 

May have not been enough revenue to make it worthwhile. 

 

How many participants at the 3-day match? I'd guess that 40% of the folks there visited the vendor once, 15% more than once.  

 

Have to remember, the caterers are a business that is looking to turn a profit. For the most part, they really don't care about shooting sports, it's about profit....or loss.

A friend who also has a restaurant runs a chuckwagon on occasion - fixed price per meal and the organization has to guarantee a minimum number of folks. 

[Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L]

There used to be a fella that set up a chuck wagon at EOT back when it was in Southern California, but that was 20+ years ago.  I think it was more for demonstration and personal use. Don't remember him selling food.

Sure did add to the ambiance and atmosphere of the event. 

[Texas Maverick]

2 hours ago, Cypress Sun said:

 

May have not been enough revenue to make it worthwhile. 

 

How many participants at the 3-day match? I'd guess that 40% of the folks there visited the vendor once, 15% more than once.  

 

Have to remember, the caterers are a business that is looking to turn a profit. For the most part, they really don't care about shooting sports, it's about profit....or loss.

We had around 70 shooters and we paid for the shooters meals both Saturday and Sunday from the entry fees collected. Their guests paid for their own and the shooters paid for the breakfast if they wanted the biscuits and gravy that was served. It was close the $3000 if my memory serves me right. We paid her asking price so she should have been happy.

 

TM

[Pat Riot]

3 hours ago, Choctaw Jack said:

Chuckwagon cooking takes a particular set of skills, and a set of dedicated tools and utensils.

I can see someone giving a demonstration but cooking for all the attendees at a larger match would be quite an undertaking.

I doubt that, unless you're a collector, the utensils needed would even be available.

Having said that, I would also like to experience that type of fare.

 

 

You’re right. It would be quite an undertaking. 
Heck, camp cooking for a few people can be a chore. I can’t imagine doing it for dozens of people. 
—————————————————————

 

 

 

[Texas Lizard]

6 hours ago, Alpo said:

 

I'm pretty sure this is a reference to

 

 

I'm guessing Mr Rollins house burned up.

You mean down.....

 

Texas Lizard

[Alpo]

That's another one of those strange things in the English language. Burned up or burned down - means the same thing. House is destroyed.

[Dapper Dave]

See, that's why I asked, I have no idea. 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Southern Calilfornia, up until maybe 17-20 years ago had a lot of people making food at matches.  Tom Muley and Cujo are two of the best examples.  Tom made absolutely grand peach cobblers in cast iron dutch ovens on a wood fire.   Delmonico used to do a wonderful things with food...or so "the jury" says.  I was never in Nebraska to try it.  Haven't heard from him in quite some time.

 

I've been gone for a long time and don't know what they are doing these days.

[Buckshot Bear]

There's chuckwagons at large yearly events down here and we are lucky in our club having Brother Red who is a world renowned meat smoker (he competes yearly in the USA) he does the most divine pulled brisket or pulled pork for us at club shoots!

[Blackwater 53393]

Over the last twenty plus years I have participated in several large matches where there was an actual chuck wagon on site serving cattle drive style food!  A lot of fun and pretty decent fare!

 

It’s been a few years, but I think the Georgia State Match was the last time I encountered one.

[Texas Joker]

16 hours ago, Buckshot Bear said:

There's chuckwagons at large yearly events down here and we are lucky in our club having Brother Red who is a world renowned meat smoker (he competes yearly in the USA) he does the most divine pulled brisket or pulled pork for us at club shoots!

Just more proof Aussies are the Texans of the UK

[Rip Snorter]

4 minutes ago, Texas Joker said:

Just more proof Aussies are the Texans of the UK

Actually in the old days, I liked the Aussies I hung out with better than most of the Texans.  They were as tough and a lot funnier.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

On 7/31/2025 at 7:55 AM, Choctaw Jack said:

Chuckwagon cooking takes a particular set of skills, and a set of dedicated tools and utensils.

I can see someone giving a demonstration but cooking for all the attendees at a larger match would be quite an undertaking.

I doubt that, unless you're a collector, the utensils needed would even be available.

Having said that, I would also like to experience that type of fare.

I really enjoy Kent Rollins' videos as well, and hope he wasn't affected by the fires.

 

 

 

 

Muley had a chuck wagon and I seem to remember a "hooligan cart".  He also had a canvas shelter, but I don't think was a tent.  Almost all of his cookware was cast iron except  for some stamped steel skillets, all of his coffee pots and eating utensils, and some enamel cups and bowls. 

 

He also wore period clothes almost everywhere he went.

 

He would periodically have a "picnic" in his back yard.  I miss those.

 

Delmonico actually held classes on using the period cookware and table wear, and had a website for campfire and chuck wagon cooks..

[Lawdog Dago Dom]

Wagons for Warriors.

 

Right here every May in Lebanon, MO.

 

Home - Wagons for Warriors

[Stump Water]

20 hours ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

Delmonico used to do a wonderful things with food...or so "the jury" says.  I was never in Nebraska to try it.  Haven't heard from him in quite some time.

 

Looks like he's still active on CAS City.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Thanks.  I haven't been over there for a couple of years.  I don't even know why, I just haven't.

[watab kid]

yes , its been a long time ago but there was a time in wisconsin when we did that , i only attended once but ill add that everything was great , had a chance to try some different things cooked in different ways , id do it again if offered 

[G W Wade]

I have been doing DO cooking for my group for several years.   Group has changed a not doing so much anymore.   Used to cook for 10 to 20 when we traveled.     Great times       No chuck wagon, just a Ford pickup        GW

[Sixgun Symphony #62632]

My advise is to buy a 12" camp dutch oven and practice in the backyard. Lodge and MACA are really good manufacturers.