Before the Civil War each cowboy packed his own food , such as it was . He fried his own salt pork ; stirred his own cornbread or hard biscuit and washed this down with boiled coffee . Then came the “ greasy-sack outfits ” which packed supplies on the back of a mule led by a hired hand . After the Civil War , when the northern markets opened , the early trail drives used a heavy two-
wheeled cart pulled by oxen . Far too slow , it was replaced by a four wheeled wagon pulled by mules . In 1866 , the famous Colorado / Texas cattleman Charles Goodnight invented the chuckwagon . Using a sturdy running gear from a government army wagon , he had a custom made vehicle built complete with a cupboard at the rear . The back swung down to form a working table . Fitted with shelves and drawers , this mobile kitchen had all the necessities required to prepare and serve three “ squares ” ( meals ) a day for the hungry crew . The trail boss and the cook and crew all endured wicked weather and beastly working conditions . It was a hard life as they worked long days and slept short nights . At the chuckwagon they gathered to eat , to mend body and soul and to tell their tales .
THEN : During the early years of cattle in Colorado , a cowboy only ate what he packed for himself . This included salt pork , cornbread or biscuits , and coffee . These foods were easy to pack and store . The salt pork was preserved because of the salt , which slowed the growth of bacteria . Then the salt pork was fried and cooked to kill any bacteria that might have been on it . Cornbread and coffee are both very dry substances . Bacteria does not like to grow without moisture . Later , with the use of chuckwagons , an individual cowboy no longer had to pack meals . The cook took care of supplying the chuckwagon with food as needed and preparing the meals . One of the benefits of the chuckwagon was more food items were added to the offering -- cooked beans , meats , and sometimes dessert . Once the chuckwagon was set up , the cook would start a fire and put on a big kettle of beans . They might also barbecue some meat if it was available . Again , the food they ate was thoroughly cooked .
NOW : Food safety today is an important part of each of our lives . Where the cowboys cooked all their food , we like some foods that are raw . Can you imagine only eating lettuce that had been boiled , or strawberries that had been baked ? But with raw foods comes the risk of bacteria and foodborne illness . It is important that we all take care when we are preparing foods by washing our hands , keeping foods at the appropriate temperature , not cross-contaminating , and properly storing our leftovers .