A gourmet who thinks of calories is like a tart who looks at her watch. — James Beard

We’ve rounded up a few Old Fashioned Recipes such as pot pies, emigrant stew, gold rush pork chops, johnnycakes, desserts and more. Pull up a pot and enjoy!

Baked Beans

Baked Corn

Bean Soup

Boiled Cookies

Brown Sugar Candy

Buttermilk Biscuits

Butterscotch Pie

Chicken and Noodles

Chicken and Rice Soup

Chicken Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

Corn Fritters

Egg Custard Pie

Emigrant’s Stew

Emigrant Potato Salad

Golden Corn Bread

Gold Rush Pork Chops

Ham Loaf

Head Cheese

Homemade Noodles

Johnny Cakes

Mock Apple Pie

Old Fashion Turkey

Parkerhouse Rolls

Peach Cobbler

Pecan Pie

Potato Bread

Southern Rice Pudding

Strawberry Cobbler

Sweet Potato Pie

Potato Soup

Vanilla Crumb Pie

Gold Rush Pork Chops

• 4 pork chops 1 inch thick min.
• 2 apples sliced
• 2 cups apple cider
• flour
• salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg

Combine the flour, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Roll pork chops in this mixture and brown the chops. When chops are brown, turn down heat, add flour mixture for the gravy, top chops with sliced apples and add the apple cider until the chops are covered.

Simmer until tender, About 1 hour. When down, the chops will be in gravy.

Emigrant Potato Salad

•  18 medium-sized potatoes
•  3 medium-sized onions, diced
•  9 cups diced celery
•  3 medium cucumbers, diced
•  9 sweet green bell peppers, diced
•  9 pimentos, cut
•  1 doz. eggs, boiled hard, peeled
•  1 teaspoon celery salt
•  3 cups mayonnaise *

Wash and cook the potatoes without paring. Cool, peel, and slice (or cube). Blend all ingredients well, taking care they do not lose theiridentity. Refrigerate or keep on ice.

Corn Fritters

• 2 cups corn bread mix
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup canned corn, drained
• 1/4 cup cooking oil

Put the corn bread mix in a bowl and, using a fork to blend, gradually add the water. Be careful not to over-blend. The dough should be quite stiff. Add the corn, which should be well drained. Put about one-fourth of the oil in a skillet and heat. Ladle the batter into the hot oil and fry for about 2 minutes, turning once. Serve with syrup, honey or butter. This recipe makes about 12 fritters.

Baked Beans

• 2 cups navy or pea beans
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 Tbsp chopped onion
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 pound piece salt pork

Wash beans, discard imperfect beans. Cover with water and soak overnight, or cover with boiling water and soak 4-5 hours. Drain, cover with a large amount of boiling salted water; boil slowly for 1 hour. Drain, combine salt, sugar, molasses, bay leaf, mustard, onion and water and add to beans. Pour into bean pot. Score rind of pork and press into beans, leaving the rind exposed. Cover beans with additional water, (boiling) and bake in 300 deg F oven for 4 hours. Remove cover for last 1 1/2 hours cooking.

Southern Rice Pudding

• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 4 cup milk
• 2 Tb. butter or margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• dash mace
• 1 lemon rind, grated (optional)

Soak rice in 2 cups milk for 2 hours.  Add remaining milk to rice & cook over low heat 20-30 minutes or until tender.  Set aside to cool.   Start oven at 350 degrees.  Butter 2 quart casserole.  Work butter or margarine until soft, then work in sugar thoroughly.  Beat eggs until frothy, add sugar mixture & rice.  Flavor with cinnamon, mace & lemon rind.  Pour into casserole, bake 45 minutes.  Serve warm or cold, plain or with cream and sugar.   Serves 6-8.

Boiled Cookies

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cups cocoa.

Mix and boil for 1 and 1/2 minutes.  Remove and add:  2 1/2 cups oatmeal 1/2 cup peanut butter;  1 tsp. vanilla.  Beat, blend & drop by the spoonful on was paper.   No need to bake ’cause they’ll harden by themselves.

Johnny Cakes

• 1 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons lard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 2 cups cornmeal

Beat the eggs and melt the lard before mixing them with the milk, salt, cornmeal & sugar.  Drop a heaping dollop into a hot, greased skillet and fry each side until they are brown.  Serve with molasses, syrup, powdered sugar or fruit toppings & butter.

Mock Apple Pie

• 12 Soda Crackers
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 lemon
• nutmeg
• cinnamon

Break soda crackers into a bowl and and water, sugar, juice of one lemon and a little nutmeg or cinnamon.  Pour into unbaked pie shell.  Dot with butter; cover with top with pie crust and bake in a moderate oven for around 30 minutes or to a golden brown color.

Brown Sugar Candy

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup milk or cream
• butter (size of a walnut)
• walnuts
• vanilla

Boil until it forms a soft lump when dropped into cold water, remove from fire. Beat until it begins to thicken, then add 1 cup chopped walnuts and vanilla. Pour into buttered dish.

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Bean Soup

• 1 lb. white beans
• 6 cups cold water (1st amount)
• 1 ham bone with the meat on it
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 small onion
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 4 cups water (2nd amount)
• 1 cup tomatoes
• 3 cups water (3rd amount)

In your soup pot, soak the beans in the 6 cups of water overnight in a cool place.

In the morning, add the ham bone, salt, onion, bay leaf, mustard and 4 cups water. Cook slowly, covered for 3 hours. You should stir the soup 2 or 3 times during this period. Remove from heat and take out the ham bone and bay leaf, slip the meat from the bone and return meat to the soup. Add tomatoes and remaining 3 cups of water and simmer 1/2 hour. Soup is ready to serve.

Potato Soup

• 1 Tbsp flour
• 3 potatoes
• 4 cups milk
• 1 onion
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp butter
• Carrots and Bacon pieces (optional)

Cook potatoes and onions in salted water, until they are soft mashed. Scald milk with the celery, remove celery and add the butter and flour which is creamed together. Then add the prepared potatoes to the milk and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and serve at once.

Baked Corn

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 tsp flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups cooked corn
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 2 eggs

Melt butter, add flour and mix well. Add milk gradually and bring to the boiling point, stirring constantly. Add corn, salt and pepper and heat thoroughly. Remove from fire, add well beaten eggs and pour in a greased baking dish. Bake in a moderate oven, 350 deg.F. for 25 min.

Old Fashioned Egg Custard Pie

• 1/4 c. butter, softened
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 3/4 c. evaporated milk
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• Nutmeg
• 1 unbaked pie shell

Cream butter, gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs and flour. Mix well. Stir in milk and water and vanilla. Pour into pie shell. Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees then reduce heat to 300 degrees for 15 more minutes.

Sweet Potato Pie

• 3 c. cooked mashed sweet potatoes (if canned, drain well)
• 1/2 c. margarine
• 2 c. sugar
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. Salt

Combine all ingredients together. Whip until smooth. Pour into cooked pie shell. Cover top with chopped pecans or walnuts. Good served warm or cold.

Vanilla Crumb Pie

• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. maple syrup
• 2 c. water
• 2 tbsp. Flour

Boil together 1 minute and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat:

• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 tsp. soda

Add to the above syrup mixture. Then divide equally in 3 unbaked pie shells. Top with crumbs made of:

• 2 c. pastry flour
• 1/2 c. lard
• 1/2 tsp. Soda
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cream of tartar

Bake 45 minutes in 350 to 375 degree oven.

Peach Cobbler

• 1 1/2 c. self-rising flour
• 1/2 c. shortening
• 1/3 to 1/2 c. milk
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1 stick oleo
• 2 (16 oz.) cans sliced peaches, sliced thinner
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 c. liquid (juice and water)

Cut shortening into flour, add milk, roll into a rectangle approximately 20-inches wide. Drain juice from peaches, if juice isn’t 2 cups, add water to make 2 cups. Pour into saucepan, add sugar, heat until sugar is dissolved. (Sugar Syrup) Slice peaches thin and spread over dough, sprinkle with cinnamon. Melt oleo in 9×13 inch pan at 350 degrees. Roll peaches and dough into jelly roll. Slice into 1-inch sections about 20 slices (pinwheels). Place pinwheels into oleo, pour sugar-syrup over pinwheels carefully. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 55 minutes.

Butterscotch Pie

• 1/2 c. butter or Oleo
• 1 c. water
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsp. Cornstarch
• 1 1/2 c. milk

Brown butter in pan. Then add sugar and cook together, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted. Add water; stir slowly and cook until sugar is again dissolved. Combine cornstarch, egg yolks and milk, and add to sugar mixture. Cook until thickened. Pour in baked pie shell and top with cream.

Strawberry Cobbler

• 1 qt. fresh strawberries
• 1/4 lb. Butter
• 1 c. milk
• 1 c. flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• Whipped cream (optional)

Heat oven 400 degrees. Hull the strawberries. Melt butter in an 8×12 inch baking dish in preheated oven about 4 minutes. Remove dish from oven. Add milk, flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cinnamon to the baking dish and stir until just mixed. Arrange strawberries, tips pointed up, on top of the batter. Bake cobbler in oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 4 servings.

Pecan Pie

• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. melted butter
• 3 tsp. Flour
• 1/4 tsp. Vanilla
• 1/8 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 1/2 c. syrup
• 2/3 c. chopped pecans
• 1 unbaked pie shell

Beat eggs; blend in butter, flour, vanilla, salt, sugar and syrup. Add pecans; pour into pie shell. Bake in preheated 425 oven for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 and bake 40-45 minutes longer.

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Chicken and Rice Soup

• 1 (3 1/2 lb.) chicken
• 3 qt. Water
• Salt to taste
• 3 peppercorns
• 1/4 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs parsley
• 4 med. carrots, washed (unpared & cut in cubes)
• 1 stalk celery with leaves
• 1 med. onion, peeled
• 2 whole cloves
• 1/2 c. raw brown rice

Rinse chicken well in cold water. Place in large pot along with 3/4 of water, salt, peppercorns, bay leaf and parsley. Bring to a boil and skim to remove any foam from surface. Reduce heat; add cubed carrots, celery and onion (press cloves into onion). Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Skim off fat. Lift out chicken; let cool slightly. Remove celery, onion with cloves and bay leaf; discard. Add rice to broth and simmer slowly until tender. Meanwhile, remove chicken from bones; cut into bite-size pieces. Return chicken to broth and heat thoroughly (allow about 20 minutes). Garnish with parsley. Yields about 2 quarts.

Chicken and Noodles

• 1-2 stewing hens, cooked until tender, with broth
• 1 (5 1/3 oz.) can (2/3 c.) evaporated milk
• 1/2 c. chopped celery
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1 (4 oz.) jar (1/2 c.) pimento, chopped
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
• 1/8 tsp. Pepper
• 1 recipe homemade noodles
• 2 tbsp. Flour
• 1/4 c. cold water

Remove chicken from bones, and cut in small pieces. Place it and broth in large Dutch oven. Add evaporated milk. Cook, covered until hot. Add celery, onion, pimento, salt, poultry seasoning, and pepper. Bring to boiling. Add noodles slowly to boiling broth. Boil, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes. Combine flour and water. Stir into boiling broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until chicken broth mixture thickens and bubbles.

Homemade Noodles

In bowl, combine 1 beaten egg, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add enough of 1 cup of flour to make a stiff dough. Let rest 10 minutes. Roll very thin (about an 18×12 inch rectangle) on floured surface; let stand 20 minutes. Roll up loosely; slice 1/4 inch wide. Unroll, spread out, and let dry 2 hours. (If desired, store in a covered container until needed or freeze in plastic bags.) Makes 6 oz. noodles or about 3 cups cooked noodles.

Chicken Pot Pie

• 1 chicken (4 to 5 lbs.), disjointed
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp. Salt
• Few grains pepper
• Dash celery salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. Accent
• Boiling water
• 1 lb. sm. white onions
• 1 bunch carrots, sliced
• 6 tbsp. Flour
• 6 tbsp. cold water
• 1 tbsp. prepared horseradish
• 2 1/2 c. biscuit mix

Place chicken in deep kettle; add bay leaf, salt, pepper, celery salt, and 1 teaspoon Accent. Add enough boiling water to cover. Simmer 2 hours, or until chicken is tender. Meanwhile, cook onions and carrots separately, adding 1/4 teaspoon Accent to each vegetable. Remove chicken and drained vegetables to large, shallow baking dish. Strain broth in kettle; measure 3 cups. Add vegetable waters to broth, to make 4 cups in all, adding water if necessary. Add flour, mixed smooth with cold water; cook over low heat, stirring until thickened; add remaining Accent and horseradish; pour over chicken and vegetables. Make biscuit dough as directed on package of mix. Roll 1/2 inch thick; cut with chicken shaped cookie cutter. Arrange on baking dish. Add bits of raisins for eyes, if desired. Bake in hot oven (425 degrees) 25 to 30 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown. Serves 6 to 8.

Chicken Pie

• 4 c. cooked chicken, bite size
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• Pepper to taste
• 1 can peas and carrots, drained
• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 c. buttermilk
• 1/2 c. melted oleo

Place chicken in greased 9×13 inch pan. Pour next 5 ingredients over this. Mix last 4 ingredients together to make crust. Pour over top. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Serves 6.

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Golden Corn Bread

• 1 c. yellow corn meal
• 1 c. sifted flour
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 c. shortening
• 1 c. milk
• 1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Cut in shortening.  Mix egg and milk together and add to dry ingredients with a few swift strokes.  Bake in a 9 x 9 x 2 inch pan for 20-25 minutes.

Buttermilk Biscuits

• 2 c. sifted flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/3 c. solid shortening
• 3/4 c. buttermilk

Blend flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda together in a medium sized bowl.  Cut in shortening with a pastry blend or two knives until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; add buttermilk all at one time.  Stir with a fork. Gently form dough into a ball and put on a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly with finger tips 10-15 times.  Roll out dough to 1/2 inch thickness.  Cut with floured cutter or knife using even pressure to keep side straight.  Place on baking sheet close together for soft sided biscuits or 1 inch apart for crusty sides.  Brush tops lightly with milk.  Bake at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.  Makes about 24 (1 1/2 inch) biscuits.

Potato Bread

• 1 med. potato, peeled and diced
• 2 pkgs. dry yeast
• 2 tbsp. butter or margarine
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. salt
• 1 c. milk
• 5 1/2 to 6 c. all-purpose flour

Cook potato in a small amount of boiling water 10 to 15 minutes or until tender; drain and reserve liquid.  Mash potato, and measure 3/4 cup; set aside.  Add enough water to reserved liquid to make 1 cup; cool to 105 to 115 degrees.  Dissolve yeast in potato liquid in a large mixing bowl.  Add butter and stir well.  Stir in sugar, salt, milk, mashed potatoes, and 1 cup flour.  Gradually stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough.  Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 to 10 minutes).  Place in a well greased bowl, turning to grease top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees) free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.  Punch dough down, and divide in half.  Shape each half into a loaf.  Place in two well-greased 8 x 4 x 3 inch loaf pans.  Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts.  Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. Yield 2 loaves.

Parkerhouse Rolls

• 3 to 3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 pkg. active dry yeast
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. butter or margarine
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• Butter or margarine, melted

In large mixer bowl combine 1 1/2 cups flour and the yeast.  In saucepan, heat milk, sugar, salt and 1/3 cup butter or margarine until warm (115 to 120 degrees) and butter is almost melted; stir constantly.  Add to flour mixture; add eggs.  Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping sides of bowl constantly.  Beat 3 minutes at high speed.  Stir in as much of remaining flour as you can mix in with a spoon. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total).  Shape into a ball.  Place in lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface.  Cover; let rise in warm place until double (about 1 hour).  Punch down; divide dough in half.  Cover, let rest 10 minutes.  On lightly floured surface, roll each half of the dough to 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut with a floured 2 1/2 inch round cutter.  Brush with melted butter.  Make an off-center crease in each round.  Fold so large half overlaps small half slightly.  Place rolls, with large halves up, side by side in a greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan.  Cover, let rise until nearly double (about 30 minutes).  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until done.  Makes about 2 dozen.

Ham Loaf

• 1 1/2 lb. center cut fresh pork, ground
• 1 1/2 lb. very lean smoked ham, ground
• 11 soda crackers, soaked in 1 c. milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 can tomato soup

Mix all ingredients and make into loaf.  Cover with can of tomato soup, then sprinkle brown sugar over top of soup.  Bake for 2 hours at 350 degrees in pan of water.  Serves 9.

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Head Cheese

• 20 lbs pork–heads, hearts, tongues, and if using beef, should be shanks and necks.
• 5 lbs beef
• 1 oz pepper
• 1/2 lb salt
• 1/4 oz Allspice
• 1/2 oz cloves
• 4 lbs meat stock

Put the meat in a large kettle and cover with water then simmer for 2 or 3 hours until the meat is very tender. The meat is then taken from the liquid and separated from the bones. Cut the meat into cubes. Add the seasonings and measure 4 lbs. of the liquid in which the meat was cooked (meat stock) and add this. Mix the whole thing thoroughly until the seasonings are worked into the meat. The meat is then put into hog paunches or beef straight and laid out to cool. They may be pressed by laying a weighted board over them. If you prefer you may place the headcheese in bowls or bread pans.

Old Fashion Turkey

•  1 – 16 – 20 lb turkey (fresh is better than frozen)
•  1 lb of fresh sausage
•  4 pkgs of bread cubes with the spices included
•  1 stalk of celery
•  1 medium size red onion
•  3 fresh apples, cored and sliced
•  1 pkg dried apricots
•  1 pkg dried peaches
•  1 pkg dried pears
•  1 box raisins
•  1/2 lb walnuts, chopped
•  1/4 lb butter, melted
•  chicken or turkey broth
•  1/2 gal apple cider (apple juice may be used)
•  1/4 lb. butter (this is for the basting sauce)

Chop onions and celery med. fine, not too large and not too small. Brown sausage then saute’ onions and celery in sausage drippings.  Cut dried fruit into quarters min.  In a very large bowl or pot (I use a canning pot) add one bag of bread cubes with envelope of seasoning (I always add my own seasons such as sage, poultry seasoning, garlic, and etc.).  Add some sausage, onion & celery mixture, sliced apples, and each type of dried fruit, raisins, and walnuts.  Add the next bag of bread cubes and repeat the layering.  Do this until all the dry ingredients are used.  Add the melted butter followed by chicken broth or turkey broth and mix the dressing until you obtain the desired texture or moisture you like.

Stuff the turkey.  Place extra dressing in a casserole dish and bake.

Put the apple cider (fresh is the best if you can get it) and 1/4 lb butter warm the cider until the butter melts.  Stir the mixture before basting.  Baste every 30 – 45 min. until turkey is done.

Make turkey gravy in usual manner.

This recipe can be used for oven baking OR barbecuing the turkey. When barbecuing, bank the coals and place a drip pan under the turkey to catch the drippings for your gravy.  Barbecuing gives the bird a more authentic flavor of the old way as the pioneers must have enjoyed turkey.

Emigrant’s Stew

• 3 lbs beef cubes
• 1 Tbsp shortening
• 1 red onion coarsely chopped
• 2 tsp salt; pepper
• 2 Tablespoon flour
• 2 cups canned tomatoes with juice
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 turnip cut into small cubes
• 4 peeled potatoes (figure on 1 potato per person)
• 2 cups diced celery
• 8 or more carrots peeled cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 8 pearl onions
• 4 cups water (may be more water you need to cover ingredients)

Brown beef cubes in shortening. Place browned beef cubes and drippings into a large, heavy pot.  Add red onion, salt, pepper and dry mustard.  Stir in flour and add canned tomatoes with juice. Cover and cook slowly for about 1 hour or until meat is tender.

Add vegetables and water. Cover and simmer at least 1 to 2 hours until the vegetables and potatoes are tender.  Serve hot.  Fresh baked bread is excellent with this old-time stew.

Compiled and edited by Kathy Weiser/Legends of America, updated December 2021.

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Also See:

The Chuckwagon – Western Recipes

Campfire Recipes

Dutch Oven Recipes

Flavors of the Mother Road – Route 66 Recipes

Frontier Recipes – The Real Stuff from the Old West