♪♪ Yahoo! ZIMMERN: The American cowboy -- spirited, daring,
and skilled in the saddle. No joke, those guys are good. Here in South Texas,
it takes a whole lot of guts... It's better than bacon.
Sorry, America. ...to earn your spurs. [ Rattling ] How can something so
deadly taste so good? The Chisholm Trail is full
of larger-than-life characters with an insatiable appetite
for adventure... [ Gunshots ] I was not going to miss. That is a heart stopper. ...and colorful cuisine. I can't rope worth a damn, but I can cook
a mean set of balls. In search of
the modern-day cowboy... Wow.
Son of a bitch, that's good. [ Laughs ] ...a part of America
that will never die. I'm Andrew Zimmern,
and this is "Bizarre Foods." ♪♪ ♪♪ "May your belly never grumble.
May your heart never ache. "May your horse never stumble. May your cinch never break." The cowboy is the last great
American icon, a romantic, rugged symbol
of our frontier past. ♪♪ When Western movies made
a splash in Hollywood, the real men seemed
to fade into history. [ Cattle lowing ] Not so in Texas, the birthplace
of cowboy culture. You may not find
the Marlboro Man, but you can meet
his 21st century incarnation if you know where to look. The cowboy way of life
is still alive and well. You can still experience life
the way it used to be for the most part --
except for the fact that I have a cellphone
in my back pocket. ♪♪ If you want to find
the modern day cowboy, start out in San Antonio, Texas, the head of the Chisholm Trail. In the 19th century,
this bovine highway herded millions of longhorns
to the railroads in the north. The 19th century cattle drives are considered
the cowboys' golden age, but it's only one side
of the history. Real cowboy life began
hundreds of years earlier. Just 20 miles south
of the city center on 1,200 open acres lies
the Land Heritage Institute, dedicated to preserving
the cultures who lived here long before European settlers set their sights on America. Well, I started doing
what I do now in 1953. Yeah. -Oh, so a couple years now?
-Yeah. A couple years. ZIMMERN: Carl Rodriguez is
the chairman of the San Antonio
Charro Foundation, a group that celebrates
the original Texas cowboy. It's really nice for me
to touch base with the folks that were in my country
before I was. That's important because
we're one generation away from losing this culture. [ Singing ] ZIMMERN:
Ramon Vazquez and his family are from the Coahuiltecan nation, the Indians that
settled this land thousands of years ago. ♪♪ Awesome. The remaining tribe has fought
to keep their heritage alive, which includes the superb
horsemanship skills these cowboys,
called vaqueros, developed on the haciendas
during Spanish rule. This image that we have
in "America" that the cowboy is the great symbol
of our country, really the first cowboy
is right over here. It's not John Wayne. [ Laughs ] Informal contests arose
between the ranch hands, which turned cattle-farming
skills into competitions. These contests were the antecedents of
the modern rodeo. The list of things I wish
I could do on my horse. ♪♪ [ Laughter ] See how easy that is? Vaquero history is also
rooted in the foods that have sustained them
for centuries -- tripas, menudo, and barbacoa. The ranch hands learned
to make do with leftovers, so beef serves as the main
ingredient in every dish. WOMAN: Very delicious. ZIMMERN: Tripas,
the small intestines of a cow, are cleaned,
fried to a golden crisp, and eaten with a corn tortilla
topped with fresh salsa or in this case,
straight off the griddle. ♪♪ It's better than bacon. Sorry. Sorry, America. Menudo is a hearty stew
made of beef stomach in a chili-pepper base ground here on a metate. Pigs' feet are added to enhance
the flavor of the broth. GLORIA: Look at that. ZIMMERN: Gloria, Ramon's mother,
has kept careful watch over the boiling pot for hours, making sure the meat is tender
and infused with flavor. Oh, that's a nice pit.
Oh, wow. Best thing in the whole world
is an earth oven. Mm-hmm. I mean, it just doesn't
get any better. Mm-hmm. ZIMMERN: A family gathering of
this size calls for barbacoa, a term that America
now associates with a generic
barbecue technique. It's originally the vaquero's
go-to main dish, consisting of an entire
cow head. Yesterday, that head was wrapped
in agave leaves and herbs... It's smiling at me. ZIMMERN:
...then placed in an earthen pit lined with mesquite wood and hot rocks where it slowly
roasted overnight at low temperature until the meat will
practically fall off the bone. ♪♪ -Follow that head.
-[ Laughs ] Oh, look at that. That's history in a bowl. People don't understand
how much meat is in a head. Oh, yeah. Yes, that is delicious. GLORIA: Okay. There we are. ZIMMERN: Making use of
the entire animal was a need and is now a responsibility, developing into
a serious culinary style that's incomparably tasty. And we would throw in the heads. Right. And the hooves. And we would throw in
the scraps and all that. Yeah. And we knew what to do
with that already. This stuff is what you
pay the most for... -Oh, yeah.
-...in a fancy restaurant now. -It's goofy.
-GLORIA: But very delicious. Very delicious. The menudo is served up
steaming hot, and Gloria makes sure
that each bowl has the right balance
of ingredients. Let's see if you're
going to get a prize. -Yes, you are.
-Completely. Totally. The chewy succulence
of the pigs' feet is the perfect addition
to the rich stew. Look at that. Perfect.
Perfect. -There you go. Enjoy.
-Thank you. This is my favorite thing
in the whole world. Give me something
a little hot in there. Mmm. Beyond delicious. My God. We have a proud heritage
and ancestry that we enjoy teaching to our children
because it's real important. And it starts with our food. -It starts with our language.
-Mm-hmm. It starts with our songs
and our friendships. This food is the kind of food
that you share with people that you really like because it takes
a lot of hard work. Mmm. It takes hours. Then these hands pull the meat
and make sure that everything that goes onto your plate
is perfection. Thank you. No, thank you. Mmm. Oh, my God. ZIMMERN: This is the type of
cooking that crosses cultures and makes you feel like family. We're just so grateful
that you came to visit us, and on behalf of
American Indians of Texas, from the bottom
of our hearts, thank you. -No, it's unbelievable.
-Thank you. Thank you so much. You're a doll.
I think you're fantastic. Oh, my gosh. And so are you,
but don't tell your wife. Oh! [ Laughter ] That just happened. ♪♪ Fast-forward 400 years
and 30 minutes north, The San Antonio Stock Show
& Rodeo is one of the largest
in the nation with over two million
visitors annually. ♪♪ Just like their
vaquero predecessors, early Texas cowboys always flaunted
their skills in the ring. For many, the rodeo
is the only direct connection to America's
rich cowboy history. [ Cheering, horn blares ] ♪♪ Like all festivals,
there's plenty of food to satisfy the hungry crowds. Fairgrounds this big, you know
what you're going to have? A lot of crazy food stands.
That's what. Whether it's part of
the authentic cowboy experience remains to be seen. So what makes a food cowboy? I know it when I see it. Glazed donut-bacon cheeseburger
is a crime against humanity. It's an insult to the donut
and the cheeseburger. Mmm. That's a whole world
of turkey leg there. Turkey leg is very cowboy. ♪♪ Part of the cowboy culture,
of course, involves bandits, so I think stealing is also
something that's legit here. ♪♪ Mmm. Smoky, sweet, and you
make it a little bit spicy. I'm thinking thick grilled
bologna sandwich has got to be as cowboy
as food gets. ♪♪ Thick grilled bologna sandwich, neither thick nor grilled, may not even be bologna. ♪♪ The real excitement of the rodeo
can be found in the ring where one legend
has been risking life and limb for nearly 50 years. It's not if you get hurt.
It's when and how bad. ♪♪ ♪♪ ZIMMERN: "Love, guts, and glory,
one mortal's chance at fame. His legacy is rodeo,
and cowboy is his name." Cowboy culture has always
been linked to showmanship, and the rodeo has remained one of the enduring symbols
of America. Some of the bravest men in
the ring are the bull fighters. Unlike their Spanish cousins,
these heroes distract the angry beasts
from goring a downed rider. There's lots of people who say,
"I would love to do this." And they're done
after the first day. Let's put it this way. We've got a lot of job security. Right. Because it's not
if you get hurt. It's when and how bad. Knowing that up front,
that puts a fear factor in it. ZIMMERN: Leon Coffee is
a veteran at this sport. -It's life and death.
-Mm-hmm. Them bulls fight
with each other every day. They can hit you
with 2,000 pounds of pressure. That's enough to take
a man's head completely off. Mm-hmm. The whole right side
of my face is all plastic and wire because of that. Mm-hmm. It's a fireman's mentality. -Right.
-And there's very few people that possess that
with an endurance. ZIMMERN: Over the decades, Leon
has become a beloved figure at the San Antonio rodeo. My granddaughters just can't
get enough of your acting. Well, thank you.
I appreciate that. Yes, and she's 21 right now. She's 21? [ Laughs ] Yes. ZIMMERN: While Coffee retired
from bullfighting in 1993, Leon still entertains crowds
nightly as a rodeo clown. How many generations
in your family have been working with horses? Four generations. ZIMMERN: Just like the vaqueros
centuries before, Leon and his family
are part of the untold story of the American cowboy. There's this great American icon
of a man on a horse, and that man usually
looks like John Wayne. No bull rider ever got in a bind
about to be run over by a bull and say,
"Send in the white guy. Don't send in the black guy." -You know what I'm saying?
-Totally. Skill took priority
over skin color in the West. Many cowboys were freed slaves. Let me tell you something about
the agricultural way of life. -Yeah.
-It's not about color. Mm-hmm. It's about keeping
animals alive. It's about growing crops
to feed people. ZIMMERN: In a mostly
segregated country, cowboys created
their own social norms. Oh. Is this what I think it is? -Jerky.
-Homemade. -Mm-hmm. [ Laughs ]
-Mmm. -That's deer jerky.
-Mm-hmm. Peppery, smoky. By the way, from a deer
that someone shot. You didn't go buy it
at the deer store. [ Laughs ] This is the real deal. Mm-hmm. Meeting Leon and sharing
his homemade jerky was an authentic
cowboy experience. The pleasure has been mine. ♪♪ It's what I've been looking
for at the rodeo food court, but so far,
it's been hit or miss. ♪♪ Churros are one of the foods that I feel automatically fall
into the cowboy category simply because, historically, this is one of the great
sweet treats of Mexico, and they did own Texas
for quite a long time. Oh, thank you very much. Cayeta, goat's milk caramel. Mmm. Idols like this were
worshipped in ancient times. I just want you to know. ♪♪ The San Antonio rodeo
is a showy spectacle. ♪♪ 54 miles northwest,
a more traditional cowboy understanding can be found
in the town of Bandera. Nicknamed "the Cowboy
Capital of the World," this town became a major hub
as the Chisholm Trail, and the cattle drives
expanded west. Bandera is such
a pretty little town. WOMAN:
A lot of history here. ZIMMERN: Bandera's cowboy legacy
continues today. It's common to find
as many horses as cars cruising
down Main Street. Bandera is also the training
center for Tammy Sronce, a world champion in the sport
of mounted shooting. Riding down the street
like this, I hear the soundtrack to "The Good, The Bad
and The Ugly" in my head. [ Laughing ] You need some pistols, though. [ Hums theme song to "The Good,
The Bad and the Ugly" ] [ Laughing ] ♪♪ Mounted shooting is
the fastest growing equine sport in America and involves the skills cowboys
deemed essential, dexterity with a firearm and the ability to handle
a galloping horse. This is 11th Street Cowboy Bar. Different kind of cowboys today. I was going to say,
gasoline fed. Yeah. Beauties. I like your horses. -I like yours.
-Nice job. Tammy has offered to teach me
the ropes tomorrow, and she's brought her students,
Becky, Carl, and Lee, along to share their stories
over a hearty Texas meal. Well, here we are. -I hope you're hungry.
-I am never not hungry. -You can always fit in a meal.
-[ Laughs ] Oh, horse parking. Once a blacksmithing operation
that shoed hundreds of horses, TJs at the Old Forge Restaurant
now cranks out hearty Texas fare
such as bacon-wrapped quail, prime rib, and hog shanks. The little shanks. Never had them before. I will get them again. Delicious.
And this is very good, a jalapeño-stuffed
quail with bacon. Very good. I wish they sold them
in movie theaters. -Yes.
-[ Laughs ] -Bacon's good.
-Mm. Mm. How's your prime rib?
Mine is great. -Mine is wonderful.
-Yeah. -Very happy.
-Very, very good. Mm-hmm. If someone wants
a bite of ahi to try it. No one cares about
your tuna, Carl. Yeah, we're all on beef. I don't know about y'all. As a sportsman,
as an outdoorsman, I am so excited about this. How did you get into it? -Honestly?
-Yeah, honestly. On a date.
I was trying to be cool. [ Laughter ] And you had a natural
proficiency for it? No, I had a natural desire
to hate losing, and I just thought,
"If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it
with everything I've got." What happened to the guy? I still got the horse.
[ Laughs ] ZIMMERN:
Tammy is as good as her word. She's the first cowgirl
in history to beat the men at the overall shooting title. And like all cowboys, she has a close relationship
with her horse. And I look at my horse
that I won all my world championships on, and I can't thank
that horse enough. I had a brain injury in 2012
from a drunk driver, and he helped me rehab back. He gave me my confidence back,
my courage back. I trusted him. He's there for me, more than
anyone else has ever been. That's a wonderful story. You have an appreciation
for life. -Yeah, yeah, yeah.
-Life is short. And it's fired
at point-blank range. It's like a big old game
of cowboys and Indians. [ Speaking indistinctly ] [ Laughing ] ZIMMERN: Here in the ring,
it's more than a game. It's a true challenge. There you go.
You can't miss now. You're almost clean.
[ Laughs ] ZIMMERN:
In addition to a quick draw... [ Rattling ] ...it takes courage and mettle for a cowboy to survive
out on the prairie. If it's handled wrong,
it's deadly. ♪♪ ♪♪ This part of Texas
a long time ago was the heart
of Comanche country, so cowboys coming
on cattle drives through here faced
immense danger. These days, the most
dangerous thing that cowboys and cowgirls face, it turns out, are balloons. Come on. While the town of Bandera
is no longer Indian territory, it still pays to be mounted
and armed in Texas Hill country. These days, it's for sport
and not for survival. -It's a timed event.
-Mm-hmm. -No one likes to lose.
-Right. So everyone always goes faster
than they should. -Right.
-And then speed will come later. I'm reading between the lines
here that you're telling me -- -Slow down.
-...slow down. -Slow down, big fella.
-Slow down. I've heard that before. [ Laughs ] ♪♪ World-class mounted shooter
Tammy Sronce has invited me to test my skills at her training center
just outside of town. Annie Oakley came before you. Yes. I mean, you are
the current iteration, the current generation
despite the fact that you come from Perth. Yes, yes. Well, I'm more
of an Aussie Oakley. I see what you did there. Tammy was drawn to the sport for
its connection to cowboy history and to put a female face on the male-dominated
world of rodeo. She's also a skilled teacher, drawing dozens of new
recruits each year. [ Gunshot ] Hammer, trigger. Okay. Good. Wait. Hand up.
Hammer, trigger. Okay. So that's how you want to do it. Hammer, trigger, wait.
Hammer, trigger, wait. Hand still 3:00. Simple. Yeah, simple...on a horse. The goal of the course
is to hit all 10 targets while maintaining maximum speed,
so accuracy is key. [ Laughs ] 3:00. I'm not sure that's how they
practiced in the Old West. Let me tell you something.
This is the New West. [ Laughs ] ZIMMERN: Keeping a constant pace
and a sure shot is difficult, even on foot. Keep your hand straight,
hammer, trigger. Good job. Keep going.
Look at it. Oh, did you index it wrong? Keep cycling. Don't quit now. There you go. You were so right. I did the thing that
you shouldn't do. Everybody does that.
[ Laughs ] Ah! There you go. ZIMMERN: A round on horseback
will be the true test. There you go. Come on. There you go.
Change your gun. Keep moving! Timed event. Come on. -Whoo-hoo!
-Come on. -Come on.
-Look at it. Look at it. Whoo! Hey! Good job! Way to go. You know what?
You're actually really good. I'm assuming that's
pretty much as fast as a human being can do that. You know, I mean,
it's a timed event. Here's the deal.
It's you and me. Are we in a competition? Since we got in the ring. [ Laughs ] Yes. So far, you're all belt
buckle and hat. That's all I know. I just shot 10 for 10,
25 seconds. I've got an ice-cold ginger ale
says you won't stand -- Oh, that, yeah. -Now it's on?
-Yeah. Now we're talking. -Now it's on.
-Now it's on. -All right.
-This is your time going down. ♪♪ ZIMMERN: Speed, confidence, and communication with
your horse, the cowgirl's trifecta. [ Gunshots ] ♪♪ She's good. A real cowboy doesn't
welch on his bets. Okay. Thanks. [ Mouths words ] ZIMMERN:
Rodeo has remained a symbol of the American cowboy and cowgirl, and many believe they only live
on in the show arena. In Texas, it's not nostalgia. It's a necessity. 200 miles east
and close to the original Chisholm Trail
lies Chappell Hill, where the working cowboy
is a way of life. John and Taunia Elick
chose this land to build Texas Ranch Life because of its rich
soil and history. John, how many generations
has your family been here? My grandpa came here
in the 1850s, and 12, 13, 14 years old, he started riding
the Chisholm Trail. ZIMMERN: Living off the land
is something that comes naturally
to this cowboy. So how many acres
do you guys have here? Probably about 1,800 or so. This ranch here has mainly
the longhorn cow herd. -Uh-huh.
-They're wild animals. They're free-ranging animals. Right. There are buffalo here that
haven't been here in 150 years. I can tell you right now
that animals left to graze free on healthy grass like that are one
of the best meats. ♪♪ Uh-oh. There you go. Ha ha. There you go, bud.
[ Laughs ] [ Kisses ] ♪♪ ZIMMERN: A simple sauté of
butter, jalapeños, onions, and thyme turns
this freshly caught bass into a snack for two. Oh, man, those gets crunchy. It's better than chips. This is beautiful. ♪♪ My friend, that is delicious. Mm. Man, is that good. There's some good lessons
to be learned by getting a little
closer to nature. That is true. Being close to nature
is in a cowboy's genes. ♪♪ And there are a few diehards
that refuse to give up the old ways. The chuckwagon crew, proud descendants of our
country's greatest heritage. No modern technology here,
just a cast-iron pot over an open fire, a freshly slaughtered
calf and a tepee. You take the wall side
because you snore. ♪♪ ♪♪ ZIMMERN: Cowboys travel
on their stomachs, so meals were critical
for a happy and hardworking crew
on the trails. As the cattle drives
grew and the trails expanded, keeping cowboys fed was
a key part of the journey. The most important person
on the cattle drive was not the cattle master
or the head cattle driver. It was the camp cook,
the man who ran the chuckwagon. ♪♪ Just a short ride west
of the Elick Ranch is a campsite dedicated to the true chuckwagon
experience. How old is this little fella? Oh, it's probably
a yearling here. -That's good eating.
-All right. You boys are jerking
the britches off of her? Yes, sir. Oh, my lord. -How are you, my friend?
-Just fine. Just fine. -You're doing a good job.
-Trying. Nicknamed the Outlaw Chef,
Terry Chandler has spent years perfecting the techniques
of open-fire cooking on
his historic chuckwagon. He's served up cowboy
cuisine for ranches all over the Southwest and runs his own award-winning
restaurant in Fort Worth. -Cheers.
-Cheers. Nobody else gets to do this. No one. -I mean, this is the fun part --
-Yes, sir. ...for me, experiencing
something that goes back to a way of life
that doesn't exist anymore. Yes, sir. I wouldn't call you the last
bottle of water in the desert, but you're pretty darn close. Well, there's a few of us in
Texas that aren't going to stop. Yeah. A freshly slaughtered
calf is the base for one of the most beloved
cowboy recipes, son-of-a-bitch stew. When a calf is slaughtered
like this -- Yep. Yep. ...and there's
no refrigeration -- Yep. ...they made a stew
out of the edible meats. All the pluck. All the entrails
that would go bad first. ZIMMERN: The stew consists
of the calf's organs, including the heart, the tongue,
the stomach, and the liver. We're not going to do brains
in our stew today. Our stew isn't going
to have any brains. [ Laughs ] Sounds like all the guys
in my team. Hey, we're used to
working with that. Each cook has his own take
on the dish, but they all swear that if an SOB
ain't got guts, he's no SOB. We're looking to save
the marrow gut. Okay. Ooh. The one essential ingredient
is the marrow gut. This tube connected to
a calf's stomach gives the stew a milky-sweet overtone
to its meaty base. I'm just going to say
it right now. Fresh calf's liver, sorry,
nothing better, period, end of discussion. Take a little bit
more out of there. Well... [ Laughs ] -He's a carnivore, folks.
-Hey. [ Rattling ] ZIMMERN:
When a calf couldn't be spared, the cook had to improvise, and there were plenty
of rattlesnakes on the trails. So how did they catch him? You just creep over the hill
and just start grabbing them and throwing them to somebody
that's got a bucket. You know, you make it
sound kind of like... ♪ Pick up a posey ♪ ♪ Put it in the basket ♪ It's not quite that easy,
is it? Well, it's kind
of like a gun. If it's handled wrong,
it's deadly. ZIMMERN: In the 19th century,
a rattler bite was often fatal, so sometimes it was best
to make the first strike. Done deal. ZIMMERN: One less hazard
and a few less hungry cowboys. -That's crazy.
-Yes. Yeah. Rattlesnake is a versatile meat, but the prepping process
can be tricky. He's still twitching. He'll twitch for about
three hours. There you go. ZIMMERN: Richard,
the camp's resident blacksmith, has skinned his share. Right there is his rectum. Rectum, we killed him. [ Laughing ] Rect-- I can't say that, honest. I'm glad this snake
is not pregnant. Rattlesnakes,
they birth live. If you open one up, it might have a sack
full of babies in it. Is that true? And they're the most
poisonous of all. Are you kidding me? Thanks for telling me now. [ Rattles ] [ Laughter ] Look at that beast. That is a nice one. Its muscles still writhing
until meeting the boiling oil, the snake fries up quickly, but the stew will take
several hours to cook. Nice and rustic. Flavors of old. -Gorgeous.
-Rich. Well, it was walking
around two hours ago. [ Laughs ] Right? ZIMMERN: Raw, fresh calf's liver
is one of the purest flavor experiences on the planet. The heart is one of
the most prized meats, so not all of it
is destined for the stew. His heart meat, man,
it is really rich-tasting. It's the best. We're going to bacon-wrap
some of it, and we're going to grill it. This looks like
a splatter movie over here. The organs need time
to tenderize and seep their flavor
into the liver broth. That is just delicious looking. Smells really good. All righty.
Give our guts a little stir. This right here,
that is a beauty. Oh, my God, unicorn! [ Laughter ] A dozen hungry cowboys
can lead to chaos. What in the name of all that
is holy are you doing? Well, I wanted to get
the shoulders off that cow so the coyotes wouldn't
get them this evening. No one is on coyote duty? The coyotes can smell whiskey,
and when they smell whiskey, they know there's
nobody on coyote duty. [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ZIMMERN: The chuckwagon
was not only a kitchen, it was a social hub, and the cowboys'
true home on the range. I got to have
some of that snake. How can something
so deadly taste so good? [ Laughter ] ZIMMERN:
Grilled bone marrow is known for its rich, smooth taste. That's cowboy butter
right there. That is a heart stopper. Mm. Oh, man. That's like a meat hug. When food is this good, you just
need to look me in the eyes and tell me you love me. I love you. -Mm.
-Awesome. Grilled rib eye skewers
and the bacon-wrapped calf hearts with jalapeño
round out the meal. I want one of these right here. This is sick good. I never thought I'd ask for it.
It's unbelievable. Let's see what this tastes like. You got to be kidding me.
Look at this. There's just all the tripe
cooked down in there, a little bit of tongue,
a little bit of tenderloin. You know what I can tell
already from the smell is that liver broth. Delicious. You're going to make me
throw my hat down and dance around it again. There you go. You don't like this, you got
something wrong with you. [ Laughs ] ZIMMERN:
These guys are lots of laughs, but this is serious food. [ Laughter ] Tuck in your tent, I'll tell
you a good night story, and you take the wall side
because you snore. -I ain't taking my boots off.
-No, neither am I. Okay. Good night. ♪♪ A cowboy's rest is vital... [ Lowing ] ...as there is no telling what the next day will bring. Scary as all get out
standing here in the ring. Oh! Oh! Get out of there! That was close. ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ZIMMERN: On the cattle drives, chuckwagon cooks were
the earliest risers. Terry Chandler is no exception. CHANDLER: Get up. I told you. ZIMMERN:
As soon as the sun is up, he'll have a dozen hungry
cowboys on his hands. I mean, this is the other part
about why you do this, right? Yes, it is. When you get to wake up and the fog
over a beautiful lake, breathe that air in. You wanna go get
some breakfast? Believe it or not,
I'm actually hungry again, and you didn't snore as loudly as I thought
you would last night. Well, you have your
good nights, don't you? -[ Laughs ]
-[ Laughs ] Come on. ZIMMERN:
Terry's crafting his own take on the classic cowboy
skillet meal of calf brains and eggs. We're going to do something
a little nontraditional. We're going to throw
some chorizo in there. Sure. ZIMMERN: His homemade chorizo
comes two ways -- flavored with guajillo chilis that give the sausage
a sweet red spiciness... God, that smell
is fantastic. ...and a green one made
with cilantro and epazote, a savory herb that grows
wild all over Texas. Well, boy. Breakfast is looking
yummier and yummier. Here's the brains. It's a beauty. Using the brains
from yesterday's butchered calf, this breakfast is full
of complex flavors, but it's easy to cook. Speed is important when
dealing with a famished crew. Jeez, cooking for the 10
or 12 of us is hard work. Imagine a whole squadron
of ornery cowboys. I don't have to imagine. [ Laughter ] They don't have any choice
but to eat what I put out, and if they piss me off,
they'll get a rock. [ Laughter ] ZIMMERN: Jokes aside,
the chuckwagon cook did wield a lot of power on the drives. -Whoo!
-Oh! -[ Imitates buzzer ]
-I'll eat that one. -There it is.
-Hot! ZIMMERN:
The cookie's word was law, and if you broke the rules,
you didn't eat. Mm. ZIMMERN: Which would be
a shame on Terry's watch. I mean, brains really
do have a great flavor. Right. It's got just enough
organ-y flavor to keep me happy. But you throw that chorizo
in there, delicious, absolutely delicious,
game changer. That's good stuff. Oh, my God. The one piece of crispy bacon,
I'm not going to lie, nice little feature. You might want to get on that. -[ Laughs ]
-Mmm. We're going to hire
you full time. ZIMMERN: Terry and his group
are preserving a part of cowboy history and proving that
simple wood-fired food is second to none. Hanging out with brothers
in the kitchen, that's what food
and cooking is made of. And to get the lesson,
to get the wisdom, to get the laughs from you guys,
it was absolutely unbelievable. This was a day and a night
I'll never forget. -Seriously.
-Thank you. See you later, guys. ♪♪ Texas Ranch Life is only
a few miles' ride from Terry's campsite. With eight restored homes
on the grounds, visitors can explore, stay overnight, and experience
an authentic working ranch. Today, John Elick
and his two ranch hands, Craig and Chris, are planning to castrate
and brand their bull calves. Stick with me. ZIMMERN: It's an important task
and a real glimpse into a modern cowboy life. Go out here and see how to
round up this big pasture. ZIMMERN:
The invention of barbed wire eventually ended the open range, but the technique
of herding cattle has stayed the same. We have that calf right there
that wants to break away, so we're going to come on up. -Stay with me, Andrew.
-Yep. Get on this side,
a little closer. ZIMMERN: It's the subtle but
strong direction by the cowboy that leads the calf
back to the herd. See, he turned back. Handle them. Help them and then
the rest of the time, leave them alone
because, right now, we've got them in the pocket, so this herd is pretty
much ours at this. So far, so good. [ Mooing ] Once they're in the ring,
the cowboys can get to work. To safely restrain their calves, they'll use a roping technique
that demands precision... You're going to fall. ZIMMERN: There we go.
Head and foot. ...and perfect timing,
the exact reason why these skills
are revered in today's rodeo. Amazing. Amazing. No joke, those guys are good. I will also share with you,
no joke, scary as all get out standing here in the ring. Branding started on the cattle
trails to discourage rustlers from stealing prize property. Rock it. Rock it. -There you go.
-Back and forth, too. That has him. ZIMMERN:
It's still used on ranches today to ID their steers. Good brand. Rope, brand, cut, lather, rinse, repeat. Oh, nice toss, Craig. Wow. Boom. [ Mooing ] Castration is necessary to curb
aggression in growing bulls. Now, this is vitally necessary
because it takes away their testosterone.
The meat gets better. They're less feisty. Only two ropes are holding
down this irate calf. -Oh. Oh!
-You all right? That was close. ZIMMERN:
This can be dangerous business. One. Don't put them in your pocket
because they get a little stinky after a couple days. Only if you forget
they're there, Craig. I know. Rookie. Thank you. A true cowboy doesn't let one of
the tastiest parts go to waste. That's two-person
meal right there. That's Thanksgiving. ♪♪ Calf balls are usually
battered and deep fried, but I don't want to mask
their mild, earthy flavor. Salt, lemon, onion, hot chili. Everyone likes them fried. I prefer them hard
sautéed like this. I'm going to be interested to
see what you think about these. Okay. I've had them just
on a branding pot, you know, when you cut them,
just throw them on there, just eat them like that. The branding fire
is just the right heat to sear these to perfection. There you go. I never thought
you'd cook it like that, but I'd sit there and eat
that whole plate. I can't rope worth a damn, but I can cook a mean
set of balls. [ Laughs ] That's pretty damn good eating. I'm impressed. I impressed Craig. Goal for weekend checked off. [ Laughs ] That's good stuff.
I like it. ZIMMERN: Beef isn't the only
staple on this Texas ranch... [ Clucking ] -Ooh, I like her.
-Do you have a mini lasso? ...that is, if you can catch it. Oh, I almost had him! ♪♪ ♪♪ ZIMMERN: "The Old West is not
a certain place in a certain time.
It's a state of mind." Here at Texas Ranch Life,
the owners pride themselves in tending to the land that's
given back for generations. So you have all these chickens
and turkeys and geese and duck just
wandering around here. They are free range. And let me tell you what,
it's some pretty good eating. ZIMMERN:
John Elick raises the cattle while wife Tonya and their daughter,
Ashlyn, maintain the farm. I mean, here's the thing, you
can't eat red meat all the time. -Don't tell Dad that.
-Right. He would eat red meat all
the time if it were possible. ZIMMERN: A thriving chicken coop
has a male rooster for about every dozen hens, but roosters aren't
the easiest birds to raise. [ Crowing ] They can get very aggressive
and protective of their brood. Do you have one that you
have an eye on that wakes you up a little too
frequently in the mornings? All of... Well, waking me up
is not a bad thing. It's jumping on my back when I'm trying to get the eggs
out of the hen house. Ah, that one. That guy? I don't know if we can get him,
but I don't like him. ZIMMERN:
Today, one of the worst bullies will end up in the stew pot. Well, you hold on to this. -All right.
-And let me see what I can do. Watch out for the spurs. ♪♪ [ Clucking ] [ Imitates cluck ] ZIMMERN:
Do you have a mini lasso? Eating this fresh can
take lots of effort. Oh, I like her. -Him.
-Leave her alone. Oh, I almost had him! Uh-oh. -Oh, yeah.
-Ah. [ Laughter ] [ Clucks ] -All right then.
-Let's go make some stew. ♪♪ ZIMMERN:
An ornery rooster doesn't guarantee delicious meat, but a farm-raised bird does
due to its natural diet and higher fat content. [ Snapping ] [ Exhales ] Look at the color of that fat. This is some good eating. This is the best-tasting meat. You just don't want the toes. Those toenails are a chicken
foot lovers' worst nightmare. And the rest of the chicken feet
will add depth of flavor and collagen to the stock. My grandmother
would be so proud. ♪♪ ZIMMERN: All cowboys thrive
on a filling meal, so potatoes, kale, carrots, and green onions
are added to the soup. The preferred hearty side,
a traditional cornmeal biscuit that the Elicks call cornpone. You fry them up, and they're
great to stick in your pocket. Like, on a cattle drive
or a cowboy -- Sure. ...it'd be a wonderful thing. Sort of like the baked good
version of beef jerky. Cornpone was a convenient
snack on the cattle trails, but it's even better
when dipped in rooster stew. Hot, but they're good cold, too. They're good always. Feed a hungry person
coming off of the ranch, whether it's lunch
or dinner. Yeah. ZIMMERN:
Having a meal this delicious is a just reward
for a grueling day. Andrew likes the cornpone. I like the cornpones, John.
I'm not going to lie to you. It's good stuff. This smells fantastic. ♪♪ Fresh vegetables
out of the garden, "rooster slash chicken that we killed
this morning" soup. It just does not get any better. Amen. -Cornpone.
-Cornpone. I mean, simple is good. Boy, and you're right about
dipping these in there, too. Mm-hmm. This simplicity is timeless
and defines cowboy living. If you squint, you could
be back in the 1800s. You know, they had it
pretty good. Yeah. But while so much has changed,
so much has stayed the same. And I think people
who are reclaiming parts of that are pretty solid. Also, your jaw is kind
of Marlboro Man-ish. [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ZIMMERN:
Hard work, honesty, and living in harmony
with the land -- It's the motto
of cowboy living. These values stretch back for
hundreds and hundreds of years, and this spirit
endures in Texas. The people that have
kept this lifestyle alive are as diverse
as America herself. These men and women,
like the cowboys before them, have forged their own way, holding onto traditions and setting a new standard
for modern country life. So just remember, the next time
you're in cowboy country, if it looks good, eat it. ♪♪
