Not Really Son-of-a-Bitch Stew
I’m betting it took a strong stomach to handle what cowboys called son-of-a-bitch stew, a concoction that included cow innards, even, and especially, the guts. “A son-of-a-bitch might not have any brains and no heart, but if he ain’t got guts he ain’t a son-of-a bitch” is the old cowboy saying. Known as son-of-a-gun stew in polite company, the dish was standard chuck wagon fare and said to include everything from a young calf but “the hair, horns, and holler.” According to Come an’ Get It: The Story of the Old Cowboy Cook by the late western folklorist Ramon F. Adams, the real thing did not include any vegetables save perhaps a “skunk egg,” cowboy slang for onion. I guess the only thing that my stew has in common with the cowboy favorite—and I know I am stretching things here—is my use of venison, just about as accessible to many of us Texans as the calves were to cowboys on the range. Everyone around here shoots deer, and many of my friends have freezers full of venison to prove it. If you don’t, feel free to substitute beef stewing meat. You can make this stew up to 3 days in advance, or freeze it for up to 3 weeks.
Recipe information
Yield
8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Place the venison in a large bowl and cover with cola. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but no more than 8. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Drain the meat and roll the pieces in the seasoned flour to coat. Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Brown the venison on all sides, working in batches so as not to crowd the meat. Transfer the browned meat to a large bowl and set aside. In the same skillet used to brown the meat, sauté the onion over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté another minute. Pour in the tequila, stirring up the browned bits that stick to the bottom of the pan. Stir in the venison, wine, stock, tomatoes with juice, potatoes, celery, carrots, and cinnamon. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Serve warm.
