Cowboy's cookin', entertainment offer memorable experience

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

Cowboy Steed Henderson applies hot coals to the top of a Dutch Oven as he cooks up a batch of biscuits and cobbler. Henderson, who spent many years working on various Texas ranches, also provides humorous stories with his seriously-good cookin'. The finished products - hot biscuits, and cherry cobbler. -- Staff photos by Taylor

June 2, 2005 - When you have Steed Henderson of Beans N Bacon Cowboy Caterin' of Frelsburg cook for you, you'll definitely get your money's worth … and not just for the food!

All the time Henderson is cooking up his Texas "grub" in Dutch Ovens (the new official symbol of Texas cookware), he's quoting his own poetry or telling humorous stories about his days as a Texas cowboy. Believe me … he's had a lot of experiences!

Henderson worked for many years as a farrier, working on big ranches which included the King Ranch and the Four 6s Ranch. After a number of years in this profession, he said he decided to change careers and do something a little less dangerous. After being kicked and butted and scratched by various animals over the years, Henderson laughingly said that "… he just decided to wake up and limp every day, just in case he forgot how to and needed to!"

Over 23 years ago, he came to Round Top and started cutting meat for the Round Top Café. Soon, he was cooking out of a chuck wagon he'd built and he parked behind the café. One thing led to another, and before long … Beans N Bacon Cowboy Caterin' came to life.

Henderson said he caters to a variety of people and functions. On June 1, he was to travel to Warda to furnish food for Texas legislators who were on their way home from this session in Austin. This group recently named the Dutch Oven as the "cooker" of Texas, since it's been used on farms and ranches for many years. The Dutch Oven was touted as a favorite of mountain men and pioneers, and is still used in outdoor cooking.

On the day we visited with Henderson, he was preparing hot biscuits in a 14-quart Dutch Oven and peach cobbler in a 12 quart Dutch Oven. The third Dutch Oven he said he uses to cook "… cowboy beans that will talk behind your back!"

Other foods that he prepares include smoked Angus beef, chicken, steak rolls, beef tenders and quail. He is one of the few caterers who will cook a pig on a spit over hot coals.

The hardest thing Henderson has to deal with is, usually, the weather. He noted that the wind plays a big part on cooking in Dutch Ovens. Another problem he suggested might be if the biscuits were "too hard," and the diners decided to chunk them at him! The best part of doing his "Cowboy Caterin'" is that he enjoys seeing the diners come back for "seconds" of food and enjoying his brand of entertainment that goes with the dinners.

Sometimes, he has friends who perform with him, after dinner and during dessert. One is a yodeler and Henderson continues to expand his own poetry for entertainment. He quoted one to us that was titled, "The Black Hat." The poem explains that Henderson is the owner of many hats that he wears for different occasions, but the last line gets down to the "nitty-gritty" … he is balding and just trying to cover his head!

With his kind of humor and good cookin', it's looking like Beans N Bacon Cowboy Caterin' will stick around for a long time. After all, when he's not cooking and entertaining, Henderson has to take care of his cattle. And … he admitted, he's forgotten how to limp!