A chuck wagon was a covered wagon used as a field kitchen in wagon trains used by cowboys and settlers traveling across the plains. Food staples included easy-to-reserve items such as salted beef, beans, molasses, and coffee. An authentic chuck wagon stew recipe for the nineteenth century would have included no fresh ingredients unless they were gathered on the trail, instead relying on salted meat and dried beans. The stew would probably have been served with sourdough biscuits. While this is not an authentic chuck wagon recipe, it is a lot easier and tastier due to the use of canned beans and tasty sauces in jars.