This stew dates back to the cowboy era of the 1800's when men were on cattle drives for days and weeks at a time! To keep up their energy for their 12-18 work days, they needed something hearty! So Cowboy Stew was born! It's a savory mixture of meat, beans, potatoes, veggies, and spices...basically whatever the chuckwagon cook could come up with! "Texas-style" just refers to the bold, smokey flavors Texas is known for! And the fact many of the cattle drives in the 1800's originated in Texas. History buffs: Read more about cowboy cooking and see what was in true, authentic cowboy stew!