6 Classic Dude Ranch Recipes to Try at Home This Year

Dude ranches are notorious for their delicious food and you’re sure to eat well when you’re vacationing at a dude ranch! While we wish we could have ranch meals made for us every week of the year, we’ve instead opted to try out these favorite dude ranch recipes at home. Keep scrolling and let us know which dude ranch recipe you want to try out first!

V6 Ranch’s Parkfield Shakin’ Burger

What You’ll Need:

• V6 Grass-Fed Hamburger Patty Montreal Seasoning
• Cilantro
• Lime
• Jalapeno
• Yellow Onion (diced & mixed w/lime juice)
• Shredded Jack Cheese
• Good Quality Hamburger Bun Chipotle Ranch Dressing Avocado Slices
• Tomato Slice
• Red Lettuce Leaf

What to Do: BBQ hamburger preferably over oak, season w/Montreal, cook until medium-rare (or preference). Grill bun w/butter until toasted. While the hamburger is still on the grill add cilantro mix & shredded jack cheese to the burger. When the bun is ready add chipotle ranch to both sides. Finish top bun with avocado, tomato, & lettuce. Put the finished hamburger on the bottom bun & close with a toothpick.

Elk Mountain Ranch’s Bruschetta

What You’ll Need:

• 4 freshly diced tomatoes
• 1 cup finely diced onion
• 2 TBSP minced garlic
• 1 pkg sliced basil OR 1 TBSP dried basil leaves
• ½ – ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese OR ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3 TBSP olive oil

What to Do: Toss the ingredients together and enjoy with warm bread!

Sylvan Dale Ranch’s Famous Cowboy Beans

What You’ll Need:

• 2 cans Allen’s baked beans (Bush’s will work as well)
• 1 can Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 cups BBQ sauce (sweet and smoky variety is best)
• 1 cup of water
• 1 lb cooked all-beef franks, thick-sliced (about ½”)

What to Do: 

1. Sautee peppers and onions in a little cooking oil
2. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix together well
3. Pour mixture into a casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour
4. Allow to stand 5-10 minutes before serving

C Lazy U Ranch’s Carrot Soup

What You’ll Need:

• 2 quarts of Carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch logs
• 1 cup diced Onions
• 5 cloves diced Garlic
• Orange juice- to cover carrots in the pot
• Lemon Juice- at the end to taste
• Orange zest- at the end 1 each
• 1 TBSP Cumin, toasted
• 1 TBSP Fennel Seed, toasted
• 1 tsp Coriander
• ¼ cup Honey
• ¼ cup EV Olive oil
• 1 tsp Red Chili Flake
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Garnish Optional :
• Cinnamon Toasted Pine Nuts – as many as you want
• Whipped Yogurt – 1 spoon full
• Kale Crisps – as many as you want

What to Do: 

1. Place onions in a pot, add 1 tsp of salt, and sauté in a little oil till translucent
2. Add carrots, orange juice cumin, fennel seed, coriander, hone, ad another tsp of salt
3. Cook till carrots are fork tender
4. Place mixture in blender and puree- being careful to hold a towel over the blender so the lid doesn’t pop off during the puree
5. Add Extra virgin olive oil in slowly as to emulsify
6. Add orange zest, lemon juice, red chile flake

Adjust: As with any recipe…taste adjust with salt, red chile flake, honey, and olive oil. Add more of these if necessary.

Garnish: Garnish with desired ingredients and serve!

White Stallion Ranch’s Spicy Granola

What You’ll Need:

• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut (Available at natural food stores)
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 ½ tsp. Cinnamon
• ½ tsp. Nutmeg
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter and ½ cup honey
• 2 cups mixed dried fruits such as cranberries, cherries, currants, golden raisins, apricots, prunes and/or dates
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed

What to Do: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large bowl stir together oats, coconut, nuts, and spices.
3. In a small saucepan melt butter with honey over low heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Pour butter mixture over oat mixture and toss to combine well.
5. Mix in brown sugar well.
6. Spread granola evenly in 2 shallow baking pans and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, stirring frequently and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
7. Remove from oven. In a large bowl, combine granola with dried fruits and cool, stirring occasionally. (Granola keeps in an airtight container, chilled, 1 month.)

Makes about 10 cups.

Greenhorn Ranch’s Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

What You’ll Need:

• 1 cup warm milk
• ½ cup + 1 TBSP granulated sugar divided
• 1 TBSP Active dry yeast
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 6 TBSP butter melted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 to 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Cinnamon Sugar Filling
• 1 cup brown sugar packed
• 2 ½ TBSP ground cinnamon
• 6 TBSP butter softened
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup butter softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt

Making the Dough 

1. Warm milk in the microwave milk for 45-60 seconds or until warm to the touch, not hot.
2. Place milk into the bowl of your stand mixer, add 1 TBSP sugar and 1 TBSP yeast to the warm milk. Stir and let it sit for five minutes or until it becomes foamy. (Proofing)
3. Add in the ½ cup sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla to the mixture in the bowl of your standing mixer. Use a dough hook to stir until combined
4. Add 4 cups flour, salt, and cinnamon and stir the dough hook, starting on low and increasing to high as the mixture comes together.
5. Knead dough in the standing mixer until a large ball is formed. The dough should be smooth and only slightly tacky to the touch. If the dough seems too sticky and is not forming a ball, add more flour 1 TBS at a time until a smooth ball is formed.
6. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead with your hands until it is smooth and elastic
7. (about 3-5 minutes). Form it into a ball, and place into a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a warm damp towel and leave in a warm place to rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.

Make the filling 

1. While the dough is rising, make the filling. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon and stir until well incorporated. In a separate dish, have your butter ready to be melted in a microwave-safe dish.
2. Assemble Cinnamon Rolls
3. Sprinkle a large work surface with flour.
4. Gently press the air out of the dough and form it into a rectangle.
5. Roll the dough into a 24×12” rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.
6. Melt your butter and brush it onto the dough, make sure you use all the butter. I like to pour it over the dough and then use a pastry brush to spread it out evenly. Then sprinkle your filling over the buttered dough evenly and gently press it into the butter so it’s wet. This will ensure it sticks as you roll the dough.
7. Roll up dough and cut into 12 equal-sized rolls.
8. Grease a 9×13 glass baking dish.
9. Then place rolls in 4 rows of three, evenly spaced.
10. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
11. Bake Cinnamon Rolls
12. Once rolls are doubled in size, bake them in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. They will rise more in the oven as they bake.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting 

1. While the rolls are baking, cream the butter and creamed cheese together. Once smooth and creamy, add in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Continue to beat until incorporated, lump-free, and very smooth.  Do NOT chill the frosting. Keep it at room temperature until the cinnamon rolls are baked.
2. Once the cinnamon rolls have been removed from the oven, let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes and then spread the cream cheese frosting on them while they are still warm.

Serve and enjoy!

The Dude Rancher’s Association

Is your mouth watering over these dude ranch recipes yet? Ours sure are! Let us know which dude ranch recipe you try by tagging us on Facebook or Instagram (@DudeRanchVacations) and don’t forget to tag the ranch as well! Want to try these dude ranch recipes straight from the ranch’s kitchen? Contact a DRA vacation specialist today at info@duderanch.org or 307-587-2339.