History of the Chuck Wagon

Chuck wagons became a necessity out west, they were mobile kitchens that fed farmhands on huge ranches, were part of wagon trains, or fed loggers on the job. The first Chuck wagon was invented in 1866, and quickly became a hub at campsites for social interaction among the men as well as a place for food.

Common equipment in a chuck wagon:
Dutch Ovens
Sour dough keg
Buck saw
Portable pantry
Graniteware Coffee Pot
Coffee grinder
Tin plates and cups
Water dippers
Burlap sacks
Pot scrubbers
Water Barrels
Tarps
Dinner Bell
and whatever else the cook needed, personal or otherwise.

Most meals fixed on a chuck wagon consisted of biscuits, coffee, beans, and beef. Occasionally the cook would make desert from dried fruit.

Old Wagon Train from US National Archives