How John Wayne Seasoned Cowboy Steaks To Perfection

John Wayne didn't just play cowboys; he defined them. The gravel-voiced, gun-slinging actor built a career on bringing a bold, no-nonsense energy to the Western genre. And "The Duke's" approach to steak followed suit. He liked his steak well-seasoned, but none of those fancy pre-mixed spice blends, meat thermometers, expensive tools, or dipping sauces. The actor's recipe for peppered cowboy steaks was no-fuss, with minimal spices, the right cut, and technique.

The cowboy steak, a thick, bone-in rib-eye, cooked like a pro, was Wayne's favorite cut. Originating on cattle drives in the 19th century along the Rio Grande, the steak's exposed "Frenched" bone used to serve as a built-in handle for cowboys to eat over a campfire. The cut is high in fat and marbling, so very little needs to be done to make its true flavor shine, but it will leave you full as a tick.

As written in his cookbook, "The Official John Wayne Way to Grill," the "True Grit" star's recipe only included a few spices. Besides the cut, one star ingredient was the key to knocking out any other steak that dares to enter the showdown: Pepper. Three different kinds, to be exact.

According to his son Ethan, who penned the foreword in the cookbook, Wayne could've eaten steak and potatoes for every meal. It was his favorite. In fact, the cookbook has over 15 steak recipes that the actor loved, as well as barbecue chicken, grilled seafood, and southern side dishes.

Wayne's peppered cowboy steaks call for only seven spices: Salt, black pepper, dried thyme, garlic powder, lemon pepper, ground red pepper, and parsley flakes. Seasoned with gusto, of course. A few teaspoons of olive oil were all this western wrangler needed to baste his steaks. After brushing with olive oil, rub the pepper mixture onto the rib-eyes, and place in the perfect marinade in the refrigerator for an hour. This allows all the flavors to marry together. Grill for eight to 10 minutes per side over medium-high heat, with the grill lid closed.

He also had a few tricks in the holster for grilling and flavoring the steak. In the cookbook, the Wayne family recommends a bone-in steak over any other, as it has more flavor. They advised covering any exposed bone on the steaks with foil to keep them from charring. At home behind the grill or watching fellow grillmasters whip up his favorite, Wayne always preferred his steaks charred medium.

Beyond a good steak, Ethan says in the cookbook that his dad loved how any meal could bring people together. That special time where people could sit around after a hard day at work, trading laughs and yarning the hours away.