10 pioneer-era foods you should try
Joseph Smith loved johnnycakes, a cornmeal-based flatbread. You can make them with cornmeal, baking soda, molasses, cream of tartar, salt, butter, eggs, and honey for an authentic pioneer breakfast.
3. Fried Apples with Bacon
Pioneers topped crispy fried apples with crumbled bacon for a sweet and savory combination. This hearty dish made use of preserved meats and seasonal fruit.
4. Sauerkraut and Noodles
This filling lunch combined homemade egg noodles with tangy sauerkraut and bratwurst. The fermented cabbage provided essential vitamins during long winters.
5. Cucumber Salad
Fresh cucumbers mixed with vinegar, onion, sugar, and salt created a refreshing side dish. This simple cucumber salad used ingredients that could be grown in pioneer gardens.
6. Funeral Potatoes
This beloved casserole called “funeral potatoes” combines potatoes, cheese, and cream in a comforting dish. Despite the name, it became a celebration food for gatherings and special occasions.
7. Hawaiian Haystacks
Hawaiian haystacks layers rice, chicken, and various toppings for a customizable family meal. The dish became popular as pioneers adapted recipes with available ingredients.
8. Fried Scones with Honey Butter
These puffy, golden scones served with sweet honey butter became a Utah tradition. The bread could be made quickly and filled hungry families.
9. Hasty Pudding
This quick cornmeal pudding provided warm comfort food that could be made with minimal ingredients. Pioneers often sweetened it with molasses or honey.
10. Applesauce Cake
John Taylor’s favorite dessert used applesauce as a key ingredient, recorded by Emily Partridge Young in the Salt Lake 18th Ward cookbook. The cake made use of preserved fruit during winter months.
Get the full list here.
Have you ever tried any of these recipes? The Deseret News breaks down a full list of pioneer foods with connections to Utah.
1. Buttermilk Donuts
Brigham Young’s favorite treat was buttermilk donuts made with flour, eggs, buttermilk, sugar, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and butter. These simple donuts provided a sweet start to long pioneer days.
2. Johnnycakes
Joseph Smith loved johnnycakes, a cornmeal-based flatbread. You can make them with cornmeal, baking soda, molasses, cream of tartar, salt, butter, eggs, and honey for an authentic pioneer breakfast.
3. Fried Apples with Bacon
Pioneers topped crispy fried apples with crumbled bacon for a sweet and savory combination. This hearty dish made use of preserved meats and seasonal fruit.
4. Sauerkraut and Noodles
This filling lunch combined homemade egg noodles with tangy sauerkraut and bratwurst. The fermented cabbage provided essential vitamins during long winters.
5. Cucumber Salad
Fresh cucumbers mixed with vinegar, onion, sugar, and salt created a refreshing side dish. This simple cucumber salad used ingredients that could be grown in pioneer gardens.
6. Funeral Potatoes
This beloved casserole called “funeral potatoes” combines potatoes, cheese, and cream in a comforting dish. Despite the name, it became a celebration food for gatherings and special occasions.
7. Hawaiian Haystacks
Hawaiian haystacks layers rice, chicken, and various toppings for a customizable family meal. The dish became popular as pioneers adapted recipes with available ingredients.
8. Fried Scones with Honey Butter
These puffy, golden scones served with sweet honey butter became a Utah tradition. The bread could be made quickly and filled hungry families.
9. Hasty Pudding
This quick cornmeal pudding provided warm comfort food that could be made with minimal ingredients. Pioneers often sweetened it with molasses or honey.
10. Applesauce Cake
John Taylor’s favorite dessert used applesauce as a key ingredient, recorded by Emily Partridge Young in the Salt Lake 18th Ward cookbook. The cake made use of preserved fruit during winter months.
Get the full list here.
