The Prairie Homestead Cookbook: Simple Recipes for Heritage Cooking in Any Kitchen

by Jill Winger

Jill Winger, creator of the award-winning blog The Prairie Homestead, introduces her debut The Prairie Homestead Cookbook, including 100+ delicious, wholesome recipes made with fresh ingredients to bring the flavors and spirit of homestead cooking to any kitchen table.

With a foreword by bestselling author Joel Salatin

The Pioneer Woman Cooks meets 100 Days of Real Food, on the Wyoming prairie. While Jill produces much of her own food on her Wyoming ranch, you don't have to grow all--or even any--of your own food to cook and eat like a homesteader. Jill teaches people how to make delicious traditional American comfort food recipes with whole ingredients and shows that you don't have to use obscure items to enjoy this lifestyle. And as a busy mother of three, Jill knows how to make recipes easy and delicious for all ages.

"Jill takes you on an insightful and delicious journey of becoming a homesteader. This book is packed with so much easy to follow, practical, hands-on information about steps you can take towards integrating homesteading into your life. It is packed full of exciting and mouth-watering recipes and heartwarming stories of her unique adventure into homesteading. These recipes are ones I know I will be using regularly in my kitchen." - Eve Kilcher

These 109 recipes include her family's favorites, with maple-glazed pork chops, butternut Alfredo pasta, and browned butter skillet corn. Jill also shares 17 bonus recipes for homemade sauces, salt rubs, sour cream, and the like--staples that many people are surprised to learn you can make yourself. Beyond these recipes, The Prairie Homestead Cookbook shares the tools and tips Jill has learned from life on the homestead, like how to churn your own butter, feed a family on a budget, and experience all the fulfilling satisfaction of a DIY lifestyle.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Health

368 pages, Hardcover

Published April 2, 2019

Reviews

[Lisa Suit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love cookbooks-I love them so much that I read them like novels! With that being said, however, it is very rare that I get a new cookbook and want to make every.single.recipe, but with Jill's new cookbook I do! It is a whole foods, cooking from scratch cookbook, minus the guilt inducing "you must be perfect, eat everything organic or else grow your own" mentality prevalent in many cookbooks of the same ilk. There is a plethora of information in the back of the book with tips and ideas to get you started if you DO want to grow your own food (both plant and animal foods); but after the introduction there is a good, better, best scenario in how we can make the best choices available to us for our food, and then she leaves it at that and gets on to the recipes. Oh, the glorious recipes (with beautiful photographs for most of them)! From make your own pantry staples, to nutritious, easy meals, and delicious desserts, there is something for everyone in this book! So far I have only made the Maple Oat Bread, (delicious and not crumbly at all, just like the recipe stated!), but I have most of the book earmarked to try! (I have also made the tomato soup many times over the years since it was on her blog, and it is my family's favorite!) Whether you have any intention of homesteading or even attempting a simpler life wherever you are; or whether you just like to eat good food, I highly recommend this cookbook!

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hefty volume that packs a real, simple punch. Delicious photos, simple know-how for home cooking.

[Shaina Fertig · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I did skim the recipes and hope to test them out soon, (hopefully doesn’t change the rating!)I did read all the homesteading tips, tricks and other tidbits. This cookbook is so much more than a cookbook! It is a quick and dirty homesteading primer, which gives a look into everything from gardening, raising chickens, growing your own meat, canning, dealing with the schedule of milking a family cow and all sorts of other nifty need-to-knows. This book of recipes sure sparks my desire to hon in new skills and try some of these tasty meals, sides and desserts. Plus it’s exciting to read tips from someone dealing with the same issues of the dry, windy Wyoming prairie! (It was fun reading a fellow Wyoming residents take on our beautiful, yet wind swept frontier!)

I’ll add stars for yum later if it passes the hubby taste tests!

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I generally eat global cuisines, I started to think that I should become more grounded in the cooking of my own heritage and region. So I tried this cookbook with my pioneer homesteading ancestors in mind. This turned out to be a good reminder of why American cuisine is what it is — if you’re raising all of your food and butchering animals in a harsh climate far from a store while raising small children, your approach to food will be pragmatic. This is no doubt a great cookbook for people with those type of constraints, but not really for me at this time of life.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

All except a few of the recipes in this massive cookbook and homesteading book look either fabulous or worth a shot. There were only 1 or 2 which were a hard pass for us. I have already made the baked oatmeal which was simple, delicious and comforting! The perfect start to my work day today. I can't wait to try another recipe or method, and I almost want to go get me some chickens and a coop (but not quite).

[Kimber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this cookbook!
I don’t butcher my own meat and I don’t have an expansive garden (though I do dream that someday I might) but these recipes are so very easy and attainable. No obscure ingredients. And the author is very balanced- knowing not every one has the same lifestyle or access to the same quality products as she does. She doesn’t condemn you for popping open a bag of store bought tortilla chips for taco night. I borrowed from my local library to make sure I enjoyed enough of the recipes and I did so now own my own copy!

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably my favorite practical and fun to read cookbook. No fancy never-heard-of ingredients, practical and healthy ways to feed your family the old fashioned way.

[Lydia's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love full on home cooked meals, this cook book is a MUST for you. We've tried a lot of the recipes here and they're all family faves.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's not to like? Prairie. Homestead. Cookbook. Heritage. All words that grab me.

I grew up in the country eating what the land gave us. Or sometimes we had to take it. So, Jill, hit my nail on the head. In stating her hopes for her book Jill says the magic is in the mistakes (p.21). I couldn't agree more. If you don't try, you'll never do anything. You have to start to be able to finish.

I LOVE the photographs, a girl could get lost in them. The recipes tickle my fancy, like the Eggs N Greens on page 31. It's spring when I'm writing this, so I'd have to substitute Dandelion greens!! Now, we're talking!!! More nutrients than you know what to do with. Do you have any idea what dandelion does for your liver!!!! Magical things!!!

The Simple Roast Chicken (p.54) is an absolutely perfect recipe. It's easy, it's delicious (yes, I've eaten it), it's quick. Good for the seasoned chef or the neophyte cook. There's a butcher shop in my hometown with THE best free-range, non-GMO, most de-lish-eeeoso chickens that work perfectly with this recipe. And, of course, the herbs make it irresistible.

And, of course, sourdough, the key to my heart. But, Jill, this is one reason you didn't get that last and fifth star from me. I just hate it when the word DISCARD shows up in sourdough starter recipes. Your ratio is a straight 50/50 which is good for hydration, but I prefer a ratio that favors flour. I prefer the term "mother" to starter. After all, that's what she is! My own "mother" --Mary Jane--is fourteen years old and has birthed many, many children that have been dispensed throughout my friends and family. Mary Jane is featured in my own book "Favorite Flu Fighters" available at Amazon.

The Cast-Iron Skillet Bread (p.152) won my heart with the title. I use my grandmother's cast iron skillets for everything including baking regular bread (sourdough, of course.)

There are a lot of recipes I'm looking forward to trying; thank you, Jill, for your lovely Prairie Homestead Cookbook.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't realize when I put this book on hold at the library that Joel Salatin wrote the foreward - that's all the endorsement I need to know this is a great book! Jill Winger and her husband decided when they were first married to buy a farm in Wyoming and start homesteading. At the time Winger was learning through trial and error, but she wants to pass on the knowledge she learned, especially about cooking, on so others can benefit from what she learned. There is SO MUCH great information in this cookbook! And so many recipes I want to try that I will probably end up buying it. The first part is recipes and the second part is about growing your own ingredients from veggies to meat and milk. But, Winger reiterates that you don't have to live on a farm and raise livestock to homestead - you can still source high-quality, local food from farmers. In the second section she also gives a brief overview of canning, but as I always say if you want to learn to can take a class or learn in person from someone who's experienced - don't just go by a book. Overall, this is an AMAZING cookbook filled with all kinds of great recipes and homesteading tips.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of cookbooks by well known folks have a palate I will never possess. Due to a serious health issue, there is much I can no longer eat, spicy is one category I cannot touch, fresh fruit and veggies, wheat, dairy, etc. I get to the point that I crave an actual meal that doesn't require ingredients I have never heard of or being nuked. So when I saw the cookbook and flipped through the pages, I was sold. Then a couple weeks after I checked out the book, my oven motherboard died. I had, had a roast out to thaw and was looking through the book and it had a Sunday roast recipe for a crock pot. My oven is still dead (no funds), but I can actually make things from this book and I actually like them and haven't once made my usual shoe leather! If you are a picky eater or hindered by health, get this book, you won't regret it!

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is more than a cookbook. It is also a primer on how to homestead. Winger gives lots of advice on everything from gardening to raising your own meat and dairy.

I loved the recipe for the Cheddar Herb Meatloaf. I can honestly say it was the best meatloaf I have eaten. I made it with the potato stacks and the mashed carrots and those were a mixed success. I think the potatoes could have been better if the cheese wasn't incorporated into the butter mixture but sprinkled on each layer. The carrots were just hard to mash. I should have used a blender.

Also made the apple pancake and that was just gross. It wasn't a pancake but a cross between scrambled eggs and french toast. Definitely won't make that one again!

I am keeping the meatloaf recipe though!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this cookbook! I love the simplicity of the recipes, the basic ingredients and the recipes on making basics like bacon, cheese, and biscuits.
I’ve cooked quite a few of the recipes in this book (with lots more planned out!) and none have disappointed yet.
Yes, some of them are more time consuming than the average American cook may be used to this day and age. But that’s to be expected with homemade cooking of this kind. Jill even makes you aware of that within the first few pages. But if you’re willing to take the time to cook a few you wont be disappointed!
So far my favorites are the cheddar herb meatloaf, whipped honey carrots, and the ham and cheese pockets. I have some bacon curing to smoke this week too that I’m pretty excited about!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally I suggest people pick up 'the Joy of Cooking' if they only have ONE cookbook. This book might be a better alternative in that it walks you through a lot of cooking and living concepts that make eating well a less daunting task. Even if you live in an apartment or RV and don't have room for a potted basil on a sunny windowsill, this cookbook is worth having. My absolute favorite thing about this book, is that it is a book you can read. In fact it is a Good Read.

Enjoy!

[Kasey Dietrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jill Winger is a homesteading angel! I really enjoyed just how many recipes she mentioned that would actually be practical and fun to make, like the apple pie with the cheddar crust isn't gimmicky but is still pretty different. There's also a recipe list for some dishes I've wanted to make for a while, like biscuits and gravy, and there was even a list of pantry recipes like broth!! I would love to add this book to my collection!

[Maggie Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good cookbook for newbies. I've been cooking for decades and have canned and made stock (now it's called bone broth and seems like a revelation to younger people.) If you only have the very basic understanding of how to cook then this is a great source. The food is basic but good and the photos are really fabulous, think a younger, thinner Ree Drummond. But if you have been cooking for years, there's not much new in this book.

[Rochelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't normally say much on cookbooks, but this one in particular is a real gem! I've checked it out multiple times from my library and each time I read it, there is something I've looked over or I see it in a new way. The recipes are simple yet tasty, easy to follow, not too many ingredients and includes both tried-and-true-"homestead"-type recipes as well as the modern-busy-lifestyle-need a quick meal recipe. Nice blend of beautiful photos, interesting text, and the actual recipe.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my new favourite cookbook. Great for both the novice and experienced home cook wanting to cook from scratch. In addition to recipes the book gives lots of tips, advice, and reasons to switch to homegrown food and from scratch cooking without being preachy or condescending. Just be prepared to want a milk cow.

[Kaitlyn Abshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Equal parts cookbook and information on how to live a homesteader life, this book has completely changed the way I will look at “country life.” My husband will be happy to know that I now want to move to the country with some chickens and cows in tow, while simultaneously baking homemade bread and canning pickles and the like.

4.5 out of 5 stars

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've made about ten recipes from this cookbook so far and they've all been a hit with my family of five (which so very rarely happens). There's more than just recipes to love about this book too. If you're interested at all in homesteading (growing and preparing your own food) there are lots of practical tips and instructions based on the author's experience.

[Bonnie Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this were merely a cookbook, I wouldn't have read it. But it's more like a guide, holding my hand through the process of making better choices and learning new skills... something that is otherwise entirely overwhelming. The only recipe I've made so far is the pizza crust. Five stars from everyone in this household.

[Honest Mabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

borrowed from library then bought it

There are times when you run a cross a book you find to be an instant classic. These are accessible recipes for most people in North America. They are classic food sometimes with a twist. But honestly I will be picking through this cooking for a good while.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful recipes without a ton of ingredients! This cookbook will teach you to cook from scratch amd from your pantry. Jill Winger offers helpful information and “tidbits” through out the book. I personally like to read cookbooks like I would a novel and this one is written for someone who enjoys that also.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yep, I read this cookbook from start to finish. I follow Jill Winger’s Prairie Homestead blog and have many favorite especially her recipes for hamburger buns, biscuits, pie crust, and pumpkin pie starting with baking an entire pie pumpkin in the oven.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

this lives on my counter in my kitchen now. her recipes are REAL food. REAL cooking with easy instructions. In this crazy world of dietary restrictions I loved this. plus we're ranchers so her lifestyle is just mine by default :)

[Erikka · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much more than a cook book! Amazing read for anybody disenchanted with the modern American lifestyle. Jill does a wonderful job teaching those who desire to return to their roots and cook good ole fashioned food.

[klagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of tips for cooking the rustic, old fashioned way. Still trying out recipes and have come across some good ones. Jill's writing is informative, to the point, and humorous. The pictures are heartwarming and inspiring. Makes me feel like I'm on the farm, or want to be :)

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is full of beautiful pictures and has a very positive vibe. Great for someone interested in the meat and potatoes way of eating. I’d rate it higher but I wish it had more vegetable recipes.

[Sydnee Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally I wouldn’t think to read a cookbook. A cookbook is something to reference and find something specific. But this one has great advice and tips for everyday living along with delicious recipes!

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful cookbook with a great introduction and wonderful recipes I can't wait to try. Follow her on social media, on her blog, and subscribe on YouTube. If you want to get back to basics, you won't be disappointed!!