By all accounts, Marie Schorr didn’t have the easiest of lives: five boys to raise on a 12,000-acre property far removed from urban conveniences.
Conveniences, things we take for granted, like electricity. The Canelo Hills Ranch made its own, as did many area ranches in the day. The nearest phone was 13 miles away in Elgin. Wood provided heat. And the rough-and-tumble landscape was a challenge for cowboys to negotiate. “Lots of snuffy cows,” said son Dr. Richard “Dick” Schorr, DVM. “We rode six days a week to find new-born calves.”
And yet, Marie found time—when she could—for Cowbelles. “She was an avid supporter,” Dick said. Additionally, Marie belonged to Elgin Club, the Empire Ranch Foundation, the Santa Cruz County Fair and Rodeo Association and participated in 4-H. She drove mail, sat on school boards and contributed to the community potluck softball games at The Cienega in Canelo.
Marie had her finger in many pies.
Or, more correctly, loaves.
Her recipe for Barbecued Meat Loaves was first printed in the Arizona State Cowbelles cookbook “Roundup Recipes” in 1951. It holds the distinction of being the only recipe reprinted in the 2003 follow-up “Cooking Memories.”
While the first book, authored by Bonnie and Ed Peplow, gave detailed descriptions of ranch life, the second book omits such insights. Rather, the self-published “Cooking Memories” includes information reflective of contemporary culinary trends—calorie content, fat intake, food choices. Hardly campfire chit-chat in 1951.
However, there is another constant—other than Marie’s recipe—between the two editions. Ground beef. Of the 57 entrée recipes in the 1951 edition, 13 utilized the ground meat. In the 2003 edition, 26 of the 92 main meal dishes used it.
Ground beef has continued to be popular for a number of obvious reasons. It is relatively inexpensive. It’s flavorful. And it can be quickly made into a meal—anything from tacos to, well, meatloaf.
According to the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach statistics, ground beef consumption was estimated at just over 27 pounds per capita in 2020. That’s more than 46% of the total U.S. retail beef consumption.
Sonora Schmitt, head of operations for the Vera Earl Ranch and their Beef Company, noted that when it comes to ground beef, preferred meat-to-fat ratios depend on what is being made.
“We had one customer who wanted more flavor,” she said. Like Marie, he was making meatloaf. He wanted it moist. Thus, he chose a ground beef blend with a higher percentage of fat.
“Fat is flavor,” Schmitt said.
The “regular” ground beef meat-to-fat ratio sold at the Vera Earl Premium Beef Store, 3282 Highway 82, Sonoita, is a 77/23 blend. Grocery ground beef generally runs 80/20. Traditionally, ground beef includes the use of chuck, round and sirloin. The leaner ground beef found in markets has an 85/15 ratio and is higher in sirloin. It is better suited for dishes such as stuffed peppers or casseroles, where draining fat might be difficult.
For Marie’s recipe, use the good stuff—more fat.
Barbecued Meat Loaves
3 strips bacon, cut in small pieces
½ cup evaporated milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup dried bread crumbs
2 teaspoons chopped onion
1 ½ lbs. ground beef, preferably chuck
½ lb. lean pork, ground
Mix above ingredients together. Shape into eight small loaves. Place in baking dish and cover with sauce as follows:
Sauce
½ cup catsup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
Mix above ingredients, bring to boil in saucepan and simmer a few minutes.
Baste meat often with sauce while cooking at 350 F. for about 1 hour. Serves 8.
A copy of Roundup Recipes can be viewed at the Bowman-Stradling History Center located at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 3142 S. Highway 83, Sonoita. Handouts of recipes printed in the PRT are free. The center is open Mondays through Fridays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For access, please visit the fairgrounds’ office. For more information on the center contact SonoitaHistoryCenter@gmail.com.
Carrie White can be contacted at CarrieWhitePRT@gmail.com.