Ben Estlack

Noted chuckwagon cook selects Donley County location for first episode

Kent Rollins wants all of America to appreciate cowboy way of life, and he’s starting his newest venture with a spotlight on the JA Ranch southwest of Clarendon.

With more than 40 years of experience in chuckwagon cooking and as a working cowboy, Rollins hand picked the JA as the site for the first episode of Cast Iron Cowboy, which airs this Sunday, September 29, at 8:30 p.m. on the Outdoor Channel.

“We wanted to highlight the American rancher and cowboy and their very way of life. The JA had to be the first one,” Rollins told the Enterprise. “It’s the birthplace of the chuckwagon and the home of the beautiful Palo Duro Canyon and Charles Goodnight.”

It also helped that Rollins has been to the history ranch and is friends with ranch manager Randall Gates, making the first episode even more special and authentic.

Rollins said the idea for Cast Iron Cowboy started about nine years ago with a California producer who contacted him and kept calling back. Rollins finally agreed to do the show with the stipulation that it had to be authentic and they would only visit ranches during times when they would actually be working, nothing would be staged.

“Cowboys respect me because I’ve been on the other side of the fire,” Rollins said. “Mother Nature throws a kink in it sometimes, but if they work in it, we cook in it.”

As host of the show, Rollins is a well-known cowboy cook and YouTube phenomenon with 6.7 million followers across social media. The new show follows Kent, his wife Shannon, their dog Major, and their 1876 Studebaker Chuck Wagon as they travel ranch-to-ranch across the country feeding cowboys. The series blends cast iron cooking with cowboy traditions, history, and storytelling.

The JA is one of the first places Rollins cooked in 1994, and the first episode has some special moments for the host – a horseback ride with Gates and a visit to the historic JA chuckwagon. With supper started at his campsite, Rollins is greeted by Gates on horseback with an extra horse for the cook. Leaving Shannon in charge of the camp, the men take off for headquarters, and once there, Gates pulls out the ranch’s original wagon – what Rollins calls “the first meals on wheels.” Rollins and Gates then open the wagon’s chuckbox and discuss the artifacts inside.

“I’d seen the wagon years ago,” Rollins said. “It was so neat. If it could only tell the stories it has seen.”

As much fun as exploring the JA wagon was, Rollins’ favorite thing about the episode is his ride with Gates.

“To get to go horseback with Randall again, it was just such an honor to ride with a dear friend that I consider family,” he said. “It was a special day.”

Returning to camp, Rollins and Shannon prepare a hearty and delicious meal of “Wagon Wheel” Steaks with Mushroom Gravy, “Armadillo Eggs,” and Bread Pudding with Whisky Cream Sauce.

Donley County viewers will recognize several family faces as folks gather for the meal as bow their heads as Rollins says grace.

“The people there are folks who value God, family, and tradition – great people you can ride the river with,” he said.
Cast Iron Cowboy will premier during the Outdoor Channel’s “Taste of the Wild Block.” The show follows Kent, Shannon, their trusty 1876 Chuck Wagon and wood-fired stove, affectionately known as “Bertha,” across the country as they work to preserve the heritage and lifestyle of the American cowboy. Blending live-fire cast iron and Dutch oven cooking with storytelling, cowboy wisdom, and the history, people, and traditions of working ranches across the country.

The Outdoor Channel and MyOutdoorTV are available by satellite and several streaming platforms.

Season One consists of eight episodes with Rollins visiting ranches in Wyoming, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Texas, each celebrating the enduring spirit of the American range. The JA episode was filmed about a year ago last September, and

Season Two, which will premier in February, just finished filming.

“We hope everyone enjoys it,” Rollins said. “It’s part of history, and the good Lord has blessed us to let us do what we do and share it with more people.”

The ever-changing landscape at Pantex has yet another addition on the horizon with the recent groundbreaking of the new Analytical Gas Laboratory.

The existing facility, which was built in 1944 and assumed gas lab testing in 1968, is being replaced by a 12,750-square-foot building equipped with modern equipment and testing capabilities.

The structure will provide employees with state-of-the-art updates to continue providing analytical support to both Pantex and Y-12.

The new facility, with an estimated investment of approximately $36 million, will include office space for engineers and scientists and modernized equipment for more accurate and efficient sampling to support production at the two sites.

“The new Analytical Gas Lab facility is a critical component in assuring the long-term quality and reliability of our nuclear deterrent,” Operations Division Director, Carl Beard said.

The lab will continue to support production by analyzing gas samples for all weapons programs and several weapons components. New technology will incorporate a digital workflow and more consistent tracking that can follow the samples and identify components more precisely.

“This modernized facility will enable us to continue to adapt to changing times, processes, and technology,” PanTeXas Deterrence President and General Manager Kelly Beierschmitt said. “This is yet another important accomplishment in our continued role of serving the nation.”

“This investment ensures that our nation’s capabilities remain at the forefront of defense technology and scientific innovation,” Pantex Field Office Manager Jason Armstrong said. “It also reflects our commitment to modernizing Pantex to meet the demands of our mission.”

Pantex continues to invest in its people and infrastructure as well as its role in the nuclear deterrent process, with additional projects underway. With several additional projects underway the site continues to prove its dedication to modernization and continuing its strong legacy of serving the nation.