The very first American recipes were created by the Native Americans, of course. These indigenous peoples were largely hunters, fishermen, and gatherers, although some tribes had gardens. One group of Native Americans who rarely grew their own foods was the Plains Indians. These people were nomadic hunters who followed the herds of buffalo, or bison. Once the horse was introduced to North America, this group came to be known as the “horse Indians.”
The horse Indians occupied the Great Plains. Tribes included in this category are the Cree, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Blackfoot, Crow, Kiowa, Comanche, Gros Ventre, Assiniboine, Ojibwe, Shoshone, Tonkawa, Nez Perce, and Lakota (western Sioux), and others.
Not surprisingly, bison meat and fat made up most of their diet. Every part of the animal was used, either as food, robes, blankets, tools, clothing, shoes, ceremonial items, or storage containers. The bison meat was eaten fresh or dried into jerky or pemmican.
One of the preferred Native American recipes for fresh buffalo was buffalo stew. To make this, large pieces of bison flesh were boiled in a large pot over the fire. Prairie turnips were often added. Prairie turnips, called “timpsula” by the Lakota, grew wild on the plains and were gathered by the indigenous peoples. The plants’ roots are starchy and slightly sweet, with a flavor similar to turnips.