What does it take to keep a “Big-Boy” fed in the Nevada desert? About 40 gallons of oil and 200 gallons of water per mile in the case of Union Pacific’s famous locomotive. And that’s just to get the people moving.
Once onboard, the passengers and crew can enjoy a meal in some of the nicest (technically) private rail cars still on rails. Big-Boy typically pulls the same exact type of 1950’s dome dining car featured in that famous I Love Lucy episode. It takes a lot of food to keep the people happy.
Today’s recipe, Brakeman’s Pie, was inspired while working over a summer on the Virginia & Truckee Railroad in Virginia City. It’s the type of meal that is filling, quick, and delicious… perfect for the hungry crew of a mixed freight working the ‘Fernley Turn’, or for the hungry crew you’re hostling between school and soccer practice. It only takes sausage, a few canned veggies, mashed potatoes, and a pinch of flour to pull this train into the station.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground sage sausage (Jimmy Dean or equivalent)
1 can (15 oz) peas and carrots, drained
1 can (~8.5 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 (4 oz) jar diced pimento, drained
2–3 cups instant mashed potatoes
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
Salt
Pepper
Instructions:
- Brown the sausage in an iron skillet. Do not drain.
- Stir in flour and mix well. Add a splash of water to create a light sauce.
- Fold in the canned veggies until heated through.
- Spread mashed potatoes over the top and fluff with a fork.
- Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes or broil for 3–5 minutes until the potato peaks are golden brown.
Serves 4–6.
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