John Wayne Casserole (Beef and Biscuit Casserole)

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Questions & Reviews

1. pam says:

   Our family tried this recipe about a year ago and we liked it,
2. Tom says:

   This post is suspect. How can you name it John Wayne and include “light” mayo? 🙂

   Just kidding. I’ll give it a try when I feel adventurous. Go see an old John Wayne movie. He has some classics.
3. Crystal says:

   What happened to the print button that allowed generated pdfs of the recipes? I liked saving the paper and space on my shelf.
4. Cyd says:

   The Print button is in the right hand top corner in the blue box where the ingredients and recipe are listed. Hope this helps!
5. Joan in VA says:

   You’ve NEVER heard of John Wayne??????????
   I knew you were young, but his movies are all over cable TV. Quotes from him and pictures are all over the internet.
   Sigh … I’m too old.
6. Michelle says:

   Couldn’t you saute the onion and green pepper with the ground beef and save a step? All going in the same pan so just wondering!
7. Cyd says:

   Sure, that will work great too!
8. Anne says:

   Trying It tonight! As we speak it Is in the oven! Thank you! Yay!
9. Debbie C says:

   Does the bottom crust get good and done?
10. Katharine says:

    I’m excited to try this recipe. I LOVE John Wayne. Two of his movies I really love are Angel and the Badman and Hondo, but there are soooo many more. I think I’ll put on a John Wayne movie while eating the casserole. 🙂
11. Steph says:

    Hahahaha I think that is an EXCELLENT idea!
12. Steph says:

    Yes! It’s not a super wet dough, so it comes out nice and done! Enjoy!
13. Pam Stafford says:

    My husband and children do not like peppers or green chilies so if I left this out would it change the taste a whole lot? Just wondering, sadly, I have a very picky family, some likes tomatoes, some don’t, some like onions, some don’t. I think you get the picture and it is so hard to cook for my bunch sometimes! :0(
14. Christi Dott says:

    Okay, I have become so addicted to your recipes!! I have just made this, just stuck it in the oven… and again tweaked for gluten free. I used the GF Bisquick. It does have more ingredients than regular Bisquick for biscuits, so I added those as well and will keep my fingers crossed!! So far all of my GF tweaks on your recipes have worked out so I am thinking this one will as well!!
15. Cyd says:

    I totally understand Pam! You could easily leave out the peppers and green chiles, but the taste would be blander. (is that a word?) But it sounds like they probably want it that way. Let us know how it all turns out! Thanks so much for dropping by our blog! Have a great day!
    Cyd (mom of the Six Sisters)
16. Tish says:

    I tried and that was not my experience with the bisquick dough. Recipe calls for 2 cups and 1 cup water, and it was super runny.
17. Debi says:

    I love this recipe. I have a brother with celiac disease, so it works well with the gluten-free Bisquick. I use drained petite diced tomatoes, did not like the tomato skin in the casserole.
18. KP says:

    I made this recipe last night and it was amazing! I didn’t sauté the green peppers or the onions but still tasted just as good. I was worried that the biscuit mix was going to be a little doughy but it turned out great and the fam loved it!
    Thank you for the great recipe! Two thumbs up 🙂
19. melanie says:

    I just found this site and the name of recipe got my attention. I ‘ll admit I am a bit suspect of someone who doesn’t know the Duke but will try recipe for supper tonight. I ‘m sure will go over very well simply due to the name, LOL. Be back with results tomorrow.
20. Dawn Leadbetter says:

    I just added about 1/2 to 3/4 cup more bisquick. Came out perfect.
21. William Macklin says:

    Perhaps if The Duke has eaten more light foods he would still be alive. Or did he die from aids?

    I made it, served it, ate it and passed it along to all my friends – both of them.
    What a great recipe.

    John (The Duke) Wayne may have been the most prolific actor to ever hit Hollywood. He starred in movies with just about everybody who was anybody, including Rick(ie) Nelson in Rio Bravo. The first movie I saw him in was “She Wore A Yellow Ribbon”. It was 1947 or 48 and cost 5 cents to see it in Republican City Nebraska. Popcorn was 2 cents as were Jujubees. What do they cost at the theatre today?
22. Sherry says:

    Going to try this dinner tonight!!Hope all enjoys it…
23. Jamie says:

    Very tasty! I skipped making the biscuit dough and just bought the pillsbury home style can of biscuits. I used about one and a half cans. Came out perfect!
24. sheryl says:

    You must not be from America if you don’t know who John Wayne is! Shame on you.
    Also, John died from cancer because he made all of his movies in the same areas where they did all of the bomb testings.
25. Skyye says:

    Hey all.

    Just wondering if anyone out there knows what would be the Australian equivalent to Bisquik, please????
26. Tracey says:

    Hi Skyye – you could just mix up a basic scone dough, or use Lions Classic Scone Mix.
27. Nuala says:

    With cooler weather around this area, I’d definitely make this “comfort food” recipe. I’ll use the real mayonnaise though, for I intend to sail “In Harm’s Way”…
28. Jen says:

    So, I was just wondering if you could use biscuits that are already made and just not cook it as long?!
29. Donna says:

    FANTASTIC! I made it tonight and even Mr. FussPot loved it….and he doesn’t like anything. It smelled so good cooking. I did add a little more Bisquick to the dough because it was quite runny. It came out perfect…cut in beautiful squares. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
30. Ruth says:

    Can I prep this all in the casserole dish the night before and then just cook it the next day? Will it mess up the recipe?
31. Cyd says:

    Hi Ruth, We have not made it the night before and cooked it the next day. But reading over it carefully I think it would work just fine. The dough goes on the bottom, so be sure that it comes up the side of the dish and is sealed well so that the other ingredients don’t ooze down over the sides. That may cause it to be soggy dough. Let us know how it all turns out. It should work!! 🙂
32. Shannon says:

    This was a pretty quick and eaay recipe. My whole family liked it!!!
33. Louise says:

    I used a regular biscuit recipe. And also threw in a can of black beans. This was a big hit with the family, and I’ll definitely do it again.
34. Michelle says:

    Made this tonight and it was delicious! Used a can of tomatoes with chiles (drained) instead of fresh tomatoes since that’s all I had. Also left out the onions and bell pepper. My picky kids (11 and 15-year old daughters) both loved it, so that says a lot!
35. Kristy Sebring says:

    will have to try using the bisquick gluten free mix.
36. Carol says:

    Am I the only one thinking this would be sooo good with a cornbread base?
37. Jeffrey says:

    I added corn and black beans for a little more variety.
38. Kelly says:

    I love the Duke!
39. Andria says:

    Made this tonight with a couple changes. I used breakfast sausage instead of ground beef and cooked the bell peppers and onions with the meat. Since the sausage is spicy enough I omitted the green chiles. Great dinner that everyone really enjoyed, thank you for sharing this recipe! YUM YUM YUM!
40. Joyce says:

    couldn’t stand Wayne when he was alive, sure don’t think about him now that he’s dead. The casserole, on the other hand, appears to be noteworthy, unlike the late actor.
41. susan says:

    I almost never comment on pintrest recipes but felt that I had to add a note. We made this tonight and it was completely forgettable. Almost no flavor. The biscuit layer was bland. The meat was bland and all of the veggies should have been cooked before being added to any layer. To be clear. I added more taco seasoning and Sriracha to the meat and garlic to the pepper and onion mix and we still felt we could have take a pass. Better luck next time.
42. Ciara says:

    I like the heartiness of this dish but I agree with Susan, this was very very bland. I added extra taco seasoning, seasoned salt and garlic to the ground beef, but my fiancé still said it had no flavor and had to add hot sauce to it. It may have more flavor if salsa was used in place of the tomatoes, or maybe even some Rotel. If I do make this again, major adjustments will be made.
43. Cindy says:

    I can’t wait to try it. After reading some of the comments , I plan to change it up a little bit. I am going to add medium salsa and retried beans. It sounds fabulous.
44. Morgan says:

    I don’t know what I did wrong, but this did not turn out good. It tasted like two completely opposite recipes combined together, and the resulting flavor was just, conflict.
45. Jessica says:

    This wasn’t a difficult recipe but many steps. It was ok but not something I’d make again.
46. katherine says:

    I liked it. I combined the peppers and onions with the ground beef when I put the taco seasoning in it. I put 2 packages of taco seasoning instead of one (1 packet per pound of ground beef is usual). I skipped the mayo and used 1 c sour cream. I used a can of diced tomatoes instead of fresh. Since several people are from outside of the country, here’s a note on what Bisquick contains:
    Self rising flour consists of flour, salt, and baking powder. Bisquick contains all of these ingredients plus hydrogenated vegetable shortening. One cup of Bisquick can be substituted by a mixture of one cup of flour, 1½ teaspoons of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of oil or melted butter.
    And if you have self rising flour just add oil and you are good.
47. Pamela says:

    Very hearty recipe. I did add a can of black beans and a few red pepper flakes. Will definitely make again.
48. Lesley says:

    His death was the direct result of smoking up to 10 packs of cigarettes a day…disgusting! And sad that help quitting was not pushed in his lifetime.
49. theresa says:

    he passed from cancer
50. Tami says:

    Looking for a new casserole idea I came upon this recipe that sounded interesting. After reading the reviews I decided to make a few changes. I added a can of black beans drained I can of corn drained cooked the green peppers and onions with the meat once it was done in season that with adobo. Had about a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce to the meat mixture as well as additional half a packet of taco seasoning Mary had I also added a layer of sorrow and cream and onion mashed potatoes on top of the mayonnaise and sour cream mixture then top that with cheddar cheese cooked it and then broiled it at the end. Delicious! Reminded me of a Mexican style shepherds pie
51. Annie Savidge says:

    This would be good with a “pizza” slant, too. You could put some pizza sauce down before or after ground beef or mix it into the beef, and then trade out the peppers and stuff for olives, mushrooms and other things you like on your pizza.
52. Shelbie says:

    Is this something that you can freeze?
53. Camille (Six Sisters Stuff) says:

    Hi Shelbie!
    I have never tried freezing it . . . I worry that the biscuit part might get a little soggy when you thaw it. If you try it, let us know!
54. Ami says:

    In the South we use Dukes mayonnaise…how appropriate?!?!
55. Amy Smith says:

    What can I substitute for the Mayo and tomatos.
    If I use the tomatos, can you use the rotel cans with diced tomatos and peppers?
56. patricia rhorer says:

    Me too John Wayne go many years back and lots of good memories watching his movies with my dad
57. Nancy says:

    Thank you, for mentioning the movie. John Wayne was a smoker; but the movie that he made on the site where bombs were tested; also, killed several other people who stared in that movie.
58. L.S. Jones says:

    John Wayne died from complications from years of smoking (lung cancer) like most of the old classic Hollywood be actors. They didn’t know then what we know now. At least not till it was too late. Very little of his overall life was he over weight. He was just a big man.
59. Rita says:

    He did not smoke 10 packs a day. Are you crazy ?
60. Karen says:

    He, Susan Hayward along with the crew of filming of “Gengis Kahn”(?spelling) died from cancers. The filming site was in Nevada desert where early nuclear tests were done. At the time of filming took place no one knew of there was lingering danger. Wayne’s two older son’s, Mike and Patrick, that were at the filming site also battled cancer,
61. John Rourke says:

    I’m not sure (10 packs a day?) where you get your facts, but I have never read/seen
    where he smoked that much.. Back in that day, it appeared everyone smoked too much
    in the movies.
    IMPOSSIBLE
62. John Rourke says:

    I believe the correct grammar would be: “more bland”
63. Sandy Quinn says:

    He died from lung cancer, not aids
64. Chelsea says:

    Is there a way to alter the recipe for just 1 pound of ground beef? It’s just my fiance and I and I hate to waste!
65. bruce meyers says:

    this I believe
66. Sharon Williamson says:

    I am not a fan of bisquick but think this would be great with cornbread on it!
67. Gail says:

    absolutely, Dukes mayonnaise is the best 🙂
68. Linda says:

    I see the ingredients, but WHERE are the directions?????
69. Cyd says:

    Hi Linda. I just went to the post and it’s all there. The ingredients and right underneath is the directions for the recipe.
70. Tara Hendrickson says:

    I made mine in 2 separate foil pans just for this reason!
    However wondering if this can be frozen before I bake it?
71. Peg Weigle says:

    I could not find the amounts for this recipe so improvised. It better be good. When I finally scrolled down to make this comment, I found it. Way too much junk on this site to find the actual recipe!!!
72. Cyd says:

    The full recipe including ingredients and directions is all there! Have a terrific day!
73. Ed says:

    You stated you did not know where the name of the recipe came from. This is a quote from the “12 Tomatoes” website.

    John Wayne was asked to contribute a recipe for the cookbook, “Cooking with Love from Cara and Her Friends”. Proceeds from the book were to benefit the American Cancer Society. The book was a compilation of recipes from celebrities and John Wayne submitted his favorite casserole. This recipe was released in the book in 1979, the same year that Wayne died from cancer.
74. Ed says:

    Also, this website gives a very tender story about the Cookbook. It was written and the recipes compiled by a 10 year old that wanted to do something to raise money for the American Cancer Society. John Wayne was only one of many celebrities that submitted a favorite recipe for Cara’s book. https://deansfarmmarket.com/john-wayne-casserole-story/
75. Imo says:

    I loved all John Wayne’s movies! Here in Texas we pretty much grew up with seeing him on the silver screen. I knew he smoked but I think a person can drive that weight and lite foods in the ground! My Grandma ate fried bologna (mainly because that’s all they could afford) fried chicken and used lard to fry everything. She lived to be well in her 90’s. Got my casserole in the oven now and can’t wait to try it with a side salad.
76. Deb says:

    2 cups of bisquik and 1 cup of water wrong. Soupy not doughy
77. Jayze says:

    I made this for my husband and son, the loved it! I used the tubed pizza dough for the crust. It was faster and easier. I also used 2 cups of cheese. It’s a keeper for sure.
78. Liz Cooper says:

    Tasted really good but was dry.
79. EMarie says:

    I want to try this recipe!! My question is can it be put together and refrigerated, then baked next morning? And would there be any change in the baking time?
80. Momma Cyd says:

    You can totally make this recipe the night before and bake the next day. The cook time may be just a bit longer where it has been sitting in the fridge all night. But cook until heated through and the edges are slightly browned.
81. Ginny says:

    We have made this recipe for a long time and really love it. It is adjustable and i can make gluten free when family comes over. Another dish of it is in the oven now.
82. Momma Cyd says:

    So glad to hear that you like this recipe. It’s one of our favorites too!
83. SDuhe says:

    How do you prepare John Wayne Casserole to be frozen? Thank you
84. Momma Cyd says:

    I think the meat part of this recipe would freeze fine, but the biscuit topping might get soggy/mushy. I would only recommend freezing the meat portion, then thawing it and finishing the recipe. Then I don’t know if it would really save you that much time in the long run. Sorry, some recipes don’t adapt well to freezer meals. But we have posts with tons of freezer meal recipes- especially if you have an Instant Pot. We just did this big roundup of recipes.
    https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/100-of-the-best-instant-pot-freezer-meals/
    https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/50-easy-freezer-meals/
85. Matt says:

    So, I honestly don’t remember what I searched for, but this page/recipe was one of the top hits. It seemed simple and quick enough (I came across it at 6pm on a weekday) and none of the ingredients rubbed me wrong so I made it – although I have to say the idea of mayo and sour cream kinda scared me a bit.
    Turns out, it’s fantastic. I mean, I like it better with a bit of hot sauce on it, but really, it’s great as is.
    The only change I made was using garden tomatoes instead of Roma – not 100% sure which plant they came from but probably Early Girl. Oh, and regular mayo.

    Suffice to say, I think I’ll keep this in the rotation.
86. Janet Bradley says:

    This sounds amazing, just one question, could I use salsa instead of diced tomatoes?
87. Momma Cyd says:

    Yes, that would work fine.
88. N. J. York says:

    Tried this today it’s very good. I left out green pepper due to the fact they are too expensive in Alaska.
89. Heather says:

    I made this today, I didn’t have chills or green pepper, I used spicy salsa which includes green pepper . I too found the ratio of bisquick and water made it to thin , I just added more bisquick gradually until it was more a soft dough. It turned out great!
90. Ali says:

    Wow — so many opinions on so many topics! We’re only a family of 2 and I like things a bit spicy and hot, so here are my adjustments to make it mine:
    Halve the recipe. Use salsa instead of roma tomatoes. Use jalapeños instead of green bell pepper. We’ll see how it goes. 🙂
91. Ali says:

    Additionally, use full fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, btw.
92. Katrina says:

    Absolutely amazing!! I love that this recipe is extremely versatile!! I’ve made it as is and it’s wonderful!! I’ve also switched it up and added a can of rotel tomatoes, used pretty much all sour cream,and went with cornbread instead of biscuits… we don’t have ground beef so went with ground elk! Amazing!!
93. Sesame purbaugh says:

    We loved this so much I did use canned biscuits and was just fine also I used rotel tomatoes with green chilies instead of tomatoes But everything else I kept the same this was awesome
94. Traci Fuller says:

    My whole family was a fan of this casserole.
95. Gwendolyn loggins says:

    Love this receipe
96. Bonnie says:

    Great….added one can of SW corn and one small can of mushrooms.
97. Penny says:

    It was a tasty recipe, and we are cooking it right now. There are some problems with the water measurements, though. The recipe doesn’t say which amt of water to use with the Bisquick, and which to use with the meat. I used the 1 cup with h the Bisquick, which was just way too much. I had to add nearly a cup of corn starch to make it remotely ’pressable’ into the baking pan. The rest was ok, but I did think the meat was too wet, too. Next time, I’ll adjust the water, add beans, and I think it will be perfect.
98. Emily says:

    I accidentally made this recipe with cornbread mix instead of biscuit mix and it still turned out delicious! if you want a slight variation of this one that is a good swap.
99. Bobbi @ Six Sisters says:

    Great tip!
100. Mer says:

     We’ve made this recipe many times and love it. This last time we tried smoking it. We did about the same temp and time as stated in the recipe. It turned out great! The biscuit really picks up the smoke flavor. Highly recommend it to anyone who has one.
     For reference we just used a disposable aluminum pan. And we have a pellet smoker.
101. Shauna Brady says:

     Is this a recipe you could make the day before?
102. Bobbi @ Six Sisters says:

     This works well made the day before