Cooking is an essential part of Red Dead Redemption 2, providing meals that boost your core stats for limited periods. There are 14 recipes to find, each requiring specific ingredients. This guide lists every recipe, its location, and its effect.
How Cooking Works
To cook in RDR2, you need:
- A pot or cooking station.
- The recipe ingredients.
- The right seasoning (optional but improves the dish).
Cooking stations are found in:
- Your camp stew pot.
- Specific locations in the world (homesteads, etc.).
- The wilderness (with a campfire kit).
The 14 Recipes
Big Game Meat Stew
Ingredients: 1 Big Game Meat, 1 Corn, 1 Herb.
Effect: Stamina core +25%, lasts 2 minutes.
Recipe Location: Donated to Pearson.
Plain Stew
Ingredients: 1 Salted Meat, 1 Corn, 1 Herb.
Effect: Stamina core +25%, lasts 2 minutes.
Recipe Location: Donated to Pearson.
Minty Big Game Stew
Ingredients: 1 Big Game Meat, 1 Mint, 1 Corn.
Effect: Stamina core +50%, lasts 3 minutes.
Recipe Location: Donated to Pearson.
Venison Stew
Ingredients: 1 Venison, 1 Corn, 1 Herb.
Effect: Stamina core +50%, lasts 3 minutes.
Recipe Location: Donated to Pearson.
Improved Stew
Ingredients: 2 Corn, 1 Sugar, 1 Herb.
Effect: Stamina core +75%, lasts 4 minutes.
Recipe Location: Donated to Pearson.
Prime Beef Stew
Ingredients: 1 Prime Beef, 1 Corn, 1 Herb.
Effect: Health core +50%, lasts 3 minutes.
Recipe Location: Donated to Pearson.
Rabbit Stew
Ingredients: 1 Rabbit, 1 Corn, 1 Herb.
Effect: Health core +50%, lasts 3 minutes.
Recipe Location: Donated to Pearson.
Fish Stew
Ingredients: 1 Fish, 1 Corn, 1 Herb.
Effect: Health core +25%, lasts 2 minutes.
Recipe Location: Donated to Pearson.
Hunter's Stew
Ingredients: 1 Big Game Meat, 1 Venison, 1 Herb.
Effect: Dead Eye core +50%, lasts 3 minutes.
Recipe Location: Donated to Pearson.
Baked Beans
Ingredients: 1 Corn, 1 Sugar, 1 Bean.
Effect: Stamina core +25%, lasts 2 minutes.
Recipe Location: Donated to Pearson.
Plain Beans
Ingredients: 1 Bean.
Effect: Stamina core +25%, lasts 2 minutes.
Recipe Location: Donated to Pearson.
Plain Pork and Beans
Ingredients: 1 Pork, 1 Bean.
Effect: Stamina core +25%, lasts 2 minutes.
Recipe Location: Found in the cabin at Cairn Lake during Chapter 2.
Berry Cobbler
Ingredients: 2 Berry, 1 Sugar, 1 Flour.
Effect: Stamina core +25%, lasts 2 minutes.
Recipe Location: Found in a cabin in the Bayou NWA region.
Minty Plum Cake
Ingredients: 1 Mint, 1 Plum, 1 Sugar, 1 Flour.
Effect: Stamina core +50%, lasts 3 minutes.
Recipe Location: Found in a cabin in Big Valley during Chapter 4.
Best Recipes for Each Stat
Best for Stamina
Minty Plum Cake (Stamina core +50%, lasts 3 minutes).
Best for Health
Prime Beef Stew (Health core +50%, lasts 3 minutes).
Best for Dead Eye
Hunter's Stew (Dead Eye core +50%, lasts 3 minutes).
Best Recipe Overall
The Improved Stew is the best overall recipe because it boosts Stamina by +75% for 4 minutes with common ingredients. It is the best recipe to cook before long hunting trips or combat encounters.
Where to Find Ingredients
Big Game Meat
Hunt elk, deer, bison, moose.
Salted Meat
Buy from general stores or butcher shops.
Corn
Found in farm fields. Buy from general stores for $1 per corn.
Herb
Sage, Oregano, or Wild Mint. Found in fields.
Mint
Found in fields and near water.
Sugar
Buy from general stores for $2 per sugar.
Bean
Found in farm fields. Buy from general stores for $1 per bean.
Venison
Hunt deer.
Prime Beef
Hunt cows.
Rabbit
Hunt rabbits.
Fish
Catch with a fishing rod.
Berry
Found in fields and forests.
Flour
Buy from general stores for $2 per flour.
Plum
Found in trees in the Big Valley region.
Pork
Hunt pigs.
Best Cooking Locations
Camp Stew Pot
The camp stew pot is the most reliable cooking location. It allows you to cook for the entire gang.
Cairn Lake Cabin
The Cairn Lake cabin has a stove and cooking pot. It is the best early-game cooking location.
Bayou NWA Cabins
The cabins in Bayou NWA have stoves and cooking pots.
Common Mistakes
- Don't cook without ingredients. The recipe will fail.
- Don't ignore the seasoning. It adds bonus effects.
- Don't cook when you are full. The food will be wasted.
Final Tips
- Cook in bulk and store the food for future use.
- Cook before major story missions to boost stats.
- Use the camp stew pot for morale boosts and stat boosts at the same time.
With this guide, you will know every recipe and how to cook them efficiently.
FAQ: Cooking
Q: What is the best recipe?
A: The Improved Stew is the best overall recipe. It boosts Stamina by +75% for 4 minutes.
Q: Can I cook without a pot?
A: No, you need a pot or cooking station to cook.
Q: What is the difference between seasoning types?
A: Seasoning types add bonus effects. Sage adds defense, Oregano adds attack, and Wild Mint adds stamina.
Q: Can I sell cooked food?
A: No, cooked food can only be eaten. It cannot be sold.
Best Cooking Strategies
For best cooking:
- Cook in bulk and store the food for future use.
- Cook before major story missions to boost stats.
- Use the camp stew pot for morale boosts.
- Use specific seasoning types for bonus effects.
Common Cooking Mistakes
- Don't cook without ingredients. The recipe will fail.
- Don't ignore the seasoning. It adds bonus effects.
- Don't cook when you are full. The food will be wasted.
- Don't ignore the campfire. Some recipes can be cooked at campfires.
How to Maximize Cooking
To maximize cooking:
- Cook the Improved Stew for the best overall recipe.
- Use specific seasoning types for bonus effects.
- Cook before major story missions to boost stats.
- Cook in bulk and store the food for future use.
With these strategies, you will maximize your cooking efficiency and have a well-fed character for the entire game.
FAQ: Cooking
Q: What is the best recipe?
A: The Improved Stew is the best overall recipe. It boosts Stamina by +75% for 4 minutes.
Q: Can I cook without a pot?
A: No, you need a pot or cooking station to cook.
Q: What is the difference between seasoning types?
A: Seasoning types add bonus effects. Sage adds defense, Oregano adds attack, and Wild Mint adds stamina.
Q: Can I sell cooked food?
A: No, cooked food can only be eaten. It cannot be sold.
Best Cooking Strategies
For best cooking:
- Cook in bulk and store the food for future use.
- Cook before major story missions to boost stats.
- Use the camp stew pot for morale boosts.
- Use specific seasoning types for bonus effects.
Common Cooking Mistakes
- Don't cook without ingredients. The recipe will fail.
- Don't ignore the seasoning. It adds bonus effects.
- Don't cook when you are full. The food will be wasted.
- Don't ignore the campfire. Some recipes can be cooked at campfires.
How to Maximize Cooking
To maximize cooking:
- Cook the Improved Stew for the best overall recipe.
- Use specific seasoning types for bonus effects.
- Cook before major story missions to boost stats.
- Cook in bulk and store the food for future use.
With these strategies, you will maximize your cooking efficiency and have a well-fed character for the entire game.