What is different about the King Ranch?

King Ranch this, King Ranch that … The snake-like, stylized "W" logo is seemingly everywhere in Texas. But what exactly is King Ranch: an actual ranch, a pick-up truck, a restaurant, a casserole? As it turns out, it's all of the above.

The latest King Ranch product, a bourbon made in partnership with Old Forester, released this week. A new Houston location of the King Ranch Saddle Shop is opening in Rice Village on Nov. 10. For those who need a refresher, here's a breakdown of the venerable, ubiquitous Texas phenomenon that is King Ranch.

King Ranch Texas Kitchen serves tomahawk, among other beef cuts.

The roots: a historic ranch in Kleberg County

The actual King Ranch in Kleberg County is the chicken, or the egg, whichever way you look at it. Located 45 miles south of Corpus Christi in the small Texas town of Kingsville, it is the largest ranch in the United States, boasting about 825,000 acres.

New Yorker and steamboat pilot Richard King came to South Texas in the 1840s and began buying land in 1853, reportedly purchasing his first 15,500 acres for $300. Over the decades, the ranch developed its own breed of cattle, the Santa Gertrudis, and created a breeding program that produced the Thoroughbred racehorse Assault, winner of the 1946 Triple Crown. King Ranch inspired the classic Edna Ferber novel Giant, which was later made into a movie starring Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean and Rock Hudson. In 1961, it became a National Historic Landmark.

Assault, a King Ranch thoroughbred, won the 1946 Belmont Stakes and the other two legs of the Triple Crown.

Today, King Ranch is still in the family, now the Klebergs (heir Jay Kleberg is currently running for Texas land commissioner as a Democrat). The ranch keeps about 20,000 heads of commercial cattle at all times; runs many other production operations including cotton, turfgrass, nuts and vegetables; and is the majority owner of one of the largest citrus producers in the country.

King Ranch's headquarters are in Houston, where the company will soon open a saddle and leather goods store in Rice Village. The brand "Running W" on which the King Ranch logo is based was registered in 1869—it's believed to pay homage to diamond rattlesnakes, the Santa Gertrudis Creek, or the horns of a Texas longhorn, no one knows for sure. Today, it's on more than a few affiliated King Ranch products.

Ford developed its first special-edition King Ranch model in 2000, which went on sale as a 2001 edition.

King Ranch, the pick-up truck 

American motor giant Ford has licensed the right to use the King Ranch name since 2000, when it introduced the 2001 King Ranch Ford F-150. You've likely seen the shining silver Running W-branded plate on many a car's rear as it passes you going 90 MPH on 610. The King Ranch F-150 was added to the Super Duty line in 2003 and the Expedition line in 2005, and F-250, F-350 and F-450 cars followed. The cheapest 2023 models hover around $63,000.

King Ranch—the ranch—has more than 250 Ford pick-ups in its fleet to carry out ranching operations.

King Ranch Texas Kitchen is a new restaurant concept in partnership with Tilman Fertitta Family and King Ranch.

King Ranch, the restaurant

When King Ranch sought to enter the restaurant business, they tapped none other than Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta and his Landry's hospitality group. King Ranch Texas Kitchen opened in November 2020 on the Post Oak Boulevard curve in Uptown. A steakhouse, of course, the restaurant serves classic cuts like ribeye, New York strip and tomahawk from local ranches. Other menu features include Gulf seafood, burgers, salads, and nilgai—that's an antelope—sourced from the ranch itself.

King Ranch and Old Forester have partnered for a new bourbon, available only in Texas.

Most Popular

1. Viral TikTok of Texas megachurch's Christmas show sparks controversy
2. Missing man last seen leaving Heights bar found dead in Houston Ship Channel
3. Houston may see severe storms, nocturnal tornadoes as system sweeps South
4. Terry Bradshaw's 744-acre equestrian ranch could be yours for only $22.5M
5. Houston Southwest flight diverted after passenger bites fellow traveler
6. Report: Houston Astros finalizing deal with former MVP Jose Abreu
7. Airbnb has a plan to fix cleaning fees

King Ranch, the bourbon

On Nov. 1, King Ranch and Old Forester released a limited-edition bourbon only available in Texas. Called Old Forester King Ranch Edition, the whiskey is 105 proof and made from the ranch's invasive mesquite trees, which suck up groundwater and kill other vegetation. The Kentucky-based distiller developed a method to turn the mesquite into charcoal, adding a pronounced smoky note to the bourbon, while reducing the nuisance it brings to King Ranch's natural environment. A bottle of Old Forester King Ranch Edition retails for $70.

King Ranch Chicken, featured in "United Tastes of Texas," is an iconic Texas dish.

King Ranch, the casserole

It would be easy to attribute King Ranch casserole, also called King Ranch chicken, to the ranch of the same name, tying up all these offshoots into a neat little bow (or a Running W). But while King Ranch is a giant in the beef game, it doesn't dabble in poultry, nor does it lay claim to the invention of the King Ranch casserole.

"Mary Lewis Kleberg, the widow of Dick Kleberg, admits her heart sinks every time a well-meaning hostess prepares it in her honor," writes Texas Monthly. "Most likely the dish got its name from an enterprising South Texas hostess or a King Ranch cook whose preference for poultry doomed him to obscurity."

Regardless of its origins, the King Ranch casserole is undoubtedly in the Texas cooking hall of fame. The comfort food classic consists of shredded chicken, tortilla chips, cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, a can of Ro-Tel tomatoes with green chiles, and a ton of melted cheese. And while it's not officially branded, you can find a variation of King Ranch casserole on the menu at the King Ranch Texas Kitchen restaurant in Houston.

What is special about the King Ranch?

What makes a King Ranch different?

What's the difference between the King Ranch and the Platinum?

Why is it called the King Ranch?