Steve McBee Sr. Reveals Final Meal Before Prison (Exclusive)

Steve McBee Sr. is opening up about his plans for his final days of freedom before he has to report to prison on Dec. 1.

For Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov. 27, the McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys star, 52, tells PEOPLE he planned to have his family over to his lodge in Gallatin, Missouri, and he’s going to do “all the cooking.”

“I like to cook,” he says. “I always cook very large meals for everybody, so everybody’s coming to my house, even my brothers and sister and extended family. I’m going to smoke a prime rib on the Traeger [grill] and then cook the turkey.”

Three days later, McBee will drive with his family to Yankton, South Dakota to self-surrender to federal prison. He has before 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 1. For his last dinner before prison on Sunday night, McBee is planning to have a midwest classic.

“I love steak,” he says. “Obviously, I’m a cattle guy, so that’s my favorite meal: steak and potatoes. And I can eat potatoes any way — I like them baked, mashed, fried.”

When McBee reports to prison, he’ll begin the 24 month-sentence he was ordered in October after pleading guilty to one count of federal crop insurance fraud. As the date draws closer, he’s focused on keeping his family’s spirits up.

“I don’t want anybody to be sad,” he says. “I want everyone to be upbeat. Everything’s going to be good. I’ve skipped a lot of family vacations because of work — and, looking back, I shouldn’t have —but I’ve never really taken any kind of extended vacation. So, I guess I’m finally getting a sabbatical, right?”

He also jokes that the “hardest expectation” on him right now is that he has to get “all big and buff” while he’s in prison.

“I’m afraid if I come out, and I just look like me, they’re going to be like, ‘Really? You had months to work out,'” he says. “That’s a lot of pressure! I have to go in there and hit it hard. Yankton is an old college, and they said they have a really good gym in there and that the food is better than a lot of other places. I’m trying to find all the positives.”

For fans wondering what will happen to McBee’s pug Gunner while he’s gone, he assures he’ll be in good hands with the reality star’s mom.

“We make jokes because I’m 53 years old, and my mom’s moving back in with me — this is my circle of life,” he says. “She’s got a couple of little dogs, and she’s going to stay at my house with Gunner and make her quilts all day.”

McBee admits, though, that he’s probably “more worried” about Gunner than any of his four sons: Steven Jr., Jesse, Cole and Brayden.

“Gunner’s been with me since he was six weeks old,” he says. “He sleeps right here on my neck. The boys will be fine, they’re grown men. But Gunner, he goes every day with me to work. Every piece of equipment I run, if I’m in a tractor or a combine or a bulldozer, Gunner rides in there with me. I keep telling him every night, ‘All right, buddy, you’re going to be all right.'”

McBee says that his ex-wife Kristi (who is the mother to his four sons) has told him she’ll bring Gunner when the family comes for prison visits.

“I don’t know [if dogs are allowed], but we’re going to find out,” he says. “I don’t know if it’s going to be better or worse if he sees me.”

While he’s away, McBee says his farm will continue running, business as usual.

“I literally have the best team of people I’ve ever had around me, and they are just genuinely the highest character people I’ve ever had work for me,” he says. “So, I really feel good that things are going to move along smoothly and even grow while I’m gone. We just had a meeting with everybody, and I told them that sometimes when the leader goes away, it allows everyone to really flourish on who they are instead of them second guessing. I’m okay with them making mistakes too, as long as they’re trying.”

One thing McBee feels “so guilty” about is how his prison sentence is affecting his son Cole’s wedding planning with fiancée Kacie Adkinson. The two got engaged on Nov. 7 and share a 10-month-old daughter, Blair.

“When I’m out, we’re going to have a big wedding,” McBee says. “The best case scenario is I would get a pardon or get home early, like in nine or 10 months. So, they tentatively want to get married next fall, but if dad’s not home, it’s going to have to flow to the spring. I feel so bad, but they’ll be okay and we’ll get through it.”

McBee is also sad to have to miss Blair’s first birthday coming up on Dec. 13.

“It stinks, but we have so many men and women that serve this country and are away from their families throughout these holidays,” he says. “Now, I’m in a different scenario than they are obviously, but it definitely gives you more of an appreciation for the sacrifice they make. I’ll get to spend a lot of time with the family, God willing, when I get out. And again, when I think of what I’m dealing with, I know there’s a lot of people that would trade positions with me in a heartbeat, so I’ll be okay.”

McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys seasons 1 and 2 is streaming on Peacock.