DISH RESEARCH · Main dish
Chili con carne
Coarsely ground beef simmered with tomatoes, cumin, oregano, chili powder and hot sauce.
About Chili con carne
Pedernales River chili is a Johnson-family version of chili con carne. The LBJ Presidential Library’s recipe combines coarsely ground beef with onion, garlic, canned tomatoes and a small group of seasonings.
Chili powder and liquid hot sauce supply the heat, while cumin and oregano give the beef a warm, herbal aroma. Tomato softens the flavour of the concentrated meat mixture.
The coarse meat remains visible in the thick tomato-based stew. Its substantial texture comes from the ground beef and simmered aromatics.
Allergens in this recipe
Allergen details are not yet confirmed.
Ingredients vary by restaurant. Confirm your allergens with staff before ordering.
Ingredients in Chili con carne
LBJ Presidential Library’s Pedernales River chili.
- Coarsely ground beef round steakProtein
- OnionAromatic
- GarlicAromatic
- Ground oreganoAromatic
- Cumin seedsSeasoning
- Chili powderSeasoning
- Canned whole tomatoesBase
- Liquid hot sauceSeasoning
- WaterLiquid
- SaltSeasoning
Ingredient details & uncertainties
Allergen information is incomplete. Unconfirmed details do not establish that an allergen is absent.
- Coarsely ground beef round steak: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Broader ground-beef candidate; first coarsely ground round-steak choice retained before well-trimmed chuck. No specific round subcut inferred.
- Onion: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Garlic: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Ground oregano: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Broader oregano candidate; ground form retained. No Mexican oregano species imported from adjacent adaptation.
- Cumin seeds: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Chili powder: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Named US chili powder with no own spice-blend formula; exact constituents and additional allergens remain unresolved.
- Canned whole tomatoes: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Broader tomato candidate; canned whole form retained. Exact packing liquid/additions unprovided; a salt-added canned-product candidate is not presumed.
- Liquid hot sauce: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. No exact brand, complete sauce formula or additional allergen identity is supplied.
- Water: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Hot water is a cooking input, not a final serving-temperature cue.
- Salt: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
Origins & food traditions
Pedernales River chili is associated with the Johnson family’s ranch and the recipe circulated on White House postcards; historian Alex Prud’homme credits the family’s cook Zephyr Wright.
Countries
- United States
- United StatesCatalogue link pending review
Cuisines & regions
- American Cuisine
- American cuisineCatalogue link pending review
AI-generated illustration of one possible presentation. Recipes and ingredients vary; the image does not establish allergen content.