Pedernales River Chili

"Lyndon Johnson once loved the kind of greasy chili that Sam P Pendergrast cooks. His doctor made him modify the recipe, though, when he suffered a heart attack during his tenure in the US Senate. This became the new reduced-fat version, graciously provided by Mrs. Johnson." From Texas Home Cooking

• 4 pounds chili-grind beef chuck or venison
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• 2 tablespoons chili powder, or more, to taste
• 1 teaspoon round cumin
• Salt to taste
• 2 to 6 dashes Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
• 2 cups hot water
• 1 1/2 cups canned whole tomatoes with juice

METHOD

Place the meat, onion, and garlic in a large, heavy frying pan or Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat until the meat is lightly browned.

Add the oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt and hot pepper sauce. Pour in the water and tomatoes, and bring the chili to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 1 hour. Skim off any fat during the cooking.Serve the chili hot.

Serves 5 to 6

Reprinted with permission from ©1993 Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison Texas Home Cooking, published by Harvard Common Press

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Articles on chili:

chili article part one        chili article part two    texas chili cookoff    back to super bowl sunday

 

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