Name: Pedernales River Chili
Yield: 10–12
Ingredients: 4 lbs (1.8 kg ) coarse-ground meat ( venison preferred); 1 large onion , chopped; 2 cloves garlic , finely chopped; 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferable to fresh oregano , which grows wild in central Texas); 1 teaspoon powdered cumin; 6 teaspoons chili powder (or more, to taste); 2 cans (16- oz /500 g ) whole tomatoes; Salt to taste; 2 cups (470 ml ) hot water

Why it works: Oregano and cumin match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 983 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓

Pedernales River Chili

10–12

Timeabout an hour

Ingredients

4 lbs (1.8 kg ) coarse-ground meat ( venison preferred)
1 large onion , chopped
2 cloves garlic , finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferable to fresh oregano , which grows wild in central Texas)
1 teaspoon powdered cumin
6 teaspoons chili powder (or more, to taste)
2 cans (16- oz /500 g ) whole tomatoes
Salt to taste
2 cups (470 ml ) hot water

Directions

Brown the meat, onion, and garlic in a large skillet.
Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about an hour.
Skim off the grease.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

249Calories

33 gProtein

5 gFat

19 gCarbs

Counts 8 of 10 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 8 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Venison	100g cooked	158
Onion	1 medium (110g)	44
Tomato	1 medium (123g)	22
Cumin	1 tsp ground (2.1g)	8
Chili	1 tsp (2.7g)	8
Oregano	1 tsp dried (1.8g)	5
Garlic	1 clove (3g)	4
Salt	1 tsp (6g)	0
Meat	not in our table	0
Water	not in our table	0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Wikibooks Cookbook.

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

Oregano + cumintop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together983 recipes

Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
Onion + garlictop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together29,058 recipes

Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
Garlic + cumintop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together5,082 recipes

Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Oregano + tomatotop 2% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together2,767 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-hexenal (green, leafy).
Garlic + oreganotop 2% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together3,756 recipes

Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Venison or coarse-ground meat: Forms the main body of the chili and carries its rich, savory flavor.
Onion: Adds sweetness and aromatic base flavor as it softens and browns.
Garlic: Contributes pungent aroma that deepens as it cooks.
Chili powder: Supplies the main chili flavor and color.
Whole tomatoes: Add acidity, moisture, and body to the simmering sauce.

The step that matters

Skim off the grease. Meat releases fat as it cooks, and fat floating on the surface can make the chili greasy and heavy. Removing it before serving gives a cleaner texture.

Swap the clove

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (meat, venison, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, tomato):

Thymefits better
Corianderfits better
Rosemaryfits better
Clovethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against meat, venison, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, tomato. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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Pedernales River Chili