What a lot of hogwash from Texans! They come to New Mexico to get the true chile con carne. Here is a recipe from the famous cookbook by Erna Fergusson, Univ. New Mexico Press, 1945. Titled "Mexican Cookbook," the recipes mostly are from New Mexico. They reflect the cookery of the settlers from Spain and Mexico in the northern provinces of Spain in America.

But remember, in these recipes- Nadie sabe lo que tiene la olla mas que la cuchara que la menea.

CHILE CON CARNE

2 pounds (mutton) or beef
1 pound fresh pork or ham shoulder
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons lard or drippings
3 bay leaves
( one quart ripe tomatoes- see notes)
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chile pulp or- 6 tablespoons Chimayo or other New Mexico PURE chili powder
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon comino (wild cumin)
(1 pint ripe olives)

New Mexicans leave out the tomatoes except in season. Fresh pork was used only at killing time, ham is usual. I have never seen olives used, but apparently they were brought in semi-dried in the old days and were a rare treat. We always make it without tomatoes, olives, or fresh pork, using only the flavorful ham shoulder. Mutton is in disfavor and seldom used.

Cut the meat into small cubes. Brown onion and garlic in fat. If using chile powder see below- prepare and add. Add meat. Cover and steam thoroughly. (Rub tomatoes through colander, add to meat), stir in chile pulp- see below- and cook for 20 minutes. Add seasoning and cook slowly for 2 hours. (cut olives from pits, add and cook for another 1/2 hour).
If chile powder is used, mix with one tablespoon flour, stir into the fat in which the onion and garlic were browned, stir until smooth. Then add meat and proceed as above. Pulping the chile from the dried ristras of chile is favored by the purists, but use gloves if you have sensitive hands.

Serve with frijoles (always pinto beans in New Mexico). The dried beans are washed and cooked with ham shoulder to flavor, and may be simply salted or with some chile if preferred. Never overcook to mush (or refried) the way Tejanos do. Pintos cook more quickly than Red and some others.

FRIJOLES

2 cups pinto beans
1/3 pound salt pork or salt-cured pork shoulder
One pinch oregano.
(a little chile, or season to taste)

Pick and Wash beans carefully. Soak overnight. Drain and cover with cold water. Add pork and oregano, and boil slowly, until tender, about 4 hours (watch carefully). If more water is needed, add hot, never cold. We generally cook a pound of beans at a time.
Beans used to be sold by the sack. More or less weight was added with bean-sized pebbles, hence the admonition to pick carefully.