President Lyndon B. Johnson opted for a Texas-style barbecue for his goodbye to the presidency party.

President Lyndon B. Johnson, a notable Texan, had some quirky eating habits, as outlined in "The White House Family Cookbook" by White House executive chef Henry Haller with Virginia Aronson. A new edition of the 1987 book was released on Sept. 21 with a new foreword by Alex Prud'homme, new images and menus. Below is an excerpt and recipe from the LBJ section.

After announcing that he would not be seeking reelection, President Johnson hosted a party on the White House lawn to thank more than two hundred friends for their support. Since a majority of the guests were from the Johnsons' home state, the party was a Texas-style barbecue. The ribs were prepared by Walter Jetton, "The Barbecue King," from Fort Worth. He did a terrific job, and I was most impressed with the results. His barbecue sauce avoided all of the common flaws (oversweetening, overcooking, excessive thinning), and by serving the sauce separately, he also avoided drying out the meat. The ribs were tender and juicy, and very delicious (yet the cost was only $1.80 per serving!). The Barbecue King charcoal-broiled the ribs in a giant pit, then transferred the meat to stainless steel canisters where it finished cooking on its own heat. The hungry guests helped themselves to the hot juicy ribs, dipping the meat into side dishes of barbecue sauce. I had long been curious to see just how Texas-style barbecues are conducted. This professional production will long stand out in my mind as one of the more strikingly successful White House parties."

President Lyndon B. Johnson often hosted barbecues and special events at his ranch on the Pedernales River 60 miles west of Austin. Pictured here are guests at a Latin American Ambassadors Weekend in April 1967.

6-10 pounds lean pork ribs 3 tablespoons dry mustard 1 cup white wine 3-4 cups Barbecue Sauce (follows)

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F.

Boil ribs in a large pot of salted water for 5 minutes; drain well. Arrange in a large baking pan.

Mix mustard with wine and coat ribs with the mixture, using a pastry brush.

Brush ribs with Barbecue Sauce. Bake on middle shelf, turning often and brushing with additional sauce, for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Pork is done when meat pulls easily from the ribs. Serve with hot beans and cold beer.

From "The White House Family Cookbook" by Henry Haller with Virginia Aronson, published by the White House Historical Association

2 teaspoons butter 1 large onion, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 cup chili sauce 2 cups ketchup 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 1 bay leaf 12 black peppercorns 1 fresh parsley sprig

Instructions: In a sauté pan, melt butter; sauté chopped vegetables until slightly browned.

Transfer to a large saucepan and mix in remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour. Strain.

From "The White House Family Cookbook" by Henry Haller with Virginia Aronson, published by the White House Historical Association

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Emma Balter is the food editor for Chron.

She was previously an entertainment reporter for the Houston Chronicle, writing food, drink and feature stories. Before joining the Chronicle in March 2020, Balter worked for Wine Spectator magazine for six years as a writer, editor and tasting coordinator. She has also contributed to Condé Nast Traveler, Food & Wine, Eater, PureWow, Chowhound and VinePair, among others.

Balter grew up in Paris, France, where she got an early taste for good food and wine. She studied English Literature at Newcastle University in the U.K. and was the lifestyle editor of the student newspaper. She currently lives in southwest Houston.

Follow her on Twitter at @EmmaBalter