Cincinnati Chili recipe

[DrQ]

This was brought up in another thread so I thought that I would post my simple Cincinnati Chili recipe which I got from Cooks Country:

Warm spices and a host of unexpected garnishes lend Cincinnati chili recipes their unique flavors—but can sometimes muddle the dish. To recreate this Midwestern recipe in your own kitchen, narrow the ingredient list to four spices. Tomato paste added richness and color to the Cincinnati Chili recipe, while dark brown sugar gave it a molasses tang. Boiling the beef in water kept it extremely tender during cooking - cook it directly in the spices and liquid to infuse the meat with the intense flavor. Use a potato masher to break up the beef. Serving it over spaghetti, topped with any combination of cheese, onions, beans, and oyster crackers, will give you the true Cincinnati chili experience.

You can also serve it on a bun with cheese like a sloppy joe.

Simple Cincinnati Chili
Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 each onions, chopped fine
• 1 each clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• salt
• ¾ tsp ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp allspice
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups canned tomato sauce (NOT jarred spaghetti sauce!)
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tsp dark brown sugar
• 1½ lbs 90 percent lean ground beef

Directions

1. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onions until soft and browned around edges, about 8 minutes.
2. Add garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, oregano, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and allspice and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, vinegar, and sugar.
4. Add beef and stir to break up meat.
5. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until chili is deep brown and slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Season with salt and serve. (Chili can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.)

Five Ways to Cincinnati

1. FIVE-WAY CHILI: Served over spaghetti and topped with onions, beans, and cheese.
2. FOUR-WAY CHILI: Served over spaghetti and topped with onions and cheese.
3. THREE-WAY CHILI: Served over spaghetti and topped with cheese.
4. TWO-WAY CHILI: Served over spaghetti.
5. ONE-WAY CHILI: Just Chili.

 

[WalnutBaron]

I'm a huge Cincinnati chili fan, and I can tell you that any recipe MUST have unsweetened chocolate in the recipe for both flavor and body. My wife grew up there and her parents knew the Lambronides family that founded Skyline Chili right after World War II. I don't know if she has the actual secret recipe, but it's still our kids' favorite, even though they are all in their 30's now. Whenever they come to visit, they request "Mom's Cincinnati Chili". The stuff is truly addictive.

 

[DrQ]

As stated, this is a simple version.

You can add:

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp cocoa powder

To the ingredients, add in step #2

 

[dioxide45]

To me, Cincinnati chili is a condiment. You would never eat just straight Cincinnati chili as a "one way" in the same way you wouldn't eat straight ketchup or mustard. It must always be served on something. Of course I didn't grow up eating Cincinnati chili and didn't try my first bite until I was over 25 years old. It was an acquired taste to me and I much prefer it on a cheese coney, not over spaghetti.

 

[Ralph Sir Edward]

Never had this. Doesn't seem to have much "kick". Of course, we Texans are chili nuts, anyways. . .

(My personal recipe uses 4 times the chili powder to start with. . . .Good for breakfast!)

 

[x3 skier]

60 years of eating Skyline (Usually a 4 Way with a Cheese Coney and never Gold Star) has led me to a long and prosperous life

Cheers

 

[dioxide45]

60 years of eating Skyline (Usually a 4 Way with a Cheese Coney and never Gold Star) has led me to a long and prosperous life

Cheers

I actually prefer Gold Star Chili over Skyline...

 

[DrQ]

Never had this. Doesn't seem to have much "kick". Of course, we Texans are chili nuts, anyways. . .

(My personal recipe uses 4 times the chili powder to start with. . . .Good for breakfast!)

You would NOT recognize this as chili. Think sloppy joe meets goulash. It's a regional thing.

Kinda like 40 years ago before McDonald's became ubiquitous and changed the lexicon. If you went to New England and ordered a milkshake, you would be very disappointed. You had to order a "frappe". Chili has that same kind of issue in the Midwest.

When I was in college in Indiana, they served "burrito's". It was a hot dog with chili and american cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla and deep fried within an inch of its life.

 

[Ralph Sir Edward]

Regional differences are what make for travel!

 

[clifffaith]

Seeing the recipe makes me think of going to Barbecue Pete's growing up as a kid in the Los Angeles suburbs. For the life of me I can't recall what my parent's ate, but the three kids had spaghetti with a barbecue type sauce on it. It was sort of weird, not as good as going out for "real" spaghetti, but the main draw for us was they had a "diorama" behind glass that always had a live rooster and a couple chickens walking around.

 

[Snazzylass]

"When I was in college in Indiana, they served "burrito's". It was a hot dog with chili and american cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla and deep fried within an inch of its life."

Good heavens! When and where was this? I like to claim Hoosier roots and I've never heard of anything so dreadful.

 

[Snazzylass]

Never had this. Doesn't seem to have much "kick". Of course, we Texans are chili nuts, anyways. . .

(My personal recipe uses 4 times the chili powder to start with. . . .Good for breakfast!)

haha..it definitely has its charm. There are lots and lots of chili parlors in Cincy - working man's food. Late night grub. The two mentioned are the big chains but there are others just as good and maybe better.
I thought at least one of these founding families were Hungarian. So, no, the Midwest is generally known for spice, but much blander food than the caliente of the SW.

 

[DrQ]

"When I was in college in Indiana, they served "burrito's". It was a hot dog with chili and american cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla and deep fried within an inch of its life."

Good heavens! When and where was this? I like to claim Hoosier roots and I've never heard of anything so dreadful.

1970's dorm food at Purdue. They only had them a couple of times, thank goodness.

 

[MOXJO7282]

Love Cincinnati Chili. I don't make any special chili but just love a good chili over pasta with cheese, raw onion, a little hot sauce and sour cream. Had it today for lunch.

 

[Snazzylass]

1970's dorm food at Purdue. They only had them a couple of times, thank goodness.

ah ha! Thank you for the update! Makes sense. Great way to prepare astronauts for future gourmet space meals

 

[DrQ]

Correct, since my degree is in A&AE (Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering)