Authentic Cincinnati Chili

Authentic Cincinnati Chili

Jane Tibbet's introduced this to us when we first moved to Xenia in 1981. Even though we lived in NE Ohio for 10 yrs, and my husband was from Ohio, I'd never heard of this dish. I did not like it at first! But then I grew to love it so much that I crave it! My son, Brian, loves it just as much as I do too! It's not really a Chili and its not really a Spaghetti, but is a unique dish full of flavor. I know it's difficult to understand that but you'll see what I mean after you taste it. I've been making this for 44 years now and really do believe I have the best recipe for Cincinnati Chili. After my friend gave me the recipe in 1981, I found a recipe for authentic Cincinnati Chili in a Cincinnati newspaper & that caused me to add even more spices that made it even better. But I promise, the longer you let it simmer, the better it is! Restaurants where you can find Cincinnati Chili are Skyline Chili and Gold Star Chili, but I believe mine is just as good.

It calls for many spices including dry chocolate cocoa, cinnamon, cloves and all spice! You can eat it 3-way, 4-way or 5-way, but I eat my Cincinnati Chili 6-way! (Spaghetti noodles, Sauce, cheese, beans, sweet onion and chopped green pepper on top)

 Cincinnati Chili             Serves 6

1 quart water (4 cups)

2 lbs ground beef (I use 80 (lean) / 20 (fat)

2 medium onions, grated

2 - 8oz cans tomato sauce (Or 1 can tomato sauce and 1 can tomato paste)

5 whole allspice   or   1/2 tsp ground (sometimes I add both)

1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

1 tsp cumin

2-4 Tb chili powder (original recipe says 4, but i use 2 or 3)

1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate  OR    1 ½ - 2 Tb dry cocoa (like Hersheys unsweetened powder)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tb vinegar (can be white, apple cidar or red wine vinegar)

1/4 tsp ground corinder

1/4 tsp ground cardamon

5 whole cloves   OR   1/2 tsp ground cloves

2 tsps Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

Cooked spaghetti noodles

TOPPINGS

Finely grated cheddar cheese

Red beans, pinto beans or kidney beans

Green pepper, chopped

Sweet Vidalia onion, chopped

Add beef to boiling water in a large soup pan. Stir until beef is to a fine texture. Add rest of ingredients. Simmer 3 hours. (Note: you can cook it less than that, like 2 hrs or less, but it always tastes better if cooked 3 hrs. It will be better the next day too.)

Serve over cooked buttered spaghetti. Top with cheese, beans, green pepper snd onion.  I dont mix the sauce with the noodles but like to just spoon it on top before adding the toppings. 

I LOVE this! Its addicting!

                                                                                    6 SERVINGS