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View Full Version : Cincinnati Chili - Outstanding!



PAMMELA
06-12-2012, 07:30 AM
I've had a hankering for Cincinnati Chili and decided I'd make it for my birthday dinner. :) After searching the BB and other sites I decided on this recipe from Dax Phillips on Tasty Kitchen. I wanted to make it the authentic way by boiling the ground beef, not browning. This recipe was EXCELLENT! Very deep, rich flavor, I will definitely be making this again and again. We served it 4 way (spaghetti, chili, onions and cheese).

I made exactly as written except added in 1/4 tsp of Allspice and left out the Honey (did not have) and I also cooked my ground beef in the water and then put in fridge overnight. The next day I removed the fat and contined with the recipe, simmering for about 3-1/2 hours. Happy Birthday to Me! :D

Cincinnati Chili

A simple twist on a chili con carne, this classic Cincinnati chili will warm you from your head to your toes.

FOR THE CHILI:
2 pounds Ground Beef
5 cups Water, Enough To Cover The Ground Beef
28 ounces, weight Crushed Tomatoes
2 cups Onion, Finely Diced (I grated on a box grater)
2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
¼ teaspoons Ground Cloves
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
5 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
½ Tablespoons Cumin Powder
1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
2 whole Bay Leaves
1 Tablespoon Honey (left out)
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
¼ cups Red Kidney Beans, Cooked (optional)

TO SERVE:
½ pounds Spaghetti Noodles, Cooked According To Package Instructions
1 cup Onion, Finely Diced
1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Grated
½ cups Oyster Crackers
1 dash Hot Sauce

Preparation Instructions:
Begin by getting a large pot on the stove. Add the ground beef and water, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium, and begin stirring the beef, breaking it up as you stir. Continue this process for about 45 minutes. Skim off any of the crud that might float to the top and discard it.

Next, add all of the remaining chili ingredients on the above list, giving a good stir. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and let it cook for approximately 3 1/2 hours, stirring from time to time. When done, remove bay leaves.

Now if you are living on the edge and like that fatty flavor, you could go ahead and serve this right now, but instead, I recommend that you take it off of the stove, let it cool, then place it in the refrigerator overnight. The reason you will probably want to do this is that when you remove the chili the next day, the fat that was cooked off from boiling the ground beef will rise to the top, allowing you to remove all of that fat. So do just that, and remove that thin layer of fat from the chili.

Once you have removed the fat, put it back onto the stove, bringing it up to a boil and heat throughout, then get ready to serve.

Remember now, I went four-way, which means, spaghetti, chili, onions, and cheese.

To serve, add a layer of the cooked spaghetti on the bottom of your bowl. Ladle a generous amount of the chili on top of the spaghetti. Top with onions, and a lot of grated cheese. Place a small handful of oyster crackers on the side, and dig in!

You will be surprised not only with the awesome texture of this chili, but more importantly, the flavor. You get the richness from the cocoa powder, and the clove and cinnamon really stand out. But it is also the texture you get from the onion and cheese that make this chili just melt in your mouth.

Give it a shot, and I hope you enjoy the recipe!

jmarie
06-12-2012, 07:42 AM
I love chili and based on this review, I will definitely be trying this recipe. Thanks for this review!

Joyce

Joanie B
06-12-2012, 10:35 AM
Happy Birthday, Pammela, hope it was a healthy and wonderful day for you! :D By making your own dinner, you got just what YOU wanted for your birthday treat (I made my own pumpkin cupcakes for my bday last Friday, too). This chili looks amazing and the beef boiling is very interesting (my beloved paternal aunt used to make a great, fine-grained hot dog chili, I wonder if she boiled her burger...). I've been sneaking in a little cinnamon & cocoa in my no-recipe/throwtogether chili for years, DH and I like the flavor with those 2 ingredients, who knew this Southern girl was making Cincinnati style chili?;) Does Cin. chili really have such a small amount of beans (I use 2 cans to 1 lb beef)?

We have friends who like the taste of my chili, but spend sooo much time picking out the onions and the beans (2 cans worth!), sigh.....:rolleyes: They are meat-only chili people, isn't that TX style (with chunks of beef, not ground, I believe). Takes all kinds, right?

PAMMELA
06-12-2012, 11:16 AM
Joanie, Happy Belated BDay to you too! :-)

Apparently "real" Cincinnati chili does NOT have beans, and if you have to add beans, it's always red beans, and it's a condiment only (NEVER in the chili). I did NOT use beans.

I loved this without beans, and yes the texture does resemble the hot dog sauce. You break it up as fine as you can.

Please let me know if you try this. I think i'll buy Oyster crackers next time, for a real 5-way dinner! Also, you PILE on the cheese!

Missi
06-12-2012, 04:29 PM
Happy late birthday! :)

I don't think I ever knew in Cincinnati chili the ground beef was boiled. I'm greatly intrigued! Thanks for the detailed recipe, I'm going to try it soon.

vbak
06-13-2012, 08:39 AM
Thank you for posting! I have made Cincinnati chile before, but I don't think I have boiled the meat. I love Skyline.

PAMMELA
06-13-2012, 10:53 AM
Thank you for posting! I have made Cincinnati chile before, but I don't think I have boiled the meat. I love Skyline.

This is supposed to be like the Skyline Chili. :-)

RebelYell18
06-13-2012, 11:00 AM
I've never made Cincinnati Chili but have always wanted to. Thanks for sharing the recipe & review - this is the one I'll be making! :)

doglady8
06-13-2012, 03:09 PM
Pammela, after you boil the beef, do you drain the water off or do you add all the ingredients to the beef and the water it was boiled in?

margeslp
06-13-2012, 03:19 PM
I love Cincinnati chili and have my own version, not Skyline's version but such a treat. I am going to boil the beef the next time; haven't done that.
I know that beans aer separate for Skyline.
BTW: a heated can of Skyline over a brick of cream cheese, topped with cheddar cheese is a nice treat.

Personally, I don't like putting the chili of spaghetti. Just me. I think it dilutes the flavors. I much prefer serving everything else in bowls and soaking up the goodies with Italian bread. But I have a very hard time serving it my way when guests are all excited about Cincy chili - insist on the pasta.

Here is the recipe I developed over the years

½ lb Ground round
1 large can of kidney beans, drained
3 1/2 c Chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery
1/4 ts Ground nutmeg
1 Stick cinnamon
4 cl Garlic, minced
3/4 ts Salt
1/4 ts Pepper
2 ts Ground cinnamon
2 cn Whole tomatoes, undrained & -chopped (14.5 oz ea)
2 ts Paprika
1 ts Chili powder
1 ts Ground cumin
1/2 ts Ground allspice
1/2 ts Dried whole marjoram
2 T honey
2 T white vinegar
1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 cups beef stock

36 Oyster crackers
4 1/2 c Hot cooked spaghetti
3/4 c Shredded cheddar
Instructions:


Coat a large Dutch oven with cooking spray; place over medium- high heat until hot.
Add 2 cups onion, garlic, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, salt and pepper; cook until meat is browned, stirring to crumble.
Add ground cinnamon, tomatoes, beans, paprika, chili powder, cumin, allspice, marjoram, honey, vinegar and chocolate.
Simmer, uncovered 20 minutes.
To serve, arrange spaghetti on individual serving plates. Spoon chili over spaghetti, top with cheese and remaining 1 1/2 cups onions. Serve with crackers

PAMMELA
06-14-2012, 07:10 AM
Pammela, after you boil the beef, do you drain the water off or do you add all the ingredients to the beef and the water it was boiled in?

No, do not drain. 2lbs of ground beef in 4 cups of water (I used 4 cups, that pretty much covered my beef) pretty much sucks it up anyway. When I took it out of the fridge the next day I removed the layer of fat and it seemed as though there was no water left. I just put it on the stove to heat, then added all the rest of the ingredients.

Vistaca
06-14-2012, 08:38 PM
Pammela,

4 cups of water was just enough for the ground beef to be covered. I just finished cooking the chili and it is sooooo good. I will put it overnight in the fridge and finish it off tomorrow. My son-in-law loves spagetti so it will be identical dinner.
Thanks for a great recipe.

helene
06-16-2012, 05:30 PM
Thanks, I've never heard of that chili recipe before.

margeslp
06-17-2012, 07:50 AM
Boiled beef sounds like prep you could do in crockpot. I often render all fat out of fatty hamburger in crockpot. Suet goes to birds.

PAMMELA
06-18-2012, 07:42 AM
I guess it would work in a crockpot, but i'm not sure my crockpot gets to "boiling". It only takes 45 minutes to boil on the stove.

margeslp
06-18-2012, 07:57 AM
I guess it would work in a crockpot, but i'm not sure my crockpot gets to "boiling". It only takes 45 minutes to boil on the stove.

Just a thought. Since it would be the first time I boiled beef I would do original recipe. Cincy chili is a treasure in our family. Sidebar: Cincy son is vegetarian so I am always playing with recipes.

PAMMELA
06-18-2012, 11:00 AM
Just a thought. Since it would be the first time I boiled beef I would do original recipe. Cincy chili is a treasure in our family. Sidebar: Cincy son is vegetarian so I am always playing with recipes.

Yes, do just try the original recipe and see what you think. Again, I boiled the beef, let cool and then put in fridge overnight, then added all the other ingredients the next day.

bobhaas
06-18-2012, 11:57 AM
Great looking recipe there margeslp. I also don't really like spaghetti with chili. I always thought that the perfect carb side for chili is corn bread. Nothing compares.