Best Cincinnati Chili Recipes

AUTHENTIC CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• Place the ground beef in a large pan, cover with about 1 quart of cold water, and bring to a boil, stirring and breaking up the beef with a fork to a fine texture. Slowly boil until the meat is thoroughly cooked, about 30 minutes, then remove from heat and refrigerate in the pan overnight.
• The next day, skim the solid fat from the top of the pan, and discard the fat. Place the beef mixture over medium heat, and stir in the onions, tomato sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, chocolate, chili powder, salt, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cloves, allspice berries, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours. Add water if necessary to prevent the chili from burning.

CINCINNATI-STYLE CHILI

Steps:

• For the chili: In a stockpot or Dutch oven, combine the tomato sauce, tomato paste, onions, chili powder, cocoa powder, sugar, kosher salt, cinnamon, cumin, garlic salt, allspice, pepper, cayenne, cloves, bay leaves, beef (do not brown first) and 2 cups water. Mix until combined. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for approximately 2 hours. Stir in the vinegar and simmer for another 30 minutes.
• To serve: Serve on a bed of spaghetti and top with the beans, onions and a mound of cheese (or any preferred combination). Add hot sauce, if desired, and eat with oyster crackers.

CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add half the chopped onions and the garlic and cook until soft, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, allspice, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne and cloves. Cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add the beef and cook the mixture, stirring, until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon salt.
• Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, bay leaf and 1 1/2 cups water; simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thicker. Add the chocolate, vinegar and Worcestershire and cook until the mixture is thickened but still soupy, about 15 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain well.
• Discard the bay leaf and season the chili with the freshly ground pepper. Divide the spaghetti among bowls and top with the chili, beans, remaining onion and cheddar. Serve with the oyster crackers if desired.

CHEF JOHN'S CINCINNATI-STYLE CHILI

Steps:

• Combine beef and tomato paste in a large pot. Rinse out the tomato paste can with a couple tablespoons of water and add to the pot with garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, allspice, cloves, black pepper, bay leaf, sugar, and salt. Add apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, and cold water. Mash and stir with a potato masher or a large whisk to break up the meat into fine pieces.
• Place the pot over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until flavors come together and chili reaches your desired thickness, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 12 minutes. Drain.
• Taste chili and adjust seasoning. Remove and discard bay leaf. Ladle over spaghetti into serving bowls. Top with some onions and Cheddar cheese. Cut and scoop the noodles up with a fork like you're eating a casserole.

CINCINNATI SKYLINE CHILI

Steps:

• Brown beef and onion in a large skillet over medium high heat. Place browned mixture in a large pot and stir in the tomato sauce, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, cinnamon, vinegar, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 1 1/2 hours.
• When meat mixture has about 20 minutes cooking time left, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and set aside.
• Serve meat mixture over cooked spaghetti topped with cheese, beans, olives and chopped onion.

CINCINNATI CHILI I

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 6 minutes.
• Add beef, in batches if necessary, and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned.
• Add chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, cloves, bay leaf, chocolate, beef broth, tomato sauce, cider vinegar, and red pepper. Stir to mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• It is the best if you now refrigerate overnight.
• Remove the bay leaf. Reheat gently over medium heat. Serve over hot, drained spaghetti. Top with shredded cheddar cheese.

ROOTIN'-TOOTIN' CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook the beef, onions and red pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.
• Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain.
• Add the tomatoes, root beer, chili powder, tomato paste, chipotle peppers, cumin and bouillon. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
• Meanwhile cook spaghetti to package directions.
• Serve with spaghetti.
• Garnish with chips, green onions and cheeses.

CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, pork and onions over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, breaking meat into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Add the beans, tomatoes, vinegar, cocoa, sauces, sugar and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours., Discard bay leaves. Serve with spaghetti. If desired, garnish with cheese, sour cream, tomatoes and onions.

CINCINNATI CHILI CON CARNE

Steps:

• Put the broth in a pot or Dutch oven and add the beef a little at a time until it separates into small pieces. Bring to the boil. Cover and let simmer 30 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are wilted and start to brown. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, hot red pepper, bay leaf and tomato sauce and bring to the boil.
• Add the tomato mixture to the meat mixture. Add the cider or vinegar and chocolate. Bring to a boil and cover. Simmer one hour. Refrigerate. When ready to serve, skim off the fat, reheat and serve over cooked spaghetti topped with cheese, beans and onion.

AUTHENTIC CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• Crumble raw meat into cold water in medium stock pot. DO NOT brown meat.
• Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
• Lower heat and simmer for 3-4 hours.
• Serve over spaghetti with cheddar cheese and onions, on hotdogs with mustard, cheddar cheese and onions, or in a bowl with cheddar cheese, onions and oyster crackers. I put a little hotsauce on mine!

CINCINNATI-STYLE CHILI

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray, cook turkey, onions and garlic until turkey is no longer pink. Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker. , In a large bowl, combine tomato sauce, broth, vinegar, chocolate and seasonings; pour over turkey mixture. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours. , Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. Remove bay leaf from chili. For each serving, place 3/4 cup spaghetti in a bowl. Top with about 2/3 cup chili, 3 tablespoons kidney beans, 2 tablespoons cheese and 1 tablespoon chopped onion.

CINCINNATI-STYLE CHILI

Steps:

• In a large heavy kettle cook the onions and the garlic in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the onions are softened, add the beef, and cook the mixture, stirring and breaking up the lumps, until the beef is no longer pink. Add the chili powder, the paprika, the cumin, the coriander, the allspice, the orégano, the cayenne, the cinnamon, the cloves, and the mace and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the bay leaf, the water, the tomato sauce, the vinegar, and the molasses and simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary to keep the beef barely covered, for 2 hours, or until it is thickened but soupy enough to be ladled. Discard the bay leaf and season the chili with salt and pepper. The chili may be frozen or made 4 days in advance, cooled, uncovered, and kept covered and chilled. Serve the chili as is or in the traditional Cincinnati "five-way" style: Ladle the chili over the spaghetti and top it with the beans, the onion, the Cheddar, and the oyster crackers.

CINCINNATI FIVE-WAY CHILI

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the first 9 ingredients; set aside.
• In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
• Add in ground beef; cook until meat is browned, breaking up into small crumbles with a wooden spoon.
• When the beef is browned, add in onion, garlic, spice mix; stir/saute 1 minute.
• Add in tomato sauce, water, BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, chocolate, and bay leaves.
• Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
• Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour (it should look more like a thick sauce than the chili most people are used to).
• Remove bay leaves.
• To serve five-way: distribute spaghetti among 8 bowls; spoon chili over spaghetti.
• Top chili with cheddar cheese, onion, and kidney beans.

CINCINNATI CHILI 3, 4, OR 5 WAY

Steps:

• In a large pan brown ground beef along with onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic, breaking up meat as it cooks.
• Drain any accumulated fat.
• Add rest of ingredients to pan, mixing well.
• Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Adjust consistency with water as needed.
• Serve your chili as follows (items for the 3,4, and 5 way listed in ingredients- others may require items not listed).
• 3-Way: chili, spaghetti, and cheese.
• 4-Way: a 3-Way plus onions or beans.
• 5-Way: spaghetti, chili, onions, beans and cheese.
• Chili spaghetti: spaghetti with chili.
• Cheese coney: hot dog, bun, mustard, chili, and cheese.
• Chili cheese sandwich: a coney minus the hot dog.
• Cincinnati burrito: chili beans wrapped in a tortilla, topped with chili, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, and black olives.
• Cincinnati potato: baked jacket potato topped with chili, diced onions, beans and shredded cheddar cheese.
• Chili-cheese fries: french fries topped with chili and shredded cheddar cheese.
• Low-carb Coney: 3 small hot dogs (about 1 1/2 regular) in a bowl covered with chili and cheese.
• Serve oyster crackers and hot sauce on the side (crackers doused with sauce) or as a topping, if desired.

HOMEMADE CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook beef and onions over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. , In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the beans, tomato sauce, broth, chili powder, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chocolate, cinnamon, cumin, salt, oregano, pepper and cloves. Stir in beef mixture. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until heated through. , Serve with spaghetti. If desired, serve with cheese and green onions., Freeze Option: Freeze cooled chili in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add broth or water if necessary. Serve with spaghetti. If desired, serve with cheese and green onions.

LAUREN'S CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• Cook the beef and onion in a large skillet over medium high heat, breaking up beef into tiny pieces, just until meat is no longer pink. Drain and place in a large Dutch oven or slow cooker. Stir in the water, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, tomato sauce, and chocolate. Simmer over medium low heat for 3 to 5 hours.

QUICK CINCINNATI-STYLE CHILI

Steps:

• Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add bell peppers and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add chili powder, cocoa, salt, cinnamon, and pepper and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.
• Add beef and cook, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice and molasses and simmer briskly, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 5 to 8 minutes.

BEST CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• Bring 2 cans of beef broth to a low boil, add beef. Work with potato masher to smooth and break up chunks. Cook until smooth texture is obtained about 45 minute Cool and remove fat from surface with turkey baster or spoon.
• Add chili powder, onion powder, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, allspice, ground cloves, bay leaf, chocolate, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, and sugar, mix well. Bring to a boil then lower to a low simmer until it reduces and thickens, stirring occasionally about 1.5 hours.
• Cool and refrigerate over night.
• Reheat thoroughly and Serve over spaghetti. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, raw white onion, hot sauce and oyster crackers as desired.

CARRIE'S CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook beef and onion until beef is no longer pink and onion is tender, 6-8 minutes, breaking meat into crumbles; drain. Transfer to a 3- or 4-qt. slow cooker. Add next 11 ingredients., Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours. Discard garlic clove and bay leaves. Serve over hot cooked spaghetti. If desired, top with shredded cheddar cheese and additional chopped onion. , Freeze option: Before adding toppings, cool chili. Freeze chili in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add water or broth if necessary. Serve as directed.

CINCINNATI CHILI 2, 3, 4, AND 5 WAY

Steps:

• 1. In a deep kettle combine all the chili ingredients except meat and spaghetti. Cover and bring to a boil.
• 2. Crumble in the meat gradually and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 hours, uncovered, until chili is as thick as you would like.
• 3. Discard bay leaves. Serve in large flat soup bowls over cooked, hot spaghetti; with with toppings.
• 4. How Cincinnati eats Chili: 2-way = spaghetti w/chili 3-way = spaghetti, chili, shredded cheddar cheese on top 4-way = spaghetti, chili, onions or Red Kidney beans, shredded cheddar cheese on top 5-way = spaghetti, chili, onions, red kidney beans, shredded cheddar cheese on top