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Cincinnati Chili
(24 Votes)
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- SERVES
- 4
- COOK TIME
- 36 Min
A dash of cocoa makes this a flavorful chili to reckon with! Serve this chili as is or Cincinnati-style: over spaghetti, layered with kidney beans, chopped onions, shredded Cheddar cheese, and topped with oyster crackers.
What You'll Need
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
What to Do
- In a large saucepan or soup pot, brown beef with onion over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, or until no pink remains in meat.
- Drain off any excess liquid then return saucepan to stove and add remaining ingredients; mix well.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Note
-
Traditional Cincinnati chili includes cocoa powder, which is a mole (pronounced "moe-lay") flavoring popular in traditional Mexican cooking.
- If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out our free eBook, Ground Beef Recipes: 25 Quick & Easy Recipes for Ground Beef!
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Nutritional InformationShow More
Servings Per Recipe: 4
- Amount Per Serving % Daily Value *
- Calories 370
- Calories from Fat 164
- Total Fat 18g 28 %
- Saturated Fat 6.9g 35 %
- Trans Fat 1.1g 0 %
- Protein 27g 54 %
- Amount Per Serving % Daily Value *
- Cholesterol 77mg 26 %
- Sodium 986mg 41 %
- Total Carbohydrates 29g 10 %
- Dietary Fiber 6.9g 28 %
- Sugars 18g 0 %
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Member 6288393
Jan 15, 2016
I lived near Cincinnati for several years and buy the spice packet from Gold Star Chili to make my own. You don't 'brown' the hamburger, you cook it in water and then add the seasonings. Also, the oyster crackers always came as a side not put on top of the chili.
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codakatz 1430434
Jan 13, 2016
Authentic Cincinnati Chili also has cumin, garlic, clove, Worcestershire sauce, apple cidar vinegar and a bay leaf. This is NOT authentic Cincinnati Chili.
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irwind45150 5363438
Sep 25, 2013
This chili may be good ... BUT, IT IS NOT Cincinnati Chili. I have lived in Cincinnati my entire life (50+ years). I have eaten more Cincinnati, Empress, Gold Star, Skyline Chili than I care to recall. There are actually Chili Rivalries between Gold Star and Skyline chili -- with both college and professional sports teams. FIRST OFF: When making Cincinnati chili .. YOU DO NOT BROWN your meat. It is cooked in water from the raw state. This allows the meat to break down to the point you may not think there is meat in it all. If you want an AUTHENTIC Cincinnati Chili Recipe ... this "fellow" Ohioan has the closest recipe I've ever tried or seen: http://www.cheeriosandlattes.com/copycat-cincinnatis-skyline-chili-recipe/ Don't settle for less make it authentic -- serve over spaghetti and top with onions, beans and cheese. (a 3-way, 4-way, or 5-way). Or serve it over hotdogs in a bun with mustard, onion and cheese (for a Coney or Cheese Coney).
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Dendy2
Jan 28, 2015
I went to the website you suggested. It is not secure, and my server suggested I get the heck out of there!
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wendygoerl 2394329
Jan 28, 2015
Dendy2, I just went there and neither my firewalls nor either of my antivirus had issues with it.
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mommakat01 1088480
Aug 02, 2013
oh and we also put more chili powder and omit the sugar.
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mommakat01 1088480
Aug 02, 2013
I got this recipe from my great Uncle and we've made it many times. The way he showed us we put it on top of angel hair pasta and then the chili, then top it with the works, cheese, onions, sour cream . . . . . yummmm =)
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softlips541955 9901621
Jun 12, 2013
Oh and btw......I see that you are missing some key ingredients.
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softlips541955 9901621
May 26, 2013
I have made this many times and boy is it good. My whole family loves it. My husband is from Cincinnati and knows Gold Star Chili very well. In fact,hes the reason I looked up the recipe at the local library. Very yummmmmy stuff!!
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irwind45150 5363438
Sep 25, 2013
Try the recipe found in my comment. Here's the website (from a fellow Ohioan): http://www.cheeriosandlattes.com/copycat-cincinnatis-skyline-chili-recipe/ I think your Hubby will believe he's back in Cincinnati all over again.
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augst5415 6161381
Mar 04, 2013
I was very disapointed with this recipe. All I ended up with was a taste like a common hamberger. not much lavor and what there was didnot taste like chili.
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irwind45150 5363438
Sep 25, 2013
Check out the recipe found in my comment. I think you will find it doesn't taste like the common hamburger. http://www.cheeriosandlattes.com/copycat-cincinnatis-skyline-chili-recipe/ This is from a fellow Ohioan .. and much more like the original Cincinnati Chilis --- Gold Star and Skyline.
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Gwenevere1946
Mar 19, 2012
This recipe was not spicy enough for us! I added more chili powder and added cumin. Without doing that I would have had to figure out what to do with it.
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alicerubley 7342704
Feb 21, 2012
YOU CAN ALSO USE THIS OVER HOT DOGS WITH CHESSE
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WyomingGal
Feb 21, 2012
LOVE coneys using Cincinnati Chili
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wwalder 2293450
Feb 21, 2012
happy to see this recipe but there are 5 ways to prepare this dish and it would be nice to know what is the ingredients of each...
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Test Kitchen Team
Feb 21, 2012
Serve this chili as is or Cincinnati 5-way style: over spaghetti, layered with kidney beans, chopped onions, shredded Cheddar cheese, and topped with oyster crackers.
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WyomingGal
Feb 21, 2012
Actually, Mr. Food, a true 5-Way is: 1. Spaghetti 2. Chili 3. Beans 4. Onion and 5. Cheese (and lots of it). The Oyster Crackers are always served on the side. I am a Cincinnatian born and raised. My mother worked in a "Chili Parlor" about 60 years ago (Yep, it's been around a long time) and brought the recipe home. I have been making it all my married life (39 years) and our kids make it for their families. One of our differences to your recipe is we wrap whole bay & whole allspice in cheesecloth or enclose in a "tea ball" and cook it in the sauce. It is later discarded. We also use whole dried chili peppers, not ground red pepper and there are no crushed tomatoes, just the paste. There is also a little vinegar in ours. I may try your recipe with the ground spices sometime because yours doesn't have to cook as long as mine (mine is 4+ hours). A lot of recipes has cropped up over the years "claiming" real Cincinnati status. I guess I just mainly wanted to tell you about what 5-Way is.
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Bellerophon
Oct 29, 2014
Cincinnati Chili 2-way is the chili over spaghetti. 3-way adds red beens, 4-way adds shredded cheese, and 5-way adds chopped onion.
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bonsews 5596068
Oct 28, 2011
the video shows 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes but the recipe missed that ingredient!! Bonnie
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Granny Two Shoes
Oct 26, 2011
Confusing video as to ingredients. Recipe given has little liquid. T'would have helped if amount of servings listed for the recipe.
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srgrantus 6007576
Aug 15, 2011
add cumin 1/2 tsp and you can use bar chocolate -don't forget break up meat in boiling water don't brown
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partybarbhanseman59 3442059
Jan 29, 2011
with true cincinnati style chili you do not brown in skillet. you boil the meat in water with all the spices.
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Sa1lys0K
Dec 27, 2012
I am new at cooking from recipes. I am from the south, we fry everything. I have never heard of boiling the meat in water. I would like to know why the meat is boiled as opposed to fried. Does boiling the meat make it tender and not as dry?
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WildaR
Jan 26, 2011
The video shows added 1 can (28 ounces) of crushed tomatoes -- this is not in the ingredient list. Also the video uses 1/2 cup of water not 1/4 cup.
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