Cincinnati Chili

14 October, 2009

Traditionally this is served over spaghetti.  Can also be used as a chili sauce on hot dogs.

  • 2 larges Spanish yellow onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 6 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon medium-heat chile powder
  • 3 tablespoons oregano
  • 4-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 3 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 6 cups tomato sauce
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons vinegar
  • 4-1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 3 pounds spaghetti
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Chopped onion
  • Rinsed kidney beans
  1. Brown ground beef in fry pan–do not hard-fry it–keep it soft.  Use immersion blender when cooked to make it very fine.  Drain grease.  Set aside.
  2. Saute onions in a bit of oil until limp and lightly browned.
  3. Add garlic, tomato paste, and spices.  Cook about 1 minute to “bloom” spices.
  4. Now add tomato sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar and vinegar.  Bring to a simmer.
  5. Add ground beef.  Stir.  Simmer for 15 minutes.

To serve:  You get to pick how you like to eat Cincinnati Chili.  2-way to 5-way.  (spaghetti, chili, cheese, onions, beans)   Most of us go for the 5-way.


Note:  The original recipe instructed you to put the raw meat into the sauce and break it up with a potato masher – no thanks.
We also forgot to use the vinegar and brown sugar and we still gave the recipe a 10!  The recipe called for 6 tablespoons of chili powder and we drastically reduced that.  Folks can use hot sauce if they need more heat.

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Jessica Stowe 17 March, 2010 at 11:25 pm

I can finally make this!!! I loved it so much-all 4 times I ate it in a week. Seriously good stuff.

2 Jessica Stowe 30 March, 2010 at 6:42 pm

I finally made it and It is our all time fave! We ate till we were ready to burst.
Yummmm!

3 April Nickerson 13 April, 2010 at 10:30 pm

This chili is fantastic!!! I made it for a family I was looking after and everyone loved it! My new favorite chili recipe:)

4 missy 15 April, 2010 at 5:06 pm

Jim is here in my kitchen right not, and April made this chili in my kitchen last week while I was in Cincinnati, so I feel connected to this recipe on several levels.
I’m going to cook it up next week, everybody says it’s amazing.
What a very cool blog you have.
And we love Jim, too.

5 missy 15 April, 2010 at 5:06 pm

I meant to say Jim is in my kitchen right NOW.

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