Back in December, my church had a chili potluck and I made this. I knew that Cincinnati chili is (sadly) mostly unknown here in SoCal, so I made a display of its history and ingredients AND instructions on how to eat it! lol Anyway, it was a big hit with lots of people asking for the recipe. So here it is. (Note: I don't remember where I got the pic, so it's uncredited here. I can credit it if someone finds out who the photographer is!) (Also: historical info came from various sources and like most of my efforts, the recipe was cobbled together from a couple of different sources, not the least of which was information I received while growing up in Cincinnati!)
HISTORY:
Cincinnati chili is not spicy-hot, but rather savory. Macedonian immigrant Tom Kiradjieff created Cincinnati chili in 1922. With his brother, John, Kiradjieff opened a small Greek restaurant called the Empress. The restaurant did poorly however, until Kiradjieff started offering a chili made with Middle Eastern spices. It is traditionally served over spaghetti.
THE INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp table salt, divided
2 bay leaves
1.5 pounds lean ground chuck
2 tbsp beef fat (oil or shortening ok)
2 medium onions, diced
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp cocoa powder (dark preferred)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
6 medium roma tomatoes, diced
2 cups tomato sauce
2 cups beef broth (made from bouillon ok; ok to use chicken instead)
2 cups water
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp dark brown sugar
optional: 1/2 tsp cumin or fennel (see note below)
OTHER THINGS YOU'LL NEED FOR SERVING THE CHILI:
fresh chopped white onions
shredded sharp cheddar cheese
red kidney beans
spaghetti!! (or all-beef kosher franks)
THE RECIPE:
- Bring 2 quarts of water, 1 tsp of the salt, and the bay leaves to a boil in a large pot. Remove and discard the bay leaves, then add the ground beef in chunks and stir vigorously to separate the beef. (It’s normal for foam to rise from the beef to the top of the water.) Boil for 5 minutes, then drain the beef, and set it aside.
- Place the pot over medium heat until dry. Add the beef fat and when it is hot, add the onions. Cook until onions are softened and slightly brown on the edges, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for approximately 30 seconds, then add the chili powder, oregano, cocoa, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and remaining 1 tsp salt (and the cumin or fennel, if using). Stir constantly for one minute, until very fragrant.
- Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, water, vinegar, and brown sugar, scraping up any brown bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Add the beef and turn the heat to high. When it begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chili is slightly thickened.
ENJOY IT IN AUTHENTIC CINCINNATI STYLE!
3-WAY: Spaghetti, chili, and sharp cheddar cheese
4-WAY: Spaghetti, chili, and cheese, plus diced white onions OR red kidney beans
5-WAY: Spaghetti, chili, and cheese, plus onions AND beans
CONEY DOG: any of the above, but instead of spaghetti, serve it on an all-beef kosher frank
NOTES:
- Chili may be served immediately, or frozen for later use. Like most chili, it gets better the longer it’s cooked, so let it cook in a slow cooker for several hours or overnight!
- If served over spaghetti, the chili should be a bit watery, almost like a thick soup — it is, after all, a spaghetti sauce — so add water or broth as needed. If you plan to use it for Coney Dogs, let it thicken considerably.
- There are two “chili parlor” chains in Cincinnati: Gold Star and Skyline. Each was founded by men who worked for the Kiradjieff brothers at the original Empress restaurant. One chain adds cumin to the recipe; the other adds fennel. (Michèle does NOT add either cumin or fennel to her chili.)
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