Cincinnati Style Chili

by | May 24, 2019 | Cast Iron Recipes, Recipes, Soups, stews, Chili

 

Cincinnati Style Chili

Cincinnati style chili is, well, from Cincinnati. If you want to try this great dish, here a recipe for a taste of Cincinnati.
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CourseMain Course
CuisineAmerican
Keywordchili, Cincinnati, Local
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Servings8 People
Calories506kcal

Equipment

Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Wooden spoons

Ingredients

  • 2 lb Ground Beef See Notes
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 tablespoon Salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Allspice
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic Crushed
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 3 Large Bay Leaves
  • 2 Large Onions Finely Chopped
  • 1 qt Water

Instructions

  • In a cold 5QT. Cast Iron Dutch Oven crumble the beef. Do not brown the beef. Add water to beef, cover and turn heat up to medium. Reduce heat to simmer when mixture comes to a boil.
  • Add all remaing ingredients, stir well, cover, and continue simmering until mixture thins to a sauce consistency. Most of the crumbled beef should have disolved into the sauce at this stage. This step takes a few hours to complete.
  • The final mixture should resemble a very thin meat sauce. See serving notes for more details.

Notes

First and foremost, this is not a low calorie, low fat, low sodium dish. The final sauce consistency is more based on the leanness of the ground beef, with the less lean beef providing a thinner sauce. You may want to skim some of the fat off the sauce before refrigerating or freezing. It freezes well in individual containers which can be reheated in the microwave and served hot over a number of items including hot dogs, fries, and nacho chips for a quick dinner or snack.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Cincinnati Style Chili
Amount Per Serving
Calories 506 Calories from Fat 270
% Daily Value*
Fat 30g46%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.3g
Cholesterol 152mg51%
Sodium 1697mg74%
Potassium 613mg18%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 47g94%
Vitamin A 2500IU50%
Vitamin C 12.4mg15%
Calcium 40mg4%
Iron 3.1mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

My first experience with Cincinnati Style Chili was during a job interview in 1986 with a loclal engineering firm here in Cincinnati. During the interview process, lunchtime arrived and happened to coincide with what was then known as “Skyline Day”. Converging on the local chili emporium, after a brief instruction on it’s contents, and my hunger assessment evaluation, I settled on a 5 -Way and Cheese Coney. I was hooked! After lunch I discovered that eating Cincinnati Style Chili in a suit with a white shirt wasn’t a good idea.  This  provide some humorous little red dots on white which even the Oxyclean man couldn’t remove. Everyone else I met during the interview seemed to know where I had lunch and suggested a bib next time. 

One of the characteristecs of Cincinnati’s brand of chili is of course it’s spices. While trying to duplicate the taste and consistency I came accross a recipe in the Cincinnati airport and decided to give it a try. The recipe was close enough that I have continued using it over the years when I wanted my own little stockpile. Today I cook it up in a cast iron pot as it tends to provide a better consistency to the recipe, which I share with you now. The 5-way is served over spaghetti with diced onions, kidney beans, and a generous helping of finely shreded cheddar cheese on top. Add some oyster crackers and hot sauce on the side and you’ve got it.