Cincinnati chilli questions

YetiDave · May 15, 2011

Hi guys, just wondered.. Have any of you guys eaten the 'real' Cincinnati chilli and do you have any recipes you believe to be as close as you can get? I've perfected my own version after 50+ times of making and tweaking it, but as I've never been to Cincinnati I have no idea if it's anything close to the real thing. Can anyone provide an 'authentic' recipe? I may share my recipe by pm :wink2:

but would respectfully request that it not be shared online as it's become a bit of a trademark for me. I get requests to make it quite a lot and no one but myself has any real idea of the spice mix :001_smile

cheers!

Dripp · May 15, 2011

Well, I was born and raised in Cincinnati, and have lived here most of my life but I don't really know. From what I've heard that the secret ingredient is brown sugar. They sell it in cans in the grocery store but u have no idea what shipping costs would be.

YetiDave · May 15, 2011

I do add sugar but I usually use plain old sugar, I'll have to give brown a shot. My recipe includes cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cumin, black pepper, chilli powder, bay leaves, onions, malt vinegar, sugar and garlic. There are so many different recipes using so many different ingredients though that it's hard to know which one's authentic without trying the real thing! I can imagine postage would be very high unfortunately :sad:

YetiDave · May 15, 2011

Oh, and tinned tomatoes, tomato purée and beef broth! Took me a damned long time to get the balance right :bored:

slap1914 · May 15, 2011

I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that I use a chilli mix...

http://www.amazon.com/Skytime-Inc-P...ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1305495830&sr=1-1-spell

Snargle · May 16, 2011

Afraid I'm going to have to take the minority opinion and express my strong distaste for that abomination they call Cincinnati-style chili. I'm not sure which ingredient turns me off, but each time I've tried it (in a Cincinnati chili parlor, not homemade), I got the worst case of heartburn I can recall.
:thumbdown

I'm normally someone who is not fazed by strong spices...in fact, the spicier the better!

mme29710 · May 16, 2011

Nothing better than a jumbo 3 way with hotsauce, and 2 coneys at 3 a.m. I think that cinnamon is the "secret" ingredient, or one of them.

Ron991 · May 16, 2011

For me the trick is to use ground pork, as well as ground chuck. 2 pts. ground chuck to 1pt. ground pork. Also I don't use tomato juice for a base, but rather but rather v-8 juice. Than I add my spices.

acmarinello · May 16, 2011

Although I'm an avid chili experimenter, I have never tried to make Cincinnati chili. I lived there four years and thought that Skyline was best suited on a coney during a ball game with a beer or in a three way with oyster crackers at 2am after a few more beers.

I also heard chocolate powder is used in Cinci style chili. Ever try that?

Kouros · May 16, 2011

Snargle said:
Afraid I'm going to have to take the minority opinion and express my strong distaste for that abomination they call Cincinnati-style chili. I'm not sure which ingredient turns me off, but each time I've tried it (in a Cincinnati chili parlor, not homemade), I got the worst case of heartburn I can recall.

I'm normally someone who is not fazed by strong spices...in fact, the spicier the better!

Too many powders mixing together: chili, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, cocoa etc...

datzc · May 16, 2011

I had it when I was in Cincy years ago and have made it a few times at home, using recipes off the Internet. Usually they call for boiled ground beef instead of pan-browned.

But I suppose I like the concept of layering best of all - spaghetti, chili, shredded cheese, onions, sour cream. So much tastier and filling than a bowl of plain chili.

Tha Baron · May 16, 2011

Skyline cheese coneys are god's gift to earth. You don't get any better than these... I would just buy it from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Skyline-Original-Chili-Recipe-10-5-Ounce/dp/B001M0G204

8 cans ships free with Amazon Prime!

pyrrhusmj · May 18, 2011

Snargle said:
Afraid I'm going to have to take the minority opinion and express my strong distaste for that abomination they call Cincinnati-style chili. I'm not sure which ingredient turns me off, but each time I've tried it (in a Cincinnati chili parlor, not homemade), I got the worst case of heartburn I can recall.

I'm normally someone who is not fazed by strong spices...in fact, the spicier the better!

It is the cinnamon taste that turns me off. I do have to admit I do think the locals have it right eating it over Spaghetti.

Michael

slooby_doo · May 19, 2011

OKay.....I did spend a weekend in Cinci. I actually liked it there and in Newport. Had it's own flair. I bought a post card there with this recipe:

Bring to boil:
4 cups water
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 lrg onions, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced or chopped
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp cocoa
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
2 tsp Worcester sauce
3 bay leaves

Stir and boil until ground beef is cooked through. Lower heat. Cover and simmer for 3 to 4 hours, stiring occasionally. Remove bay leaves before serving. Serve over spaghetti.

Top with grated cheddar cheese for "3 way" chili
Add chopped onions for "4 way" chili
Add kidney beans to chili to "5 way" chili

slooby_doo · May 19, 2011

Goetta --- I had this there too. It was a sausage type item. It is a mixture of ground pork and steel cut oats. Fried in a thin patty for breakfast with eggs.

Darn good. Tried to make it once but came out too mushy.

If anyone can find a small batch recipe...start a thread.

kingfisher · May 20, 2011

I love Cincinnati chili. I'll have to make some again soon. Thanks for the reminder thread. :thumbup1:

YetiDave · May 21, 2011

slooby_doo said:
OKay.....I did spend a weekend in Cinci. I actually liked it there and in Newport. Had it's own flair. I bought a post card there with this recipe:

Bring to boil:
4 cups water
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 lrg onions, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced or chopped
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp cocoa
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
2 tsp Worcester sauce
3 bay leaves

Stir and boil until ground beef is cooked through. Lower heat. Cover and simmer for 3 to 4 hours, stiring occasionally. Remove bay leaves before serving. Serve over spaghetti.

Top with grated cheddar cheese for "3 way" chili
Add chopped onions for "4 way" chili
Add kidney beans to chili to "5 way" chili

That doesn't seem like a great deal of spice for 2lbs of meat.. I normally use 1tbsp of cumin and 1tbsp of cayenne/chilli powder for 1lb. I do eat a LOT of spicy food though, so maybe that has something to do with me only having 3 remaining taste buds :laugh:

I'll have to give mixing in ground pork a shot though, that does sound good! :thumbup:

Slowhand · May 22, 2011

I have distant family whose ancestors started Dixie Chili, a small outfit in the area. I've tried to get their recipe with no luck. My attempts have been mediocre. I must prefer to get it out.

Slowhand · May 22, 2011

slooby_doo said:
Goetta --- I had this there too. It was a sausage type item. It is a mixture of ground pork and steel cut oats. Fried in a thin patty for breakfast with eggs.

Darn good. Tried to make it once but came out too mushy.

If anyone can find a small batch recipe...start a thread.

Uh yeah. I usually smoke a cigarette after eating geotta...it's that good.

Try it ground up like you'd prepare taco beef. Dash on your favorite hot sauce and mix in a fried or scrambled egg.

Obscene

Metalman · May 22, 2011

slooby_doo said:
OKay.....I did spend a weekend in Cinci. I actually liked it there and in Newport. Had it's own flair. I bought a post card there with this recipe:

Bring to boil:
4 cups water
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 lrg onions, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced or chopped
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp cocoa
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
2 tsp Worcester sauce
3 bay leaves

Stir and boil until ground beef is cooked through. Lower heat. Cover and simmer for 3 to 4 hours, stiring occasionally. Remove bay leaves before serving. Serve over spaghetti.

Top with grated cheddar cheese for "3 way" chili
Add chopped onions for "4 way" chili
Add kidney beans to chili to "5 way" chili

I grew up in Cincinnati and make my own Cincy chili. I don't share my recipe, but this recipe will get you in the ballpark.

No sugar! Even though it's sometimes referred to as a sweet-hot chili, there's no sugar in any Cincinnati chili I ever had. There's also no pork.

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Cincinnati chilli questions

YetiDave

Dripp

YetiDave

YetiDave

slap1914

Snargle

mme29710

Ron991

acmarinello

Kouros

datzc

Tha Baron

pyrrhusmj

slooby_doo

slooby_doo

kingfisher

YetiDave

Slowhand

Slowhand

Metalman

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