During the winter months when I was growing up, my mom would start to make her delicious braises and stews for the four of us for dinner. One of my all time favorite recipes is her Cincinnati chili. She would start reducing the meaty sauce before we got home from school, so by the time we opened the door we would be washed in the amazing smell of spices emanating from the kitchen. Chili nights were always such a fun time for me as a kid and now as an adult I love being able to whip out my dutch oven and make a batch of my mom’s Cincinnati chili whenever I want.
This dish is great for large parties because the recipe is really easy to double and even triple if you’d like. Traditional Cincinnati chili doesn’t have any beans, but you can feel free to add some of your favorite variety and make this dish your own. For a healthy take, I recommend greek yogurt instead of sour cream. The flavor is very similar and both taste great dolloped on the top.
Serves 6 – 8 people.
Ingredient List:
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 lg yellow onion
- 16 oz tomato sauce
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 box spaghetti
optional toppings:
- sour cream or greek yogurt
- shredded cheddar cheese
- chives
- black olives
Kitchen Tools: large stock pot or dutch oven, microplane
Prep Work:
Finely dice your onion. Mince garlic and set aside. Measure out all the spices and place them in a small bowl. Grate the baking chocolate on top using your microplane.
Cooking:
Heat olive oil on medium high heat and sauté diced onion for about 5 minutes until onions start to soften. Stir in minced garlic then add ground beef, crumbling it as much as you can with your hands before dropping it in the pot. Cook for about 10 minutes or until beef it thoroughly browned. Use a wooden spoon to crumble the meat as it cooks. Drain off any excess fat.
Toss in your bowl of spices and mix well so that it completely coats the beef. Continue to cook for a minute then pour in the beef stock and turn heat down to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, worcestershire and the bay leaf.
Mix well and simmer uncovered for at least an hour, stirring occasionally so that the bottom doesn’t burn. While your chili is simmering, cook your spaghetti according to the package directions with plenty of salt and no oil. Chili is done when it is thickened and no longer watery.
Assembly:
Divvy up the spaghetti into bowls and top with a good sized portion of the chili. Leave the toppings out so that your guests or family can pick and choose what they like best.
Tips + Tricks:
*When draining off fat from beef, don’t pour it directly down your sink or it can lead to future clogs. Pour it into a small bowl and let it cool before tossing it in the trash or on your compost pile.
