Zesty Cincinnati Chili Recipes

AUTHENTIC CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• Place the ground beef in a large pan, cover with about 1 quart of cold water, and bring to a boil, stirring and breaking up the beef with a fork to a fine texture. Slowly boil until the meat is thoroughly cooked, about 30 minutes, then remove from heat and refrigerate in the pan overnight.
• The next day, skim the solid fat from the top of the pan, and discard the fat. Place the beef mixture over medium heat, and stir in the onions, tomato sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, chocolate, chili powder, salt, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cloves, allspice berries, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours. Add water if necessary to prevent the chili from burning.

CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• Cook the tomato paste: Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the tomato paste to the dry pot and cook, constantly scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, until the tomato smells rich and toasty and you start to see browned (not burned) patches in the bottom of the pot. This should take 1 to 3 minutes.
• Simmer gently, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours: Stir the chili often. You want the volume to reduce a bit. (To be honest, just one hour of cook time is okay, but for optimal chili-ness, go long.)
• Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight: Refrigerate in an air-tight covered container. (Note: you can eat the chili immediately if you want to.)

QUICK CINCINNATI-STYLE CHILI

Steps:

• Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add bell peppers and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add chili powder, cocoa, salt, cinnamon, and pepper and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.
• Add beef and cook, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice and molasses and simmer briskly, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 5 to 8 minutes.

LAUREN'S CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• Cook the beef and onion in a large skillet over medium high heat, breaking up beef into tiny pieces, just until meat is no longer pink. Drain and place in a large Dutch oven or slow cooker. Stir in the water, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, tomato sauce, and chocolate. Simmer over medium low heat for 3 to 5 hours.

ZESTY STEAK CHILI

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, saute steak and garlic in oil until browned. Add onion; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water and next nine ingredients; bring to a boil. , Reduce heat; cover and simmer 2 hours or until tender. Combine flour, cornmeal and remaining water; stir until smooth. Bring chili to a boil. Add flour mixture; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. If desired, garnish with reduced-fat cheese, reduced-fat sour cream, onions and olives.

ZESTY CHICKEN CHILI

Steps:

• In 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chiles, bell pepper, onion and garlic; cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
• Stir in remaining chili ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with desired toppings.

TRADITIONAL CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• Pour water into a large cooking pot (5-qt size)
• Crumble raw ground beef into water.
• Add beans, onions, garlic, tomato paste, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and all of the spices, salt and peppers.
• Stir together and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer till meat is cooked and chili is thickened, from 45 minutes to an hour and a quarter (depending on how thick you like it).
• When chili is nearly done, prepare spaghetti (as much as you need - think in terms of how much you would want if this were spaghetti sauce).
• Place drained spaghetti on plates and ladle chili over it.
• Top with shredded cheddar.

CINCINNATI-STYLE CHILI

Steps:

• For the chili: In a stockpot or Dutch oven, combine the tomato sauce, tomato paste, onions, chili powder, cocoa powder, sugar, kosher salt, cinnamon, cumin, garlic salt, allspice, pepper, cayenne, cloves, bay leaves, beef (do not brown first) and 2 cups water. Mix until combined. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for approximately 2 hours. Stir in the vinegar and simmer for another 30 minutes.
• To serve: Serve on a bed of spaghetti and top with the beans, onions and a mound of cheese (or any preferred combination). Add hot sauce, if desired, and eat with oyster crackers.

CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• Set the instant pot to sauté function and add the olive oil. Stir in the chopped onions and cook, stirring for 4-5 minutes until the onions are softened and slightly translucent.
• Add the tomato paste and stir well to combine. Cook the tomato paste for 1-2 minutes until very fragrant, then add the tomato sauce.
• Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne pepper, cloves, sugar and salt cook and stir one to two minutes until very fragrant.
• Add the consumé or stock and water and mix well to combine.
• Add the ground beef and break apart with the back of a wooden spoon. When the beef is evenly combined, stir in the worcestershire sauce and add the bay leaf.
• Seal the pressure cooker and bring to high pressure. Cook for 30 minutes on high pressure, then let the pressure reduce naturally. Let the chili cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight so that the fat layer on top solidifies.
• Once the fat has hardened, remove it with a fork or spoon and discard. Transfer the chili to a large pot and simmer for 20-30 minutes with the lid askew to thicken the sauce.
• Stir in the apple cider vinegar and chocolate. Check for seasonings and adjust to taste.
• In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium to medium high heat and stir in the chopped onions. Cook for 4-5 minutes until they're softened and translucent. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 more minutes until well combined.
• Add the tomato sauce to the mix along with the spices and simmer for a few minutes until fragrant.
• Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker and add the consommé or stock, 3 cups of water, ground beef, worcestershire sauce and bay leaf. Break up the beef with the back of a spoon so it's evenly combined with the liquids.
• Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 4-6 hours until saucy and fragrant. If it needs to thicken, place the lid slightly askew on the top so allow steam to escape and sauce to reduce.
• Stir in the apple cider vinegar and chocolate. Check for seasonings and adjust to taste.
• In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium to medium high heat and stir in the chopped onions. Cook for 4-5 minutes until they're softened and translucent. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 more minutes until well combined.
• Add the tomato sauce to the mix along with the spices and simmer for a few minutes until fragrant. Add the consommé or stock, 3 cups of water, ground beef, worcestershire sauce and bay leaf. Break up the beef with the back of a spoon so it's evenly combined with the liquids.
• Bring the pot to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a simmer over medium low heat. Cover with the lid and slow cook for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom of the Dutch oven.
• Stir in the apple cider vinegar and chocolate. Check for seasonings and adjust to taste.
• Put a cooked hot dog in a steamed bun and top with one, two, three or four of your favorite toppings listed above.
• Ladle Cincinnati chili over cooked spaghetti and add your favorite toppings, listed above.

ZESTY COLORADO CHILI

Steps:

• Cut sausage into 1/2-in. pieces. Trim pork and cut into 1/2-in. pieces. , In a 5-qt. kettle or Dutch oven, cook sausage, pork and beef over medium heat, until sausage and beef are no longer pink and the pork juices run clear; drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Set meat aside. , Saute onions, green pepper and garlic in reserved drippings until tender. Add the next 12 ingredients. Return meat to the pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add the beans and heat through.

ZESTY CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• Cook ground beef in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned (4 - 5 minutes). Drain off fat. Add onion and garlic; continue cooking until lightly browned (2 - 3 minutes).
• Stir in all remaining ingredients except spaghetti. Continue cooking until mixture comes to a boil (4 - 5 minutes). Reduce heat to low. With cover ajar, cook until flavors are blended and sauce thickens(about 60 minutes).
• Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain. To serve: divide cooked spaghetti among 5 bowls; top each serving with 1 cup chili and your favorite toppings.
• Notes: The first time I made this I stored it in the refrigerator overnight to have more time to blend the flavors. It was great!
• When doubling the recipe, reduce the tomato sauce to 3 (15 oz each) cans and 1 (8 oz) can for a total of 53 oz (instead of 2 x 29 oz = 58 oz).
• In Cincinnati the true enthusiasts have their Chili 1 - 5 ways:.
• 1. Plain.
• 2."Two Way" - Spaghetti and Chili.
• 3."Three Way" - Chili, Spaghetti, and Cheddar Cheese.
• 4."Four Way" - Chili, Spaghetti, Cheddar Cheese, and Onions.
• 5."Five Way" - Chili, Spaghetti, Cheddar Cheese, Onions and Kidney Beans.