The first time I had Cincinnati Chili, I was clueless and, I'm ashamed to say, had a terrible experience. It happened when I was a graduate student at Western Kentucky University. While shopping for dinner at the Winn Dixi in Bowling Green, I found a can of Skyline Chili on the shelf and decided to give it a try. After my first bite all I could think was, "Ugh! Who puts cinnamon in chili!?" Not knowing any better, I had served it up ala carte. Big mistake! I expected plain-jane spicy chili, similar to what my mom used to buy. But what I tasted instead was sweet chili that was spiced like a snickerdoodle.
Later, sitting in a folk studies class at WKU, I learned the error of my ways when the food-ways topic turned to Cincinnati Chili. All at once, the light went on. I hated my dinner because I ate it the wrong way. Literally. Class that night revealed that it is traditionally served 3-Way (noodles, chili, cheese), 4-Way (3-Way, plus onions or beans) or 5 Way (3-Way, plus onions and beans). Who knew?
A few years later my husband and I stopped for dinner at Skyline Chili when we were driving through Cincinnati. I ordered mine 5-Way, took a bite, and fell in love. That first bite (eaten the right way) inspired my quest for the perfect Cincinnatti-style Chili recipe that I could make at home.
The best recipes I have found simmer for several hours to truly develop the flavors. But as a mom of 3 busy kids, I needed a recipe for a quick version. The following recipe is one that I have modified to fit the tastes of my family. I hope you enjoy it. I'm still tinkering with the recipe, but my kids love it, so I thought I'd share it now. I would love to hear what you think. And if you make any modifications yourself, I would love to hear about that too. Enjoy!
Quick Cincinnati Chili
1 lb. hamburger
1/4 cup dehydrated minced onion
2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. all spice
4-5 dashes cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, with liquid
2 cans (15 oz.) tomatoes, crushed or diced
1/2 can water
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tbsp. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Optional toppings:
Minced onion
Shredded cheddar cheese
Brown hamburger in a large sauce pan. When hamburger is nearly browned begin preparing spaghetti according to package instructions. To the browned hamburger add onion and spices; cook over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add beans, tomatoes, water, tomato paste and chocolate chips to the meat mixture. Bring to a boil then lower heat to a simmer until noodles are finished cooking and drained. Serve chili over spaghetti. Top with chopped onions and shredded cheese if desired. Serves 6.
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