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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes » Cincinnati Chili Recipe

    Cincinnati Chili Recipe

    Published: Apr 3, 2014 · Modified: Apr 29, 2020 by Sherri · This post may contain affiliate links · 22 Comments

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    Cincinnati Chili Recipe1

    Cincinnati Chili Recipe

    Years and years ago my sweet friend, Barb, introduced me to Cincinnati Chili. I remember it like it was yesterday! I fell in love 🙂

    We used to be able to buy a seasoning packet at the grocery store that you just added the water, tomato paste and ground beef.  But when I moved from NC to NH and couldn’t find it anywhere here! At first, I would send Barb money and she would mail me a few packets. she was a good friend!   They were about $2.50 a pack too!   I started to feel a little annoying continuing to ask her to do this so I took an empty packet to my local grocery store to see if they would order it for me.  No luck there.

    So, long story short, I got the nerve to try to make it myself.  I scoured the internet for recipes. I read and read and read reviews, ideas, substitutions to try and get the true flavor I wanted.

    After much trial and error, I have mastered it! You have no idea how excited my entire family was when I did. We had gone without a weekly favorite for several years. Years people.  So it was a very happy day!

    You just have to try it if you never have.  It has such a unique flavor. And the smell that fills your house while cooking is divine.  Every time I make it, they come through the door with an “AHHHH, I know what we are having for dinner smile”.

    ingredients

    Ingredients for Cincinnati Chili

    1 (6 oz) can of Tomato paste

    ½ square (.5 oz) of baking chocolate

    ¼ cup of chili powder

    1 teaspoon cinnamon

    1 teaspoon of garlic powder

    1 teaspoon of cumin

    ¼ teaspoon of allspice

    ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves

    ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes

    ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper

    2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

    5 cups of water

    1 ¼ lb of lean ground beef

    How to Make Cincinnati Chili

    1. Add the 5 cups of water in a large cooking pot.

    2. Add the tomato paste and chocolate and heat of medium heat stirring to mix about 3 minutes. (I press the tomato paste with a fork)

    3. Add the all other ingredients

    4. Next, crumble the raw ground beef into the pot. I break it into small pieces and then stir to break it up more. Then I press it against the sides of the pot to continue to crumble it. It will become very fine which is what you want.

    a black pot with hamburger in tomato sauce

    5. Turn heat up to bring to a boil.

    6. Once boiling, turn the heat down to med-low, so it is at a slow boil.

    7. Cook uncovered for 1 to 1 ½ hours stirring occasionally. You will want it to thicken substantially. I have coked it for up to 2 hours.

    8. Serve over Thin spaghetti.

    Optional toppings for traditional Cincinnati Chili

    2-way: chili and spaghetti

    3 -way: chili, spaghetti, and cheese

    4-way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, and onions

    5-way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, onions, and beans

     

    spaghetti noodles topped with Cincinnati chili and shredded cheddar cheese

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    Filed Under: Main Dishes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    4. Diane

      September 19, 2015 at 3:17 am

      Have been looking for a good skyline chili type recipe for years! Can’t wait to try this. Perfect fall/winter meal. Thanks for sharing, can’t wait to try this!

      Reply
    5. Jimmy

      May 01, 2015 at 6:16 pm

      Made it last night and it was so GOOD !!! Great recipe Sherri.

      Reply
    6. Kallie

      February 13, 2015 at 10:51 am

      never**

      Reply
    7. Kallie

      January 19, 2015 at 7:21 pm

      Isn’t it missing salt?? Anyways I am making this right now and the house smells amazing!!

      Reply
      • Sherri

        January 19, 2015 at 8:09 pm

        I just chose to leave salt out for ours. 🙂

        Reply
        • Kallie

          February 13, 2015 at 10:50 am

          It was great, I just added it to taste! My husband had ever had Cincinnati chili over spaghetti and he LOVED it. It is SPOT ON to Skyline. Thank you!!!

    8. Melody Moore

      January 13, 2015 at 12:54 pm

      I grew up eating this. My mom actually worked at Skyline Chili. She made this all the time! We all loved it! This recipe is pretty darn close to hers! Good job 😉

      Reply
    9. Melody Moore

      January 13, 2015 at 12:54 pm

      I grew up eating this. My mom actually worked at Skyline Chili. She made this all the time! We all loved it! This recipe is pretty darn close to hers! Good job 😉

      Reply
    10. Amanda

      January 02, 2015 at 5:14 pm

      I have this simmering right now and ohhhh wow does it smell good!!! I’ve lived in Cincinnati my whole life and am a Cincinnati chili lover… so happy to be making it at home, and with no packets or expensive cans!

      Reply
      • Sherri

        January 02, 2015 at 7:07 pm

        I am SO glad! I absolutely love it too Amanda!

        Reply
    11. Nikki

      October 29, 2014 at 6:53 pm

      I had to comment, this was AMAZING!!! We always bought the packets but definitely making this from now on. My 9 year old made it by herself!

      Reply
      • Sherri

        October 29, 2014 at 7:07 pm

        I am so happy to hear you all loved it!! No more packets for us for a while now 🙂 Yay!

        Reply
    12. Carole from Carole's Chatter

      June 19, 2014 at 6:35 pm

      Oooh, forgot to ask you to let me know after you’ve checked it out whether you would like a reminder email each week.

      Reply
    13. Carole from Carole's Chatter

      June 19, 2014 at 6:33 pm

      Sherri, love your chili. I hope you’ll bring it over to Food on Friday: Chillies over at Carole’s Chatter. Found you via Miz Helen! Cheers

      Reply
    14. Kelli Miller

      April 15, 2014 at 7:26 pm

      OMG, Sherri! That looks fabulous – I love chili over rice with cheese, but never tried it over spaghetti noodles!

      Reply
    15. Holly Homer

      April 14, 2014 at 9:08 pm

      Yum! I think dinner has been solved.

      Reply

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