Cincinnati Chili
Photo: James Oseland
SERVES 4
Redolent of warm spices, deeply flavored Cincinnati-style chili, whether prepared two-way (chili over spaghetti), three-way (with cheese), four-way (with onions), or five-way (with a finishing flourish of kidney beans), is an enduring American classic.
2 tbsp. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 dried bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,
to taste
2 cups tomato sauce
1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 lb. dried spaghetti
1 15-oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed
under hot water and drained
4 cups finely grated cheddar cheese
Oyster crackers
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and half of the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 5–6 minutes. Add beef, chili powder, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cumin, oregano, nutmeg, celery seed, bay leaf, and salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 6–8 minutes. Tilt skillet and spoon out and discard any accumulated fat. Add tomato sauce, cocoa powder, and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, partially covered, until somewhat thick, about 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8–10 minutes; drain. Put beans into a small pot and cook over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until hot throughout. Divide spaghetti between 4 large bowls. Top with chili, cheese, remaining onions, and beans. Serve hot, with oyster crackers on the side.
with my family. It will be on my "Go To"
list.
with my family. It will be on my "Go To"
list.
When we make Cincinnati Chili, we make chili con carne made with LOTS of beans (usually Kidney, black and/or Romano beans) and then toss a small amount in spaghettini and top the dish with more chili con carne, grated cheddar, finely chopped (raw) onions, blackened whole cayenne chilis and broken soda crackers that have been fried in oil til crispy (to replace oyster crackers).
Even though I confess that I haven't made this SAVEUR version, it is close enough to the one we make that I feel justified in rating the recipe. And next time we make our chili, I'll add some cocoa powder. What a great idea.