Best 6 Cincinnati Chili Con Carne Recipes

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Cincinnati chili, a regional dish of Cincinnati, Ohio, is a unique and flavorful dish that has captured the hearts of locals and visitors alike. Unlike traditional chili, Cincinnati chili is not made with tomatoes, but rather a blend of spices, cocoa powder, and beef or pork broth. The result is a rich, savory chili that is often served over spaghetti and topped with shredded cheddar cheese, onions, and beans. In this article, we're excited to share three delicious Cincinnati chili recipes that are sure to satisfy your taste buds. From a classic beef chili recipe to a vegetarian chili recipe and a unique white chili recipe, we've got something for everyone. So, grab your apron and get ready to create a Cincinnati chili experience that will transport you to the heart of Ohio.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

CHEF JOHN'S CINCINNATI-STYLE CHILI



Chef John's Cincinnati-Style Chili image

You'll love this chili if you tend to like foods from the Middle East, the Mediterranean, Greek food, or Indian food, because of the spices and flavor profile. If you don't, you won't. If you finish this dish off with some diced onions and grated Cheddar cheese like I did, you'll be enjoying what they call in Cincinnati a "Four-Way," because of the four components, but feel free to serve as you like.

Provided by Chef John

Categories     Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes     Chili Recipes     Chili Without Beans Recipes

Time 1h25m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 20

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, diced
¼ cup chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
⅛ teaspoon allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons white sugar
3 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
6 cups cold water
1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti
1 tablespoon diced onion, or to taste
4 cups grated Cheddar cheese, or to taste

Steps:

  • Combine beef and tomato paste in a large pot. Rinse out the tomato paste can with a couple tablespoons of water and add to the pot with garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, allspice, cloves, black pepper, bay leaf, sugar, and salt. Add apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, and cold water. Mash and stir with a potato masher or a large whisk to break up the meat into fine pieces.
  • Place the pot over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until flavors come together and chili reaches your desired thickness, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 12 minutes. Drain.
  • Taste chili and adjust seasoning. Remove and discard bay leaf. Ladle over spaghetti into serving bowls. Top with some onions and Cheddar cheese. Cut and scoop the noodles up with a fork like you're eating a casserole.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 752.8 calories, Carbohydrate 52.9 g, Cholesterol 151.5 mg, Fat 38.4 g, Fiber 4.6 g, Protein 48.4 g, SaturatedFat 20.3 g, Sodium 1443.7 mg, Sugar 6.5 g

AUTHENTIC CINCINNATI CHILI



Authentic Cincinnati Chili image

This was handed down to me by Mom, a Cincinnati native. Skimming the fat makes this a healthier version than most, and gives it the right consistency. I like mine 4-way, with spaghetti, raw chopped onions, grated mild cheddar, and oyster crackers!

Provided by Melissa Hamilton

Categories     Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes     Chili Recipes     Chili Without Beans Recipes

Time 11h45m

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 16

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 quart water, or amount to cover
2 onions, finely chopped
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ (1 ounce) square unsweetened chocolate
¼ cup chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
5 whole cloves
5 whole allspice berries
1 bay leaf

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.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 225.2 calories, Carbohydrate 10.1 g, Cholesterol 59.5 mg, Fat 12.6 g, Fiber 3.1 g, Protein 19.1 g, SaturatedFat 4.9 g, Sodium 673.7 mg, Sugar 4 g

CINCINNATI CHILI



Cincinnati Chili image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 1h5m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 24

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
Kosher salt
1 6-ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons chopped unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon cider or red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground pepper
12 ounces spaghetti
1 19-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 pound grated cheddar cheese
Oyster crackers, for serving (optional)

Steps:

  • Heat the oil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add half the chopped onions and the garlic and cook until soft, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, allspice, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne and cloves. Cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add the beef and cook the mixture, stirring, until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon salt.
  • Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, bay leaf and 1 1/2 cups water; simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thicker. Add the chocolate, vinegar and Worcestershire and cook until the mixture is thickened but still soupy, about 15 more minutes.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain well.
  • Discard the bay leaf and season the chili with the freshly ground pepper. Divide the spaghetti among bowls and top with the chili, beans, remaining onion and cheddar. Serve with the oyster crackers if desired.

AWARD WINNING CHILI CON CARNE



Award Winning Chili Con Carne image

This chili recipe is many years in the making and I have won several awards with it. I think you'll be pleased with it. You can alter it to your own spice levels to achieve your perfect chili. Garnish with shredded mozzarella cheese, and use corn chips for dipping.

Provided by CHEFJIMMY

Categories     Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes     Chili Recipes     Beef Chili Recipes

Time 2h35m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 22

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 ½ pounds lean ground beef
2 beef bouillon cubes
⅔ cup red wine
2 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, chopped, juice reserved
garlic cloves, crushed
1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoons paprika
2 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 ½ teaspoons dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried parsley
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
12 drops hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™)
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons corn meal
½ cup water

Steps:

  • Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook green pepper, and onion, until softened. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Crumble over bouillon cubes, and stir in wine; continue to cook for a few minutes. Stir in chopped tomatoes, garlic, and tomato paste. Season with paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, basil, oregano, and parsley. Stir in salt and pepper.
  • Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover, and simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in kidney beans, and hot pepper sauce. You can add the reserved tomato juice if more liquid is needed. Continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, corn meal, and water until smooth. Stir into chili, and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until chili has thickened up.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 494.6 calories, Carbohydrate 29.1 g, Cholesterol 85.8 mg, Fat 27.2 g, Fiber 7.5 g, Protein 31.6 g, SaturatedFat 8.9 g, Sodium 1211.6 mg, Sugar 9.2 g

CINCINNATI-STYLE CHILI



Cincinnati-Style Chili image

Provided by Katie Lee Biegel

Categories     main-dish

Time 3h

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 23

16 ounces tomato sauce
12 ounces tomato paste
1 yellow onion, grated
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 bay leaves
2 pounds ground beef (I use chuck)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 pound spaghetti, cooked according to package directions and tossed in olive oil to prevent sticking
One 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained
1 white onion, diced
Two 8-ounce blocks Cheddar, grated
Hot sauce, optional
Oyster crackers, for serving

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



Cincinnati Chili image

Cinnamon and cocoa give a rich brown color to hearty Cincinnati chili. This dish will warm you up on a cold day. -Edith Joyce, Parkman, Ohio

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch

Time 2h5m

Yield 8 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 20

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
4 medium onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground allspice
3 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot cooked spaghetti
Optional: Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped tomatoes and green onions

Steps:

  • In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, pork and onions over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, breaking meat into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Add the beans, tomatoes, vinegar, cocoa, sauces, sugar and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours., Discard bay leaves. Serve with spaghetti. If desired, garnish with cheese, sour cream, tomatoes and onions.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 421 calories, Fat 16g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 75mg cholesterol, Sodium 443mg sodium, Carbohydrate 38g carbohydrate (7g sugars, Fiber 11g fiber), Protein 32g protein.

Tips:

  • Use a variety of beans. This will give your chili a more complex flavor and texture. Good choices include kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, and cannellini beans.
  • Don't skimp on the spices. Chili is a spicy dish, so don't be afraid to add a generous amount of chili powder, cumin, and paprika. You can also add other spices, such as oregano, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper, to taste.
  • Use fresh ingredients whenever possible. This will give your chili the best flavor. If you can, use fresh tomatoes, onions, and peppers. You can also use frozen vegetables, but fresh is always best.
  • Brown the meat before adding it to the chili. This will help to develop the flavor of the meat and prevent it from becoming tough.
  • Simmer the chili for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the flavors to meld and develop. You can simmer it for longer if you have time, but 30 minutes is the minimum.
  • Serve the chili with your favorite toppings. Some popular choices include shredded cheese, sour cream, onions, and jalapeños.

Conclusion:

Cincinnati chili is a unique and flavorful dish that is enjoyed by people all over the world. It is a hearty and filling meal that is perfect for a cold winter day. If you have never tried Cincinnati chili before, I encourage you to give it a try. You may be surprised at how much you enjoy it!

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