Bama Chili, served Cincinnati Style :)
First of all, let me say a few things about Cincinnati style chili and I want to apologize to all Cincinnati folks for not making it exactly like yours is, but I needed to adapt it for us non-native peeps so everyone could see how brilliant your serving method is.
True Cincinnati chili (which this isn’t) is a very unique flavor and unlike anything I have ever tasted before. I can fully see how, if you were raised on this stuff, you’d be left with a craving that only Cincinnati chili would fill. If you weren’t raised on it, though, you may need time to acquire a taste for it. This is what I experienced when I first took my family to Mullin’s Drive In in my hometown of Huntsville. I sat there with my hamburger and grits happy as a lark and the three of them forced down their meals while looking at me like I was crazy. Sometimes you just gotta be born there to appreciate it :).
But I guess I’ll start this post with how I ended up getting to try Cincinnati Chili. You see, it all began with my husband and myself agonizing over what to do for a family vacation and my son chiming in with “I know! Why don’t we go to Kentucky?”. We ended up heading out in that general direction with no particular destination in mind and came home having spent four of the most wonderful days together as a family. I am publishing a scrapbook of sorts on our Kentucky trip at the same time I’m publishing this recipe so be sure and click here to go visit that post and check out all of our Kentucky adventures.
Now, lets go back to the chili…
Although I’m gonna stick with the flavors of the chili I grew up with, the manner of serving this chili is absolutely brilliant and I couldn’t wait to make it at home with plain old Bama chili.
You’ll need: Tomato Sauce, Cumin, Chili Powder, and some ground beef, which we’ll see in the next photo.
I brown my beef all at once so it is sitting happily in the freezer just waiting on me whenever I need it.
Place all of your ingredients into a pot.
Fill up your tomato sauce can with water and add that as well.
Now give all of this a good stir and bring to a very light boil before reducing the heat and cooking, stirring every now and then, for about an hour, or until nice and thick.
Like this.
Serve over freshly cooked spaghetti noodles with toppings of your choice. Some suggestions are chopped onions, crackers, or…
A whole lot of cheese!
I LOVE how the noodles seem to take to the chili sauce perfectly and they are great for balancing out the chili spices. I can’t wait until fall gets here so I can have a big chili dinner for some friends!
Okay and to make this even easier…I had an idea of just going and buying a few cartons of 99 cents chili from Wendy’s and then making spaghetti. ~giggle~ Ain’t no shame in my game!
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Sour cream is really good on top of chili–sprinkled with cheese, of course!
Cincinnati chili most definitely has cinnamon in it! I’m not a fan!
Perfect timing!!! Needed something new for dinner this Friday during family movie night! Just happen to have everything available so no shopping required for this dinner! Thanks!!
I can’t wait to try this. My family put dill pickles in our chili (and our spaghetti too sometimes!) and when my s-i-l joined the family, she taught us to put chili over rice–yummy! Maybe lots if people do this but I had never tried it and I really love it that way. I also like to put chili on a big ole baked potato.
Doesn’t Cincinnati Chili have cinnamon and sugar in it? It is definitely something a little different than what we are used to.
When I tried it I tasted cloves really strong and the menu said it had cloves in it so not sure. but yes, VERY different spices than what us plain ole folks are used to! lol
I lived in Cincinnati and worked in Northern Kentucky right after college and I fell in love with Cincinnati style chili. I would pick it over any other chili ever cooked. You can buy frozen or canned Skyline Chili at Kroger. Skyline is the best Cincy Chili ever!! Yum
I agree, Skyline is the best. I order the Cincinnati Chili spice packets directly from Skyline and they ship them to me here in Oregon. We were introduced to Cincy Chili by a family friend who grew up in Cincinnati. She made it for us over 20 years ago and we have been hooked ever since. I make it at least 1-2 times per month. Another trick she taught us was, during the last 5 minutes of cooking, she added a chopped Hershey bar to the chili, and it added to the flavor- it’s so good! My kids make sure that I add the Hershey bar every time.
I wish I could find a recipe for Cincinnati Chili……..We had a chili place down in SC and I ate it there- and I swear it was the best chili I ever ate other than our Southern version. Have never been able to duplicate the taste tho. 😛
One things for certain……ANY chili recipe needs a whoooooooole lot of cheese piled on top and melted.
I’ve seen the recipes for it online and I know a lot of grocery stores sell Cincinnati chili seasoning packets, might wanna check! I’m wanting to try it again if we ever head up there now that I got to thinking about it 🙂
LOL- Can’t find anything like that here in England, Christy. I’m having all manner of times finding substitutions for our SOUTHERN foods and ingredients here in the UK. 🙁
I was raised on chili like this. My mom made the absolute best chili from a recipe that she actually got while living in Cincinnati. Depending on the number of “layers” that you had, was the name of your chili. I always preferred noodles, chili and cheese which was called “three way chili” I would love a big bowl of it right now!!
HI Sunny,
I have posted my recipe for Cincinnati 5 Way Chili at the bottom of this posting, but her it is for you as well.
Source: A dear friend from Cincinnati, I met while my husband was in the USMC and we were stationed in Japan
A delicious recipe for 5 Way taught to me (a Hoosier) by my Cincinnati BFF
Servings: 8
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 90 minutes
Total time: 1 hour/50 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 bay leaf
2 (10.5 ounce) cans beef broth
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can light kidney beans
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Barilla regular or thin spaghetti (I only use Barilla pastas)
Some recipes call for chocolate or cocoa, but I think it tastes better without it.
Sometimes I put it the ingredients in a slow cooker to cook slowly on low, rather than in my Dutch Oven, then I just need to prepare the spaghetti when I get home.
It tastes even more delicious the next day.
Directions:
1. Place ground beef in a large pot, and break up with a spoon; cover with hot water and break up the beef into fine pieces as it heats in the water.
2. When ground beef is cooked and in fine pieces; drain.
3. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 6 minutes.
4. Add chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, cloves, bay leaf, beef broth, tomato sauce, and red pepper.
5. Stir to mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
6. Prepare spaghetti per package directions; drain.
7. Remove the bay leaf. Serve chili over hot, drained spaghetti. Top with beans, shredded cheddar cheese, and onions.
8. I garnish the tops with green onions, and you can add sour cream; if desired.
I hope you enjoy this as much as we do.
Owwwww- Bless your HEART Pamela!!!! TY so MUCH!!!!!!! And i think they have all those spices here in the UK. Oh I know what I’m having for supper this weekend!!!!! XXX