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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Anyone know how to’ make Dairy Creme’s sauce for hotdogs, I mean footers. Never had them like Portsmouth,Ohio
Hey Christy, next time your in Kentucky you need to try Kentucky chili. It is completely different from alot of places. My daughter’s girls scout leader is from Pennslyvania and she swears we are not right in the head with the way we fix ours since we add spaghetti to the chili and not have it on top.
I have tried Cinncinati Chili a couple times and I guess I am not a clove person, but I do love all the cheese that is on top. Sour cream works go too!
I didnt even know there WAS a Kentucky chili! Oh my!
My husband brought a Cincinnati Chili recipe home from someone at work, I think, and I made it. He liked it, but I didn’t. I just did not like the cloves in it. It was years ago, but I’ve never made it since. I guess if you were raised on it you would like it more. I’ll just stick to plain ole chile. BUT…..having chili with the noodles and cheese and onions and sour cream and beans, that would be just fine. I know we’ve had extremely hot weather here in Alabama, but I could actually go for a bowl of it right now.
I am a native of Cincinnati and you are right about acquiring a taste for our Chili. There are 3 well known Greek families who started our chili tradition. Their recipes differ but all start with traditional chili spices and they added cloves and cinnamon like their own greek stews. 2 way – spaghetti & Chili, 3 way – Spag, chili and cheese, 4 way – Spag, chili, onion and cheese, 5 way – Spag, chili, beans, onion and cheese. Always layered as shown. NEVER mix up the chili and toppings when eating. It changes how the chili tastes. Sorry, I digress. We take our chili seriously here. We have one restaurant that received a John Beard award for regional food. Camp Washington Chili.
Should have said “James Beard” award.
Cicinnati style chili has cinnamon in it. I personally don’t like cinnamon with meat, any meat. I know some foreign foods combine the two, but I stay away. Chili and basketball seasons usually come at the same time for me!
My grandmother adored chili over spaghetti. She called it Chili Mac. It was on the menu at IHOP for years. I do not think it is anymore though.
And I do love Cincy chili. I have eaten it in Cincy at Skyline and have bought the seasoning packet and made it. It has cinnamon, and I am not sure what all in it. I love it, but not every time I make chili. I would definintely recommend trying it!
You really need to try authentic 5 way Cincinnati Chili. This is my recipe for it that was taught to me by a friend from Cincinnati. It is posted in my group Gramma’s Goodies on Mixing Bowl sponsored by Better Homes & Gardens.
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.
Again- You’re an angel….and I’ve been looking for this for ages!!! The chocolate is the one ingredient I was missing from the other recipes I’ve tried for CC.