Mom's Cincinnati Chili

This is not your average chili. If you been around the Cincinnati area at all you might have seen the Skyline Chili locations and maybe even gone in for a little bite. I despised it as a kid, but as an adult I was reintroduced to this style of chili thanks to my mom. It is now my favorite!

We love this version even more than Skyline. It's a tad sweeter and thicker.

In our house, we serve over noodles with shredded cheese, oyster crackers & onions (if you please). You can also serve over a hot dog, Fritos of fries!

Here is the lingo of the Cincinnati Chili world:

Chili "Way"s

2 way - Spaghetti and chili

3 way - Spaghetti, chili & cheese

4 way - Spaghetti, chili, onions OR beans, & cheese

5 way - Spaghetti, chili, onions AND beans, & cheese

Cincinnati Chili Coney Dog - hot dog with mustard, onion, chili & cheese

This non-traditional chili is definitely worth a try! Let me know how you like it and which "way" you choose.

Only tricky thing about this recipe is the wide variety of spices that you may not typically have on hand. But once you try this dish it'll be on repeat and you'll be happy you have all the spices handy.

INGREDIENTS (I usually double as it's GREAT to freeze)

1 lb ground beef

2 medium onions (1 is for topping)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup BBQ sauce

1/2 cup water

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. turmeric

1/4 tsp. allspice

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground coriander

1/4 tsp. cardamom

1/2 tsp. salt

8-10oz tomato juice

Spaghetti- cooked (of any shape pasta you have on hand)

Shredded cheddar cheese

Oyster crackers

Mom's handwritten recipe

Directions:

Brown the meat with one chopped onion and the garlic, stirring to keep it loose. (The rest of the onion is for the topping if you want it). Drain fat from pan. Add BBQ sauce and water, bring to a boil.

Add all the remaining spices

Cover the pan and lower the heat. Simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chili will thicken. Add tomato juice as necessary to adjust consistency.

Serve as you wish! enjoy!