Empress Cincinnati Chili Recipes

CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• Bring 2 quarts of water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the ground beef and stir vigorously to separate the meat. After about 30-45 seconds, before the water returns to a full boil, drain the meat into a strainer and set aside.
• Rinse and dry the saucepan, then place over medium heat and add the oil. Add the onions and cook for approximately 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and browning around the edges. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the chili powder, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and remaining teaspoon of salt. Cook until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds, then add the water, stock, tomato sauce, and apple cider vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any brown bits that have formed.
• Add the ground beef back to the pot and turn the heat to high. Once the chili is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chili has thickened, approximately 1 hour. Stir in the bittersweet chocolate and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Taste; add cocoa powder if the chili tastes too sweet (the bitterness of the cocoa powder will balance). Season with additional salt as desired.
• To serve: divide the buttered spaghetti into individual bowls. Top with the chili, cheddar cheese, onions, and kidney beans (or any preferred combination). Leftover chili can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or frozen for several months.

AUTHENTIC CINCINNATI CHILI

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.

EMPRESS - CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• NOTES: All seasonings/ spices should be measured using rounded t/T for a full flavor. You may want to use a level measure of cayenne. It packs heat!
• DO NOT BROWN THE BEEF.
• Add 8C of water to deep stock pot.
• Using your hands, add the raw ground beef and break up the raw beef as you add it to the water.
• Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil. NOTE: remove the lid of the pot or tip it so the steam can escape.
• Simmer for several (4) hours or more to reduce the amount of the liquid. Stir often. Reduce until the chili is thick.
• When desired consistency is achieved: remove bay leaves and whole peppers.
• Served 5 ways! Add your favorite toppings as suggested above.

CINCINNATI-STYLE CHILI

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

Steps:

• Cook the tomato paste: Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the tomato paste to the dry pot and cook, constantly scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, until the tomato smells rich and toasty and you start to see browned (not burned) patches in the bottom of the pot. This should take 1 to 3 minutes.
• Simmer gently, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours: Stir the chili often. You want the volume to reduce a bit. (To be honest, just one hour of cook time is okay, but for optimal chili-ness, go long.)
• Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight: Refrigerate in an air-tight covered container. (Note: you can eat the chili immediately if you want to.)

CINCINNATI EMPRESS CHILI

Steps:

• In large heavy pot, over medium-high heat, heat oil and saute onions for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add remaining ingredients.
• Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

AUTHENTIC CINCINNATI CHILI

Steps:

• Crumble raw meat into cold water in medium stock pot. DO NOT brown meat.
• Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
• Lower heat and simmer for 3-4 hours.
• Serve over spaghetti with cheddar cheese and onions, on hotdogs with mustard, cheddar cheese and onions, or in a bowl with cheddar cheese, onions and oyster crackers. I put a little hotsauce on mine!