Recipe Background
Cincinnati Chili combines chocolate with savory spices for a unique dish, and it's perfect for a friendly gathering.
It was a foggy evening in October, back in my college days, when the aroma of cinnamon and cumin first filled my tiny apartment in Cincinnati. A housewarming party was becoming the excuse to finally bring my new friends together. The kitchen, barely accommodating two people, was alive with activity. I'd found comfort in the local classic—Cincinnati Chili—a dish as peculiar and captivating as the city itself. The spices, including a dash of cinnamon and a hint of cocoa, formed this intriguing symphony I'd never tried before.
Growing up with plain, beefy chilis, my first attempt to blend chocolate into a savory dish felt daring. I meticulously measured the vinegar, carefully balancing its acidity, pet squirrel watching bemusedly from the windowsill. As the chili simmered away in the slow cooker, the fusion of beef and spices melded, creating a rich depth, far more than the sum of its parts. The trick, I later learned, was to gently brown and drain the beef before, ensuring a cleaner, crisper flavor.
Finally, plating it over spaghetti with a generous sprinkle of sharp cheddar provided the hearty base needed, like a warm culinary hug on a chilly autumn night. Friends gathered around, spooning simmered perfection onto our plates, and our shared laughter marked the beginning of many friendships. If you're preparing this dish, don't forget to drain your beans thoroughly—it keeps the mixture beautifully balanced. And that, my friends, is the moment Cincinnati Chili became my signature dish, linking memory to flavor in the most delightful way.
Ingredients
For the chili:
- 2 pounds ground beef browned and drained
- 1/2 small onion finely diced
- 1 cup water
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1/2 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons vinegar white or apple cider
Optional, for serving:
- cheddar cheese to taste, shredded
- red kidney beans to taste, rinsed and drained
- white onions to taste, diced
- spaghetti cooked and hot
Directions
- In a slow cooker, add the beef, the 1/2 of the finely diced onion, the water, the tomato sauce, the chocolate, the chili powder, the cinnamon, the garlic powder, the cumin, the allspice, the ground cloves, the red pepper flakes, the black pepper, the salt, the sugar, and the vinegar and stir to combine.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook until the flavors heave melded together, about 4-6 hours on low or 2-4 hours on high.
- Serve the chili with the cheddar cheese, the kidney beans, and the extra onions, over the spaghetti.
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