Cincinnati Chili

This picture is my actual Cincinnati chili that I made. Right after this photo, I ate it. It was good. Follow this recipe. You're going to love it!

Ingredients...

2-1/2 lbs of ground chuck
1 quart of water
1 can of tomato paste (the little ones)
1-1/2 tbsp of white vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
some garlic powder or a clove of real garlic (chopped fine)
2 tbsp of chili powder
5 bay leaves
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
2 tsp cayenne pepper (leave out if you're not so brave)
1-1/2 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa
Salt to taste

In a pot, brown the beef and leave most if not all the juice in there...I drain a little but it's supposed to have it in there. The leaner the beef the less of a problem this will be.

Add the tomato paste and mix it in with the beef then add water till it covers the beef without making it too soupy. Bring it to a boil.

Reduce to simmer and add all the spices. let it simmer for about an hour (if you can wait that long).

Serve it over pasta like spaghetti (I like to use angel hair or "thin spaghetti") and top with cheddar cheese and fresh, chopped, raw white onion and oyster crackers. A nice Tabasco or pepper sauce is good too.

The Cincinnati way is...

Two way - Chili and pasta
Three way-Chili, pasta and cheese
Four way- Chili, pasta, cheese and onions (what we usually make)
Five way- Chili, pasta, cheese, onions and Kidney beans (I get this when at Skyline Chili in Kentucky and Ohio)

Enjoy!