Ingredients:
- 2 lbs ground meat (I use half turkey and half beef)
- 1 medium onion, chopped finely
- 4 cloves garlic or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3 T chili powder (depending upon the heat of the powder and your taste)
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 T paprika
- 1 T Worcestershire Sauce.
- 1 oz unsweetened chocolate
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tablespoon beef Better Than Bouillon or 3 bouillon cubes
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 T red wine vinegar (optional and traditional)
- 1/4 C red wine (very optional and very non-traditional)
Preparation:
Originally, the meat for the chili was boiled instead of browned. This gives a different consistency to it - the pieces of meat are very small and separated - no clumps. Most recipes I've seen do brown the meat with the onions, though. This is the way I do it, which is kind of a cross between the two:Put the meat and onions in a stock pot or large deep frying pan, and cook for 5 minutes, then add about 2 cups of water and mix and chop with a spatula until the hamburger is pretty well broken up. Then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 45-60 minutes. Correcting the seasoning at the end is important. Although Cincinnati chili isn't supposed to be super-spicy, you can add heat if you like, or a little vinegar to perk up the flavor, or salt, or a bit of sweetener if it's harsh.
In Cincinnati, you can have it as above with or without cheese and/or onions. Or you can have:
Two-way chili - on spaghetti (we use spaghetti squash)
Three-way chili - on spaghetti with cheddar cheese
Four-way chili - on spaghetti with cheese and onions
Five-way chili - all of the above, plus kidney beans
Nutritional Information Each of 8 servings has 6 grams effective carbohydrate plus 2.5 grams fiber, 23 grams protein, 13 grams fat, and 240 calories
