Cincinnati chilli?

GrillSgt

SonVolt said:

Only thing missing is a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup. 

That made me spew dry Lipton Onion Soup mix out of my nose. 

dmchicago

I Lived in Cincy in the early 90's for a few years. There was a Skyline in the basement of my office building at 4th and Walnut. Joined my co-workers there a few times.

nasty shiit.

My buddies swore by it after a night of heavy dranking.

I told them that if that's the best endorsement ya got, I'd rather eat clumps of grass and dirt.

No thanks!

YEMTrey

Born and raised in Cincy.  All this hate!  Embrace the beauty.

smbishop

UncleBilly said:

Growing-up my mom made a lot of really good things.  Chili was not one of them.  She used a “chili recipe” that was basically watery ground beef and stewed tomatoes with a bit of chili powder.  Took me years as an adult  before I could try eating chili again.  

Exactly my experience, yet she added kidney beans...  :(

UncleBilly

Shudder!!!

Botch

Stationed in Dayton for 5 years, and grew to love Skyline Chili (tried the other two main brands in that area, 5 Star and can't remember the other, preferred Skyline).  When I started doing TDYs from here in utard to DC, I scheduled my flight connection in Cinci with at least a 1.5 hour layover, as they had a 5-Star in the airport.  
You can buy Skyline chili, canned, at Amazon, but it's pricey and not quite the same thing (to my tongue, anyway).  I've tried about five different recipes, and this one seems to be the closest:  
 

Basic Ingredients: 1 qt. water 2 lbs. gr. Beef 2 onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic 2 tbsp. vinegar 1 tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 bay leaf 1 ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. red pepper flakes 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 5 whole allspice 3 tbsp. (or more) chili powder 16 oz. tomato sauce ½ oz. baking chocolate Optional: finely grated cheddar cheese chopped onions hot dogs spaghetti oyster crackers Boil water and raw ground beef slowly for 30 minutes (don’t brown ground beef ahead of time…crumble it into small bits and boil it). Add other ingredients and cook over low heat for at least 1 hour. (I think the chocolate is the secret to the special flavor!) Stir often. Refrigerate overnight and then skim off fat. Can be served in a variety of ways. Add kidney beans, top with finely grated cheddar cheese and/or chopped onions. Serve over hot dogs or cocktail franks in pastry, or over cooked spaghetti. Oyster crackers on the side. Enjoy! Serves 8 Submitted by: Sally Anne

Botch here:  Oyster crackers are acceptable if you order a bowl of the chili (which Skyline sells), but if its over pasta (as it should be) WTF would you put crackers on that?!?!?!?   A few drops of Tabasco are also required (that's my opinion and it should be yours).  The hot dogs should be the cheepest you can find, it's all about the chili.  
Finally, I don't have the metabolism of a 2nd Lieutenant anymore, but back then a slice of pecan pie to finish lunch was just perfect!  

Botch

smbishop said:

UncleBilly said:

Growing-up my mom made a lot of really good things.  Chili was not one of them.  She used a “chili recipe” that was basically watery ground beef and stewed tomatoes with a bit of chili powder.  Took me years as an adult  before I could try eating chili again.  

Exactly my experience, yet she added kidney beans...  :(

Kidney beans are the larger, dark-colored ones?  If so, my childhood also.  

nolaegghead

saute onions and garlic, throw in a pound of chorizo and a pound of ground beef.  cooked with a top for 30 minutes (the chorizo is about 40% fat).  drain excess fat (you can replace with butter at the end).

add whatever you like, the most important detail is the quality of the chili.  don't buy crap.

ClarkWGriswoldjr

We have something here called Charlie and Barneys and I love their chili over spaghetti. 

As for the morning after for tomatoes, try a small amount of sugar, it kills the acidity. 

Acn

As Deadspin calls it:  Horrifying Diarrhea Sludge

Teefus

That's not Chili. This is Chili.

TEXASBGE2018

Teefus said:

That's not Chili. This is Chili.

I've never made chili on the egg. I need to try that. Or as @SonVolt calls it my "Hot Dog Sauce"

SonVolt

I kid, I kid. Texas style chili is my favorite... I still do the beans/ground-beef thing in the winter, but when I want to go all out I pull out the dried chilies and beef chuck. Here's the best recipe I've found so far

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/11/real-texas-chili-con-carne.html

Carolina Q

@nolaegghead, that bowl looks outstanding! I like the touch with the cheese, fresh cilantro and onions (I presume) on top.

I haven't tried Kenji's SE recipe, though it's been bookmarked for some time now. If it's half as good as it looks, I'm LONG overdue! The photo even tastes good!

My favorite so far is Cindy Reed's 2-time Terlingua winner.
http://www.chilicookin.com/Recipes/CASI/TICC1992.htm
Sometimes I cook it as shown, other times I add beans, tomatoes and/or onions. Never had a bad batch.

Cincinnati? Can't say I've ever tried it. Might taste okay, I guess... just doesn't look like chili!

SonVolt

Carolina Q said:

I haven't tried Kenji's SE recipe, though it's been bookmarked for some time now. If it's half as good as it looks, I'm LONG overdue! The photo even tastes good!

It's worth it. Don't leave out the fish sauce though if you can stand to be in the same room with the vile stuff. It really does add an incredible depth of flavor. Smells like the Bubonic plague tho. Spill a drop and you may as well burn the house down. 

fishlessman

SonVolt said:

Carolina Q said:

I haven't tried Kenji's SE recipe, though it's been bookmarked for some time now. If it's half as good as it looks, I'm LONG overdue! The photo even tastes good!

It's worth it. Don't leave out the fish sauce though if you can stand to be in the same room with the vile stuff. It really does add an incredible depth of flavor. Smells like the Bubonic plague tho. Spill a drop and you may as well burn the house down. 

a little fish sauce in chili is great, really picks up a nice flavor

Carolina Q

I bought a large bottle of Three Crabs a few years ago. A little goes a long way!!

fishlessman

Carolina Q said:

I bought a large bottle of Three Crabs a few years ago. A little goes a long way!!

fortunately it was rot gut before you got it, it cant go bad

500

Cincinnati Style Chili is wonderful. From Ohio and lived there for many years, many years ago. Check out these articles. The recipe in the My Way article is the recipe I used the last time I made it. And the technique is critical to how it is supposed to taste. Fully cook the regular spaghetti noodles so they are soft, not al dente. Finely shred the cheddar cheese so the bottom layer starts to melt. Finely dice the onions. Not big chunks. Oyster crackers a must and Franks RedHot. Oyster crackers sop up the juices and a splash of hot sauce on top. And even how you eat it makes a difference. I don’t spin it on a fork. I use a knife and fork and cut through all the layers to get a complete representative bite. Yes, I’ve geeked it out somewhat to get the full experience. Add an ice cold Coke and it’s a wonderous meal. Enjoy!

http://www.epicuricloud.com/blog/2013/11/6/recipe-roots-cincinnati-chili

https://www.eater.com/2015/1/27/7866847/Cincinnati-Chili-Camp-Washington-Eater-Elements

nolaegghead

I put fish sauce in everything.  Umami and salt, nuffin' better. 

The smell is highly offensive to SWMBO although I'm an anchovy lovin' philistine and I don't mind it at all.

nolaegghead

The cinnamon and allspice I leave out of chili.  It's not terrible but I just think about it and wonder if it really makes it better or not.  (answer: not)

Richard Fl

I like this version.

Chili, Cincinnati "SKYLINE" CHILI

INGREDIENTS:
1 quart water
2 Med Onions, finely chopped
2 18 Ozs Can Tomato sauce
5 whole allspice or 1/2 tsp. ground
1 1/2 tsp red pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
3-4 Tbs chili powder
1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 lbs ground beef
4 garlic cloves
2 Tbs vinegar
1 whole bay leaf
5 whole cloves
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Procedure:

1. Add ground beef to water in 4 quart pot. Stir until beef separates to a fine texture. Boil slowly for 30 minutes. Add all other ingredients. Stir to blend, bringing to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 3 hours. Pot may be covered the last hour after desired consistency is reached.

2. Chili should be refrigerated overnight, so that the fat can be lifted from top before reheating. Serve over spaghetti. Serve with oyster crackers.

3. 3-way: spaghetti, sauce, finely grated Cheddar cheese

4. 4-way: spaghetti, sauce, cheese, onions

5. 5-way: spaghetti, sauce, cheese, onions, beans.

6. but if i am ever in cincy i will have to try going there

7. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recipe Type: Main Dish

Source
Source: BGE Forum, Bente, 2008/02/09

CarolinaQ

Do a Google search for this.  You can get them for $2.50 each, cheaper if you buy in bulk.



All of my family is from Cincinnati, so I grew up eating it at home and this is the closest store bought spice pack I've found to Skyline, which I prefer.  All you need to add is water, ground beef and a small can of tomato paste and you're in business.  Like most chili I think it tastes better reheated after a day or two in the fridge.  Also, like bowling, it's definitely best when you're hammered.

Definitely mound some kidney beans, diced white onions and a gob of finely shredded mild cheddar cheese on top to get close to what you'd get if you ordered a Skyline 5-way. Don't melt the cheese, don't mix the onions or beans into the chili in the pot.

The one change I make vs. Skyline is I use regular spaghetti vs. thin spaghetti that they serve in the restaurant.  Stands up better against all of the other stuff on top.

Gold Star packets can be had on Amazon.  I think there's more allspice/cinnamon in these, and I like it less.

https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Star-Cincinnati-Chili-Seasoning/dp/B00K0Q1IX2

Gburner

UncleBilly said:

I’ve spent much of life in Ohio and have a Skyline Chili 10 minuets from my house, but have never been to Skyline Chill or tried Cincinnati chili, but gotta say that I’m with the others who are appalled at the thought of chili over spaghetti noodles.  Aside from avoiding chili and spaghetti served together I’m pretty open minded about chili.  I like beans or no beans, I like it with ground beef or ground venison, I like it with stew meat or sausages, I like it spicy and I like it mild.  My one serious preference is that I like it thick like a hearty stew.  Growing-up my mom made a lot of really good things.  Chili was not one of them.  She used a “chili recipe” that was basically watery ground beef and stewed tomatoes with a bit of chili powder.  Took me years as an adult  before I could try eating chili again.  

As a Nebraskan I have the wonderful ability to pick and choose which sides I'm on for Chili as there isn't such a thing as "Traditional Nebraska Chili".  That being said every once in a while for gameday we'll make a Skyline Chili recipe we've found online and served over pasta with shredded cheddar, oyster crackers, jalapenos, diced onions.  Its basically a 1 bowl, and you need a nap type of meal. 

I think Chili ranks up there with "Pizza".  I enjoy being able to make something from all parts of the U.S. and appreciate it.  It's a good meal, is it Texas Chili absolutely not, but doesn't make it "bad".  The ones I've found always use pretty much what people have listed, along with cocoa powder.  

Sort of like a Loose Meat from Iowa.  Most people call them Sloppy Joe's but they are different.  I once found a recipe for Woonsocket's Dynamite Sandwiches which have become a staple in our house.  Think of a Sloppy Joe, on steroids. I like the ones that use Hot Cherry Peppers in them

YEMTrey

This is great for parties and watching games.

https://www.skylinechili.com/promotions.php

YEMTrey

Eggcelsior

Skyline chili is the worst thing I've ever eaten, by far. I'll always hate my sister for taking me there when I visited her in Ohio.

onedbguru

Had it and all I have to say is: Eeewwwwwwwww!!! Blech!!!