by Caitlin Saniga

You can't tell from this photo, but an important factor in Cincinnati chili is its soupiness. When you finish slurping up the spaghetti, there should be a pool of chili liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Some people use oyster crackers to soak it up. I used Cheez-its, which trump oyster crackers in my book. I also added some chopped raw onion as a topping.
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 (1 ounce) square unsweetened chocolate
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
- 1/2 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 6 minutes.
Add beef, in batches if necessary, and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned.
Add chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, cloves, bay leaf, chocolate, beef broth, tomato sauce, cider vinegar and red pepper. Stir to mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 hours, stirring occasionally.
The chili is best if you refrigerate it overnight.
Remove the bay leaf. Reheat gently over medium heat. Serve over hot, drained spaghetti. Top with shredded cheddar cheese.
Makes 4 large servings.
Recipe adapted from: AllRecipes.com
*Throughout March, “Crock of…” will appear every Friday with our favorite chili recipes — all of which can be found here.
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