Cincinnati Chili

“The chocolate in this recipe threw me off at first, but now it's the only way I make chili,” writes Joyce Alm from Thorp, Washington. You'll find layers of delicious flavor in this heartwarming dish. It's well-worth the time it takes!

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This is, with out a doubt, the BEST chili I have ever tasted!!! The chocolate and the cinnamon "seal the deal"! Thank you for posting this recipe.

To make this a true "Cincinnati Chili," you need to sprinkle finely shredded cheddar cheese to the top.

I'm from the Cincy area & true Cincy chili does not have the beans in the chili...add cheese & we call it a 3-way, add onions, too & it's a 4-way. Add the kidney beans & it's a 5-way! Any way you eat it, is delicious!

Re:Cincinnati Chili True Cincinnati Chili you do not brown the beef first you cook it in water for thirty minutes then add the rest of the ingredients

In true Cincinnati Chili the beef is boiled in water and not drain which is why you use the leanest meats.

be4good

You are suppose to top this with grated cheese , a dollop of sour cream and oyster crackers, and chopped onions are optional. Rosie

I won't make this chili again. I tasted it after 4 hours in the crockpot and salvaged it with brown sugar and salt. I guess I like Pennsylvania chili better.

I wasn't sure we'd like this but it was good.  My husband ate his with tortilla chips and I used spaghetti and some raw onions on top.  We both had shredded cheese.  My 3 year old liked it a lot!

I live in Northern Kentucky where this type of chili is king. I love this recipe and make it at least once a week. Once you get used to the cinnamon/chocolate flavor it is hard to eat it any other way.

I grew up in Ohio and my mother is from Cincinnati, so the chili has been fed to me from a very early age. This is the best recipe that my mother has ever made, and she shared it with me.  It is great. I did not add beans and i browned the meat with water to give it the right texture. Other than that it was great. Add hot sauce and minced onions on top with fancy shredded cheese to get the best tate. Do the same when making chili dogs.Yummm.