Cincinnati Chili

A friend of mine just got back from Cincinnati and told about Cincinnati Chili. Chili over spaghetti with a layer of cheddar cheese? I have never heard of this! Seems to me the spaghetti would be a little to much with chili.

My husband brought home some Skyline chili from Cincinnati recently, having heard it is wonderful.It is very different from chili I know(but very tasty)as it has a distinct cinnamon taste to it.We tried it on hot gogs, and the spaghetti you mentioned.I prefer it over the spaghetti as it is a much finer coarse chili and didnt stay on the hot dog bun easily.Very yummy, though...

It is extremely popular here in Cincinnati.

Some folks eat it 3-4 times a week. If you asked my sister Lisa, she'd tell you it is here favorite meal.

That said, I think it is a bit of an acquired taste, same as goetta. Not something that you will necessarily like as an adult trying it for the first time. My kids clamor for it.

I am of the belief that out of towner's enjoy it more if they don't spend time trying to argue that it isn't chili as they know it. Fine, if you don't think to is really chili, think of it as a special greek (greek folks put this recipe together in the early 20th century) spaghetti\hot dog sauce, and you'll tend to like it a lot better.

please do not misunderstand-i was just saying it was not a type of chili I expected.We order it on line all the time, and as I said in my previous post-"Very tasty"and "yummy".And I quickly solved the problem with the hot dog-I serve an open faced sandwich with the chili, hot dogs and cheddar.We just eat it with a fork!!!Great meal with a salad...

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Originally posted by annpeeples

please do not misunderstand-i was just saying it was not a type of chili I expected.

No misunderstanding here - it's cool - we Cincinnatian's get reactions from "how odd" to "thats NOT chili, dammit" all the time. Each is right in some ways, each is wrong in some ways. It is what it is.

I live in Huntsville, AL, and have relatives in Crescent Springs, KY. I ALWAYS get my Cincy chili fix when I visit (got on coming up soon). I absolutely love it. The little coney dogs are my fav. (I can't believe how much cheese they pile on), and my next fav. is a 4 way (I'm not too crazy about the beans). People in Cincy and surrounding areas that offer this type of chili are so lucky.

I have bought the canned Skyline chili from Korger's but it just ain't the same (something to be said about the atmosphere of a restaurant).

Gold Star has a stand in Concourse B at the Cincy airport. I also enjoy those small dogs with onions, chili and cheese.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I will never forget my first experience with "Mid-western" Chili. I had traveled to Louisville from NJ for a job interview at the college that later hired me. When the Dean took me to lunch at a local restaurant I had a cup of chili with the lunch. I was so shocked when I spooned into that cup and found spaghetti in the bottom of the chili. Then when I tasted it, it had the Cincinnati spice-base, rather than the Tex-Mex spice base. That formed the basis for the conversation over lunch!!
That was 28 years ago and even with a 15 year break to go back to SOCAL in the middle of that time period, I must admit I really like the Cincinnati version. I prefer it in a bowl with all the "5 levels" mixed in as opposed to the "Layers on a Plate" one gets at the traditional Chili Parlor. BUT IT IS GREAT !!

Skyline Chili! I heard about it recently, via another forum, and am looking forward to trying it on our road trip to Florida. I've located a couple of restaurants on our route. My question: Has anyone tried either the frozen meals or the canned Skyline sold in some supermarkets?

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Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

I will never forget my first experience with "Mid-western" Chili. I had traveled to Louisville from NJ for a job interview at the college that later hired me. When the Dean took me to lunch at a local restaurant I had a cup of chili with the lunch. I was so shocked when I spooned into that cup and found spaghetti in the bottom of the chili. Then when I tasted it, it had the Cincinnati spice-base, rather than the Tex-Mex spice base. That formed the basis for the conversation over lunch!!
That was 28 years ago and even with a 15 year break to go back to SOCAL in the middle of that time period, I must admit I really like the Cincinnati version. I prefer it in a bowl with all the "5 levels" mixed in as opposed to the "Layers on a Plate" one gets at the traditional Chili Parlor. BUT IT IS GREAT !!

Al~~

You can order a "bowl" of Cincy chili, and get it without spaghetti. Or any adornments.

I think "Cincinnati chili" is best described as not chili, but "Greek spaghetti sauce". It is more sauce than chili.

I like the "coneys" better. Coneys [not coney islands] are [extra small] hot dogs with Cincy chili, with or without mustard, cheese, and onions.

I, personally, like "chili cheese sandwiches" without the hot dog. I know this is blasphemy to hot dog lovers, but, until you try them...

Cincinnati chili is different, but definitely Cincinnati. And it is GRRRR8!!!

the skyline chili was recently featured on the Pitt-Cincinnati college football game.

it looked great.

GCW-
While the canned and frozen versions give the basis tastes, Eating the chili in a regular Chili Parlor, be it Skyline or Gold Star or one of several other 'brands' Is the only way to really get the full-flavor!

Much like the idea of buying frozen White Castles versus getting them fresh at 3AM after a long night of Pub-Crawling. It just ISN'T the same !

I've never tries the frozen or canned stuff, but I have used the pre-packaged Skyline season mix. Just add ground beef (I add beans too, but I'm sick like that). I love the stuff.

I bought a mix once and made it at home. Basically, I want to bathe in it.

It can hardly be called chili, but that does not mean it's crazy tasty, which it is. I'll take three Skyline cheese coneys with mustard and onions. I stop there every time I'm in Cincy. They have Gold Star around where my parents live, but I'll take Skyline over Gold Star anyday. Not that Gold Star isn't tasty, Skyline's just tastier.

I've only had the pleasure of real on-location Cincinatti chili once, years ago. OK, it's not exactly what the rest of the world would call Chili, but it was mighty tasty. The local Wegmans here in NJ carry Skyline canned Chili, and it's pretty dam close to what I remember. I always keep a couple of cans on hand, and wait for my wife to serve Spahetti to the 4 of us. There's usually just enough left over to add onions, shredded cheese, and make a good Cincy style lunch for myself the next day.

Only drawback, Skyline canned Chili is about twice as expensive as the next most expensive brand canned Chili. --Ken

I live in Florida (Orlando area) no Cincinnati Chili here. I am wanting to make some for my friends and have the chili recipe but I would love to find those little hotdogs and buns. Does anyone know where you can get them? Thanks for your help.

This may have been covered in the past, but can anyone who knows Cincinnati chili recommend a reasonable recipe? I recall that some time ago Gourmet did one that looked interesting, but it was quite invovled and made a large quantity for something we might eat once and decide we don't like. Probably what you need to do to make it properly, but does anyone have a favorite home version?

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Originally posted by MarciaD

I live in Florida (Orlando area) no Cincinnati Chili here. I am wanting to make some for my friends and have the chili recipe but I would love to find those little hotdogs and buns. Does anyone know where you can get them? Thanks for your help.

At the Skyline website they list six locations in FL but none really close to Orlando

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Originally posted by Ashphalt

This may have been covered in the past, but can anyone who knows Cincinnati chili recommend a reasonable recipe? I recall that some time ago Gourmet did one that looked interesting, but it was quite invovled and made a large quantity for something we might eat once and decide we don't like. Probably what you need to do to make it properly, but does anyone have a favorite home version?

From Chili Nation:

Cincinnati is a city bewitched by chili; there are at least a hundred joints in town that make a specialty of it. And we do mean joints, for chili, Cincinnati-style, tends to be one rude plate of food, best eaten off a Formica counter under humming fluorescent lights after midnight in the company of other devout chiliheads.

Bearing no resemblance to any Southwestern-style “bowl of red,” it is called five-way because there are five separate layers in its full configuration. On a thick oval plate that has enough inward slope so ingredients list towards the center, a base is created from a heap of glistening limp spaghetti noodles; they in turn are topped by a deliriously spiced sauce of finely-ground beef, then beans, then raw onions, and finally a fluffy crown of cheddar cheese. Oyster crackers are the traditional garnish, and the proper companion beverage is a milk shake or sweet soda pop.

NO Cincinnati chili chef gives out his recipe, but we did manage to secure one by sending away a dollar to a lady over the border in Kentucky, who advertised in the back of a Midwest housewife’s magazine that she knew how to make the real thing. With some minor adjustments, it worked for us, and closely approximates some of the city’s best brews. Feel free to fiddle and fuss to your own taste, and if you are missing cardamom or coriander, substitute something else. Five-way practically demands that you reinvent the recipe and make it your own.

1 pound ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup thick barbecue sauce
½ cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ ounce unsweetened chocolate, grated
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon salt
tomato juice, as needed
9 ounces spaghetti, cooked and lightly buttered
1 16-ounce can kidney beans, heated and drained
1 pound Cheddar cheese, finely shredded
oyster crackers as garnish.

Brown the meat with half the chopped onion and garlic, stirring to keep it loose. (Set the remaining onion aside to top the chili when it’s done.) Drain any fat from the pan. Add barbecue sauce and water and bring the pan to a boil. Add the spices. Cover the pan and lower the heat. Simmer thirty minutes, stirring occasionally. The chili will thicken as it cooks. Add tomato juice as necessary to create a brew that ladles up easily. Allow the chili to "rest" at least thirty minutes in a covered pan at room temperature. (Chili can be refrigerated and reheated to serve.)

To make each plate, put a layer of spaghetti down, top it with hot chili, then a few beans, then the reserved chopped onions to taste. Pat on the cheese so the chili’s heat can begin to melt it. Serve immediately with oyster crackers.
Serves 4.

Thank you! That looks perfect for one of the upcoming Fall weekends.

Thanks for the information!

Greek-style chili (sauce) is very popular here, with that taste of cinnamon. I actually can't think of one local hamburger joint that doesn't use a version of it on their burgers, hot dogs and fries.

I'm looking forward to trying the real Skyline at the restaurant in Ft. Myers, and then picking up some cans, even though it won't be on a par with the real thing. I'm wondering if you can purchase cans at the restaurant because all of the grocery stores along our route seem to carry only the frozen. We've got to have chili sauce for our hot dogs and hamburgers while we're on vacation.

For Ashphalt, here's the version I make at home:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 yellow onions (finely minced)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp salt
1 tsp celery seeds
1 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp hot red pepper flakes
2 cups tomato juice
2 cups canned beef broth
1/4 cup cornmeal

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add ground beef and cook until brown.

Combine the dry ingredients and mix into ground beef, stirring for a few minutes.

Add tomato juice and broth. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced by 1/3 (about 1 1/2 hours).

Add cornmeal and stir for two minutes.

Freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

When I growing up my mother would often make spagetti with chile. Not real spicy, but plenty of ground beef, kidney beans, in a tomato base. I don't know where she got the recipe, but she was never in cincinnati so she didn't steal it!

quote:

Originally posted by annpeeples

My husband brought home some Skyline chili from Cincinnati recently, having heard it is wonderful.It is very different from chili I know(but very tasty)as it has a distinct cinnamon taste to it.We tried it on hot gogs, and the spaghetti you mentioned.I prefer it over the spaghetti as it is a much finer coarse chili and didnt stay on the hot dog bun easily.Very yummy, though...

I have a friend that manages the local skyline, and during his really short of help times I go in and help him out.

the key to keeping the chili on the dog in the bun, is to pinch the ends closed.

That is the way they make their chili cheese sandwhich's, pinch the ends and make a bowl out of the bun.

for the coney dogs, it helps that the dogs are smaller dogs.

As for the taste, yes it is an acquired taste, and we do have people who come in daily for it. When I was in HS, we ate there 3 times a day in the summer (lunch, dinner and late night)

Gold star offers something that I wish skyline would and that is a 6-way, Jalapenos added on top.

Cincy Style Chili Guide

3-Way, Spaghetti, chili, cheddar cheese
4-Way, Spaghetti, (beans), chili, (or onion), cheese
5-Way, Spaghetti, beans, chili, onion, cheese
6-Way, Spaghetti, beans, chili, onion, jalapenos, cheese

always served with oyster crackers

Can be served:

Small, Regular, Large, Family
Dry (Chili placed on spaghetti then excess fluid drained back off)
WET (extra chili, MY FAVORITE, but you need a bigger plate under the regular plate to catch the over flow)

My favorite is a large 5-Way WET. You take the extra plate and put the oyster crackers on it first, then slide off the 5-Way onto the bigger plate, put black pepper on it and several dashes of hot sauce.

Always ask for a bib.

DIG IN and ENJOY!!!

As for the canned or frozen, it is ok, but not really the same, you got to experience it at one of the local chili places to really enojy it.

Dixie Chili has the option to add fresh chopped garlic atop your 2-3-4-5 way

Oh...wow

Dixie offers garlic on top of the 5 way.... LOL..Thats awesome.

Thanks...I'll have to try that the next time I am in Northern Kentucky!!!

Thanks, cajunking!!!We love chili dogs-so i will pinch the buns!!

it worked cajunking-I made chili dogs tonight with the canned Skyline chili,and pinching my buns worked!!!

Hmmmmmmm, Ann, in the kitchen pinching Buns
In a busy Chili Parlor they must have a full-time Bun-Pincher to keep things "together"