Cincinnati Chili

quote:

Originally posted by PapaJoe8

Thanks TJ! You saved me from trying some.
Joe

Papa order some Dixie Chili online and make one at home. It is really nothing like anyother chili you will come across. Some love it and some hate it. I love Dixie and Camp Washington. And the stuff Dixie will send you is close to the fresh stuff...Russ

http://www.dixiechili.com/

Russ, I have made my own from a Dixie knock off recipe. I was happy with it but... your right. I should order a few cans of the real thing to compare.
Joe

quote:

Originally posted by PapaJoe8

Russ, I have made my own from a Dixie knock off recipe. I was happy with it but... your right. I should order a few cans of the real thing to compare.
Joe

PJ8,
Please post that knock off recipe if you have it. THANX!

Shoot FoodB, it has been a few years but I got it here at Roadfood... somewhere. Sorry but I can't remember where, or the details. Hmmm, was it on this thread? I did add some celery salt that was not in the recipe.

Anyone have a good Dixie copy cat recipe?
Joe

Cincinnati Chili Recipe

1 large onion chopped
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red (cayenne) pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa or 1/2 ounce grated unsweetened chocolate
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 (16-ounce) package uncooked dried spaghetti pasta
Toppings (see below)

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, saute onion, ground beef, garlic, and chili powder until ground beef is slightly cooked. Add allspice, cinnamon, cumin, cayene pepper, salt, unsweetened cocoa or chocolate, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, and water. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 1 1/2 hours. Remove from heat.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions and transfer onto individual serving plates (small oval plates are traditional).

Ladle chili over spaghetti and serve with toppings of your choice. Oyster crackers are served in a separate container on the side.


Cincinnati chili lovers order their chili by number. Two, Three, Four, or Five Way. Let your guest create their own final product.

I leave the 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon out. But the Cocoa in.

Two-Way Chili: Chili served on spaghetti

Three-Way Chili: Additionally topped with shredded Cheddar cheese

Four-Way Chili: Additionally topped with chopped onions

Five-Way Chili: Additionally topped with kidney beans



Toppings:
Oyster Crackers
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Chopped Onion

...Russ


There are many recipes available but this one is close. Also I like too cook the meat very low and then run it thru a food processor until it is even finer. I know Camp Washington cooks it down for many hours. I live in Dayton Ohio and get to Cincy all the time I dont make it too often as I enjoy going to Camp Washington and Dixie so much.

Read the review on Camp Washington Chili. A true 1 location Roadfood Joint that has been there for decades.

Good recipe Russ, thanks! That sounds about like what what I did except I used celery salt instead of regular salt. I might have used more that 1/2 tsp? And, I used vermicelli cooked in just enough water, with butter, salt, and pepper. And I put most of the cheese under the chili. Just enough on top for show. I just can't resist changing things a bit. :~)
Joe

Shoot, I posted twice. I tried to delete but it wanted my password. I forgot it, sorry. :~(

Anyway, I liked my version of the authentic recipe but hey... I'm kinda weird!
Joe

When making Cincinnati Chili, you are not supposed to brown the ground beef. You simmer it in water. This gives the meat the fine texture that is unique to the chili. In Cincinnati, you can buy spice packets that you add water, ground beef & tomato paste to, to make the chili.

http://www.cincy2u.com/Default.asp?Page=CAT&CatID=0&SelID=2566
http://www.goldstarchili.com/orderform/index.php


In case you can't get the packets, here is a recipe:

CINCINNATI "SKYLINE" CHILI

1 qt. water
2 med. onions, finely chopped
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
5 whole allspice or 1/2 tsp. ground
1 1/2 tsp. red pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
3-4 tbsp. chili powder
1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 lbs. ground beef
4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp. vinegar
1 whole bay leaf
5 whole cloves
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

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

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

4-way: spaghetti, sauce, cheese, onions

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

I guess you could call this a trip report and I know there will be some flack. I have to say, up front, that my "milk chili" was Southwestern, or Texan (see my posts under Shanghai Jimmy's Chili Rice) but I'll try a dish of something with the same name in other places. I've never been to Cincinatti and if I go I certainly have the names of several well regarded chili places to try there, and I will.

I have been to Naples, Florida a couple of times,and as a matter of fact left just ahead of Fay last week. As those of you who have been there recall, there is a Skyline branch on Hiway 41 in Naples.
I'll come back to that in a minute.

First, let me say that Truluck's (Texas - Austin - roots), Lurcat's (Minnesota beginnings I think) and Ridgeway's (Florida original maybe) are fine. fine places to eat, but to me are places for a special meal and not necessarily roadfood. Truluck's has a treatment of SA fish ribs cooked like BBQ that is very unusual. Cafe Lurcat has a roasted cauliflower sise that is also different. Ridgeway's is a great place for brunch and the attached deli and wineshop next door are fun. I happened to meet Tony Ridgeway this time and he is a very nice host.

Second, Alice Sweetwater's and Randy's Fishmarket are both great places where the main attraction is fresh local fried fish and they both do a good job. There is also a hispanic grocer whose name escapes me with great Caribbean and Central American food you can buy and eat in a park nearby. I'll add that name later. And there is Pastrami Dan's, a sandwich shop also on Hiway 41. They have about six or five items on their menu" Pastrami sandwiches (On a bun, sorry, didn't see rye), roast beef sandwiches, combo sandwiches, hot dogs, chili dogs, and a bowl of chili. Pastrami Dan's is also on Hiway 41 and not far from Skyline. The people who run it are from Connecticut. IMO, the last three are very much roadfood places.

Let me say also that all the places I've mentioned are good the summer as well as in the winter when a different crowd with more money is in Naples. The hospitality and quality control deserve high marks both times.

But I was going to talk about Cincinatti chili and the Skyline version in particular. My impression of the the "three-way," I guess it was, spaghetti, cheese, and onions is that it is more like an Italian dish than anything else. Some one else in this thread mentioned a spagheti and meat sauce dish. Also, the copius amount of cheese entirely overwhelmed the chili - and I like cheese. Worst, the cheese and the seasoning in the chili, the "Greek" spices, do not go together - and I like Greek dishes. If I had gotten it with beans that would have added kidney beans I think, and again, that's different than what I grew up with.

I'd also comment that it is more of a bowl of brown than a bowl of red, again because of the Greek seasonings, I think.

In fairness, I'd have to say I have tried Skyline canned chili and did not have all of the same objection. One of these days I'll try their frozen and see how that goes. But next time I try the fresh product I'll get just a plain bowkl of chili with onion and maybe cheese on the side. If I add a lot of hot sauce that might be a better bowl of chili for someone with Southwestern tastes.

If and when I get to Concinnatti I will try the chili at three or two places there, at least. But for the moment, in Naples, Florida, the chili at Pastrami Dan's (made by "Dan's" mother) beats Skykine by a wide margin.

JMO

New guy, flipping through this thread. Never tried Cincinnati-style chili, but have always wanted to. Need to find an appropriate recipe substitution that avoids any and all textured varieties of onion, garlic, and/or tomato, as these are this particular picky eater's biggest ingredient biases. I use garlic and onion powder liberally, and I am okay with tomato sauce, soup, paste, puree, etc. Just can't handle biting into a solid piece of any of these particular items for some reason (I actually get physically sick just from one bite), been this way since I was a kid. Yes, I am a nutjob who is exceedingly difficult to cook for, hence I do most of the cooking in our household...

Noticed some earlier comments in this thread implicating that Pittsburgh residents would probably wonder why french fries aren't a chili topping. To that, I just have to say that they're probably wondering where the cole slaw is, as well. Most of my longtime girlfriend's family lives in the Pittsburgh area. I'm sure I have a few Primanti Brothers T-shirts lying around, by now. I'm actually wearing a Nate-Dogg's T-shirt as I type this, which brings up a whole separate idea of what goes on a hot dog...

quote:

Originally posted by OldManAP

New guy, flipping through this thread. Never tried Cincinnati-style chili, but have always wanted to. Need to find an appropriate recipe substitution that avoids any and all textured varieties of onion, garlic, and/or tomato, as these are this particular picky eater's biggest ingredient biases. I use garlic and onion powder liberally, and I am okay with tomato sauce, soup, paste, puree, etc. Just can't handle biting into a solid piece of any of these particular items for some reason (I actually get physically sick just from one bite), been this way since I was a kid. Yes, I am a nutjob who is exceedingly difficult to cook for, hence I do most of the cooking in our household...

Noticed some earlier comments in this thread implicating that Pittsburgh residents would probably wonder why french fries aren't a chili topping. To that, I just have to say that they're probably wondering where the cole slaw is, as well. Most of my longtime girlfriend's family lives in the Pittsburgh area. I'm sure I have a few Primanti Brothers T-shirts lying around, by now. I'm actually wearing a Nate-Dogg's T-shirt as I type this, which brings up a whole separate idea of what goes on a hot dog...

When you order Cincinnati Chili, Just tell them to hold the chili & onions and just give you pasta, cheese and a bottle of Ketchup!

Well, ketchup doesn't fit into my idea of what this experience should be. And the cheese is actually a bit of a bone of contention for me, as I am not lactose intolerant, but quite a few cheeses (including American and most cheddars) do disagree with my ulcerative colitis, so I tend not to eat many sharp yellow cheeses.

My big onion concern isn't so much about raw onion as a topping, but whether there are onions actually cooked into the chili. I can't stomach the things even if they're cooked for hours. That's why I mentioned the onion powder. And most recipes I've found on the internet mention boiling chopped onion into the chili itself. And regardless of exactly how the places in Cincinnati do it, I can't get up there more than about once every few years anyway, so it's moot. I need a reliable recipe that will get me at least as close as I can get (with my food idiosyncracies) that I can cook at home and at least get the general idea of what this style of chili really is.

Does anyone think that I could take the recipe that soozycue520 posted above and substitute an appropriate measure of garlic and onion powder for the raw garlic and onion, and still be reasonably close?

Man, I'm complicated... ;)

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

quote:

Originally posted by jimsock9
They should offer real chili (no beans). I'm disappointed because Steak & Shake is in our area and now I won't be trying the chili. Beans? BLECHHH!

Another day, another person declares intolerance of regional differences in cuisine on a website that celebrates regional differences in cuisine.

*sigh*

Keep up the good fight.
I have been in chili contests and did not use beans, per rules of the contest. But I love beans,and I would have if given the choice.
My earliest experiences with chili was Dennison's or Hormel that came with beans. Maybe I have been corrupted.
I believe that they are a important food group that makes the whole dish very healthy. I think that Cinnicinati chili is one of the best examples of a one plated dinner that covers all food groups.
I tried to make some using the recipes I've seen hereabouts, but since I have never really had 'The True' version, I wasn't too impressed.

mark

P.S. Regarding celery salt/seeds, they are nice in chicken salad.

quote:

Originally posted by OldManAP

Well, ketchup doesn't fit into my idea of what this experience should be. And the cheese is actually a bit of a bone of contention for me, as I am not lactose intolerant, but quite a few cheeses (including American and most cheddars) do disagree with my ulcerative colitis, so I tend not to eat many sharp yellow cheeses.

My big onion concern isn't so much about raw onion as a topping, but whether there are onions actually cooked into the chili. I can't stomach the things even if they're cooked for hours. That's why I mentioned the onion powder. And most recipes I've found on the internet mention boiling chopped onion into the chili itself. And regardless of exactly how the places in Cincinnati do it, I can't get up there more than about once every few years anyway, so it's moot. I need a reliable recipe that will get me at least as close as I can get (with my food idiosyncracies) that I can cook at home and at least get the general idea of what this style of chili really is.

Does anyone think that I could take the recipe that soozycue520 posted above and substitute an appropriate measure of garlic and onion powder for the raw garlic and onion, and still be reasonably close?

Man, I'm complicated... ;)

Based on all your issues, I would suggest that you just give up on the idea of having anything close to Cincinnati Chili to eat. It appears nothing you can eat will even come remotely close to the real stuff. Sorry you have these problems, but it isn't going to work for you.

quote:

Originally posted by OldManAP

Well, ketchup doesn't fit into my idea of what this experience should be. And the cheese is actually a bit of a bone of contention for me, as I am not lactose intolerant, but quite a few cheeses (including American and most cheddars) do disagree with my ulcerative colitis, so I tend not to eat many sharp yellow cheeses.

My big onion concern isn't so much about raw onion as a topping, but whether there are onions actually cooked into the chili. I can't stomach the things even if they're cooked for hours. That's why I mentioned the onion powder. And most recipes I've found on the internet mention boiling chopped onion into the chili itself. And regardless of exactly how the places in Cincinnati do it, I can't get up there more than about once every few years anyway, so it's moot. I need a reliable recipe that will get me at least as close as I can get (with my food idiosyncracies) that I can cook at home and at least get the general idea of what this style of chili really is.

Does anyone think that I could take the recipe that soozycue520 posted above and substitute an appropriate measure of garlic and onion powder for the raw garlic and onion, and still be reasonably close?

Man, I'm complicated... ;)

You could order some from Dixie Chili. http://www.dixiechili.com/

...Russ

Now I agree with that, pierogi on anything goes well. I also am a fan of Cincinnati chily
Clay Bell

I made a batch of chili using the recipe posted by Soozycue. We had it 3-way. I don't know how I did because I never had Cincinnati Chili before, but everyone liked it. It was also great on hot dogs the next day.

I always get the cheese coneys when I go to Skyline, Gold Star, etc. I like it better than over pasta, frankly.

I was under the impression that you don't brown the beef -- you simmer it and then strain it. And a Four Way can have either onions or beans.

Michael, that's the impression I got as well. And it seems like it would yield a very different texture, as browning the beef first is going to yield larger clumps of meat, whereas boiling it would give a finer texture, which seems more appropriate to the sauce-like nature of the dish.

I've also been told by a good many sources that most chili parlors in Cincinatti do not cook any onion into the sauce itself, but save the onions raw for a possible topping for four-way, and to definitely be included in a five-way...hence, one of my issues with Foodbyme's comments above. It seems I shouldn't be REQUIRED to include any onion in the sauce portion of the dish if I don't want to, especially after so many folks have told me that it wouldn't be so in the authentic dish anyway.

Now, as for my own health-conscious avoidance of sharp yellow cheeses, well that may be in contrary to the typical serving of the dish, but I can't avoid that. I don't avoid hamburgers altogether just because the rest of the country thinks I MUST have a cheeseburger (and intolerable pain that keeps me from walking for two days). I like pasta and kidney beans, and I just bet I'd like a Cincinatti-style chili sauce without any onions. Anyone (other than Foodbyme) see why I can't just put those three things together and enjoy them? OK, the waiter would look at me funny in a chili parlor in Cincinatti, but isn't the customer always right? It's not the "holy authentic three-way", but does that mean I mustn't even try to find a version that I can eat?

Sorry if this seems a little irate, but a certain person's comments (both public and private) have really rubbed me as intolerant, hypocrytical, and just plain wrong.

If you had never had Cincinnati Chili and followed anyone's homemade recipe you would have absolutely no idea whether you are tasting anything similar to the road food chili parlor commercial varieties. I do find the addition of the onions directly in the sauce confusing because they are also an added optional condiment as is the cheese. I don't remember onions as part of the Skyline Chili sauce (maybe because I smothered it with chopped onions) so would think maybe the addition as an optional uncooked chopped onion condiment would satisfy those that wanted it but would not change the chili experience itself. But the garlic and tomato sauce are integral to the recipe. I suspect without the tomato sauce you might be getting closer to a Loosemeat experience. Then what's the point? It thus would not be Cincinnati Chili.

A favorite subject! Like the City Beat article posted above described, I'm an ex-Cincinnatian who is a Cincinnati Chili junkie. And I like to talk about it. So here's some other stuff you may not know.

After 45 years in Cincinnati, I'm now living in Missouri and, other than my mom, the thing I miss the most is the chili! I'm also disappointed in the barbecue here, but that's another story.

Like a previous poster said, Empress Chili was the first purveyor of Cincinnati chili. That chain still exists but is dwarfed by the top two: Gold Star and Skyline, which each have more than 50 locations. But not only are there the chains (the three I mentioned plus small Northern Kentucky chain Dixie Chili that others have posted links to), but there are many local neighborhood "chili parlors" as Cincinnatians call them. Most famous is probably Camp Washington, but there is also Dimitrios, Pleasant Ridge Chili, Blue Ash Chili, White Oaks Chili in Groesbeck, Chili Time in St. Bernard, Rhombe's in Blue Ash, and the place whose chili I grew up eating, P&T Restaurant in Finneytown. And many others.

Most people have their favorites and it's not hard to get a good Gold Star vs. Skyline argument going. For me, Gold Star is slightly better than Skyline because it's a little bit sweeter. But Skyline is good too, and superior to Dixie or Empress. Your mileage may vary. I haven't yet tried a home recipe that really nailed the Cincinnati chili flavor, although admittedly I've only tried a couple of dozen of them. ;) The closest non-commercial version I've tried is from my friend Bruce, but he won't turn loose of the recipe.

And most non-Cincinnatians don't get it and never will. It is apparently an acquired taste, although it does help to do as others have suggested and try not to equate the taste with other things called "chili", because it is not the same thing at all.

And one of the beauties of it is the way you can customize it. I don't care for the pasta and I'm non-dairy so I get the naked chili ("chili plain" in Skyline-ese) and put in a bunch of their (tobasco-ish) hot sauce and supplied oyster crackers. Or for variety, I'll get "chili bean". BTW, you don't order just a "4-way"...you need to specify, "4-way bean" or "4-way onion". And for the coneys I just order hot dogs ("wiener bun" or "double wiener bun" - with two dogs) and put some of my chili over it when I get home so the bun doesn't get soggy too soon.

Oh, and I never heard of a "6-way"...I guess the garlic is a Camp Washington thing.

Any questions? ;)

Oops, I forgot a few things suggested by others posts. First, I've never seen any mention of celery in any Cincinnati chili recipe. On top of that, it sounds like a bad idea.

The beef in correct Cincinnati chili is very finely ground and the sauce is cooked down to a smooth consistency...no lumps of anything. Which reminds me...people (as even some in this thread) will argue that one brand of chili is thicker than another...and they are wrong. The thickness is less an issue of the brand and more dependent on the individual location. For example, both the Skyline and Gold Star stores in St. Bernard serve some of the thinnest chili around, but you can get thicker versions of each at other branches.

And drunk coneys after midnight at the Clifton Skyline (near UC's main campus) is a ritual every true Cincinnatian needs to experience.

For great Cincity chili just grab a packet of Gold Star chili mix at your local Walmart Supercenter. Don't carry it at your location? Get it from Gold Star:http://www.goldstarchili.com/grocery/index.php Makes some really great Cincinnati Chili. I also use this seasoning to make a meatless Cincinnati Chili Bean Soup. Well it only uses chicken or beef broth and/or boullian cubes to add a bit of flavor. IMHO the Gold Star is a lot better tasting than the Cincinnati Recipe brand packets.

Former Price Hill resident. Ate at the original location of Skyline innumerable times. Walked past it twice daily for four years while attending Elder High School. Class of '69 btw...Oh my achin' back shouldn't have remembered that!

quote:

Originally posted by Time for Pie

Oops, I forgot a few things suggested by others posts. First, I've never seen any mention of celery in any Cincinnati chili recipe. On top of that, it sounds like a bad idea.

I agree, I never tasted anything remotely resembling celery in Cincinnati Style Chili, and I should know, because here in Rhode Island, the local hot dogs are served with "hot weiner sauce" which "screams" celery salt on first bite.

MiamiDon, Have you tried the Skyline Chili location on U.S. 1 just south of Oakland Park Blvd in Ft. Lauderdale? My last time there was about 5-6 years ago, it was the real McCoy. Do not know if it's still there?

quote:

Originally posted by John A

MiamiDon, Have you tried the Skyline Chili location on U.S. 1 just south of Oakland Park Blvd in Ft. Lauderdale? My last time there was about 5-6 years ago, it was the real McCoy. Do not know if it's still there?

No, I haven't, but it is on my list of Broward County places to try. It's about 50 miles away. My family was in Cincinnati for about 150 years, so I plan to actually go to the home of Cincy chili some time in the near future.

While you're up that way you might want to try the food court at the Festival indoor Flea Market. It's not your typical Mall Food Court by any means, good spot for pictures as well.

http://www.festival.com/DiscoverTheFestival.aspx

quote:

But the garlic and tomato sauce are integral to the recipe. I suspect without the tomato sauce you might be getting closer to a Loosemeat experience. Then what's the point? It thus would not be Cincinnati Chili.

It's been a few months since I looked at this, but thought I'd revisit it. Let me get this straight. Should the recipe be made with tomato sauce or with chunks of tomatoes? Because it always seemed to me that it would be with tomato sauce, and that is what Davydd seems to confirm above. I take no issue with tomato sauce whatsoever. It's big ol' chunks of tomato that I don't like...which is kinda why I said:

quote:

I am okay with tomato sauce, soup, paste, puree, etc.

A couple of months ago, it felt a little to me that I was being "attacked" a bit because of a handful of foodstuffs that I either don't like or can't eat for health reasons, and that because of those things that I somehow wasn't "worthy" of Cincinnati-style chili.

But it seems more and more that some folks here may have misconstrued which of these foods were problematic to me, and that I can probably eat this style of chili after all. It would seem to me that my only problem foods fall under the category of "optional toppings" in this particular case (i.e. cheese and chopped onion). Does this sound right at all? (Oh, and just in case anyone is thinking of telling me that I HAVE to have the cheese and onions, I don't eat those items on a Quarter Pounder either, and it doesn't stop being a Quarter Pounder as a result... )

OldManAP~

I posted a recipe somewhere on this thread, which some people read over or ignored. The basic recipe calls for UNCOOKED ground beef, water, tomato paste & spices. When you boil the ground beef, with the rest of the ingredients, the beef gets a very fine texture.

You DON'T have to have any cheese or onions on Cincy chili. A two way is chili & spaghetti. A coney is chili on a hot dog on bun {with cheese, it becomes a CHEESE coney}. A chili sandwich is just chili on a bun. My favorite thing to order at Cincy chili parlors is a chili cheese sandwich, with onion & mustard, which are ALWAYS optional.

OldManAP

[id="quote"]quote: [id="quote"]But the garlic and tomato sauce are integral to the recipe. I suspect without the tomato sauce you might be getting closer to a Loosemeat experience. Then what's the point? It thus would not be Cincinnati Chili.

[id="quote"]

It's been a few months since I looked at this, but thought I'd revisit it. Let me get this straight. Should the recipe be made with tomato sauce or with chunks of tomatoes? Because it always seemed to me that it would be with tomato sauce, and that is what Davydd seems to confirm above. I take no issue with tomato sauce whatsoever. It's big ol' chunks of tomato that I don't like...which is kinda why I said:

[id="quote"]quote: [id="quote"]I am okay with tomato sauce, soup, paste, puree, etc.

[id="quote"]

A couple of months ago, it felt a little to me that I was being "attacked" a bit because of a handful of foodstuffs that I either don't like or can't eat for health reasons, and that because of those things that I somehow wasn't "worthy" of Cincinnati-style chili.

But it seems more and more that some folks here may have misconstrued which of these foods were problematic to me, and that I can probably eat this style of chili after all. It would seem to me that my only problem foods fall under the category of "optional toppings" in this particular case (i.e. cheese and chopped onion). Does this sound right at all? (Oh, and just in case anyone is thinking of telling me that I HAVE to have the cheese and onions, I don't eat those items on a Quarter Pounder either, and it doesn't stop being a Quarter Pounder as a result... )

I agree with most of this!  As a Cincy chili lover, I can say that leaving off the cheese, onions and even the pasta still counts as an authentic Cincinnati chili experience.  That's half the fun...designing your own meal from the choices offered.  My favorite order is "Chili plain" and I add only a few drops of hot sauce (the stuff Gold Star provides in packets is excellent...Skyline has Tobasco) and plenty of oyster crackers.  I also order a "double wiener bun" (or two) which is Skyline lingo for a bun with two dogs in it...to which I add mustard and some of the chili from my bowl.  I'm non-dairy, so I don't do cheese, and - for me - the spaghetti and onions obscure the great flavor of the chili too much. 

Interestingly, Skyline once marketed a frozen chili pack with sliced hot dogs and small pasta shells in it.  It was really good, but you couldn't duplicate it in the restaurants and they don't offer it any more. 

I agree with you an the hamburger thing too, although when you try a McDonald's burger without cheese you discover the truth...their meat sucks!

For the other topic, NEVER put chunks of tomato (or of anything else) in Cincinnati chili.  It is a smooth puree with nothing in it larger than the finely-ground beef.

I'm kinda late for this thread, but here goes:

The following recipe is the one that I worked out in the early 80's, when Skyline wasn't cutting corners by diluting their recipe. I can't stand to eat there anymore. All my friends have ever told me was that it was "Dead On" (I went for a few months comparing Skyline and mine). I kept it secret but now other's should know the wonders of this flavor combination. BTW- The secret ingredient for this style of chili is Chocolate.

Skyline (Cincinnati or Greek) Chili

Add 2 lb. Ground Beef to 1/2 qt. water and cook, at medium temp, till fine. (2-3 hrs. or more)
Drain well.


Mix well in blender:

2 onions (chopped)
4 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
5 whole allspice
5 whole cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 1/2 - 3 tbs. chili power
2 Tbs. tarragon vinegar
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 oz. chocolate melted in 2 tbs. water
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 beef bouillon cubes
3 drops tobasco sauce
2 cans tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Add to beef and cook a long time (4-5 hrs.)
You can serve at anytime, but BEST to refrigerate over night and reheat.


Serve with :
oysterettes crackers
graded sharp cheddar cheese
kidney beans
chopped onions
Speghetti


Put on episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati and enjoy.

and remember.......Skyline Chili must taste the same going in and coming out, at both ends. Next day on the toilet you should say "Yeah! That was some Good Skyline Chili". Then you know it was made correctly.

It is nice to see a number of threads on this subject.  It warms my heart.

dave1f

.......Skyline Chili must taste the same going in and coming out, at both ends. Next day on the toilet you should say "Yeah! That was some Good Skyline Chili". Then you know it was made correctly.

 

 

Some say that about White Castles..

I live in Alabama but absolutely love Cin. Chili. I have relatives in Cin. and KY and when I visit I stop at Skyline even before I go to their home and get my fix.

They do sell it in the cans here at Kroger's but nothing like the real thing.