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Authentic Cincinnati Chili

Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪 American High-Protein 💪Carnivore 🥩

Authentic Cincinnati Chili layers tender, finely textured beef with a blend of warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and allspice for a distinctly aromatic, slightly sweet-savory taste. Simmered low and slow, it’s perfect ladled over hot spaghetti and topped 3-, 4-, or 5-way with onions, beans, and sharp Cheddar for a hearty crowd-pleaser.

  • Prep15 min
  • Cook3 hr 30 min
  • Serves10
  • DifficultyMedium
Authentic Cincinnati Chili
  1. 1

    Gather the ingredients.

  2. 2

    Put the ground beef in a large pan, cover it with cold water, and bring it to a boil while stirring and breaking up the beef with a fork until very fine. Continue to boil gently until the meat is fully cooked, about 30 minutes.

  3. 3

    Add the onions, tomato sauce, vinegar, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and chocolate. Stir in the chili powder, salt, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper until evenly combined. Add the cloves, allspice berries, and bay leaf.

  4. 4

    Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours. Add water as needed to keep the chili from burning.

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