Cincinnati Chili

Step 1

The Seasonings: Chili powder and cumin are required for almost any chili recipe, but in Cincinnati chili, you’ll find cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and possibly nutmeg, paprika, and/or oregano. Worcestershire sauce is also a standard ingredient. A little unsweetened chocolate or cocoa powder is controversial, but not unheard of.No Browning, No Sautéing: Any Cincinnati chili recipe that begins with “Heat the olive oil . . . ” is inauthentic on two counts: there’s no sautéing, and there's no olive oil. This counters everything you’ve ever been taught about building up layers of flavor in a soup or stew. But remember, this is diner food with a caravan of spices. Just dump everything in the pot, stir it as it comes to a boil, and that’s that. This creates a pasty, uniform texture as opposed to distinct crumbles of ground beef. It will not look pretty at first. But stick with us—it works.The Toppings: Repeat after me: You don’t put beans in Cincinnati chili. You may, however, put beans on top of the chili. Minced raw onion, fluffy piles of finely grated mild cheddar cheese, and oyster crackers are also traditional accompaniments. At a chili parlor, they call these “ways,” as in 2-Way, 3-Way, and so on up to a 5-Way, which has chili, beans, onions, and cheese over spaghetti.

Step 2

On spaghetti: This is the Bolognese concept we touched on earlier, topped with all the “ways” mentioned above.In a bowl, like regular chili: “That’s obvious!” you may say, and you are right.On a hot dog: This is called a Coney. Top a beef hot dog in a steamed bun with chili, diced onions, and finely shredded cheddar cheese. Some folks might put a squiggle of yellow mustard on the chili before adding the other stuff. This is not only allowable, but excellent.

Step 3

Cook the tomato paste: Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the tomato paste to the dry pot and cook, constantly scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, until the tomato smells rich and toasty and you start to see browned (not burned) patches in the bottom of the pot. This should take 1 to 3 minutes. Combine the ingredients in a pot: Remove the pot from heat and add the ground beef and water. Mix them together into a sludge. It will not look pretty, but press on. There's a method to this madness. Return to medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring all the while, so the sludge breaks up into a mealy paste. Add all the remaining ingredients except the vinegar and chocolate. Alison Conklin Alison Conklin Alison Conklin Alison Conklin Simmer gently, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours: Stir the chili often. You want the volume to reduce a bit. (To be honest, just one hour of cook time is okay, but for optimal chili-ness, go long.) Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight: Refrigerate in an air-tight covered container. (Note: you can eat the chili immediately if you want to.) De-fat the chili: The next day, lift or scrape off any solidified fat from the top of the chili and discard. Alison Conklin Alison Conklin Warm and serve: Bring to a rapid simmer, then add the vinegar and chocolate. (The chocolate won’t make it taste sweet—it adds a hint of sophisticated complexity and acts as a foil for all those spices.) Serve any “way” (see headnotes). The chili will also keep refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to a year. Alison Conklin