Cincinnati-Style Chili

Cincinnati chili defies every expectation of the word "chili." Developed by Macedonian immigrant Tom Kiradjieff in 1922, it is a spiced, saucy meat sauce served over spaghetti and layered with toppings in a precise ritual: three-way (spaghetti, chili, cheddar), four-way (add onions or beans), or five-way (all of the above). The Mediterranean spice profile — cinnamon, allspice, cloves — makes it one of America's most distinctive regional dishes.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Chili

• 900g (2 lb) lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, finely minced (plus more raw onion to serve)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 480ml (2 cups) tomato sauce
• 480ml (2 cups) beef broth
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 square (30g / 1 oz) unsweetened chocolate, grated

To Serve (Five-Way)

• 450g (1 lb) spaghetti, cooked al dente
• 450g (4 cups) finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 can (425g / 15 oz) kidney beans, heated
• 1 small white onion, finely diced
• Oyster crackers, to serve

Instructions

1. Crumble raw ground beef into a Dutch oven or large pot. Add minced onion, garlic, and enough cold water to just cover (about 480ml / 2 cups). Bring to a simmer, breaking up meat constantly until finely textured — no browning, no lumps. Drain fat if excessive.
2. Add tomato sauce, beef broth, vinegar, Worcestershire, all spices, bay leaf, and grated chocolate. Stir to combine.
3. Simmer uncovered over low heat for 1.5–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and deeply flavored. Adjust seasoning — it should be subtly sweet, warmly spiced, and savory.
4. Remove bay leaf. The chili can be made up to 3 days ahead; flavors improve overnight.
5. To serve five-way: place a generous mound of spaghetti in each bowl, ladle chili over the top, add warm beans, then pile on diced raw onion, and bury everything under a mountain of finely shredded cheddar. Serve immediately with oyster crackers.

Cook's Notes: The finely textured meat is essential to authentic Cincinnati chili — use lean beef and cold-water simmering, not browning. Skyline Chili and Gold Star are the famous chain rivals; both inspired this recipe. The shredded cheese should be applied generously — at least 1 cup per serving.