{"id":1950682,"date":"2024-01-30T14:51:44","date_gmt":"2024-05-21T17:14:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/?post_type=recipe&p=1950682"},"modified":"2024-05-21T12:14:40","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T17:14:40","slug":"cincinnati-chili-2","status":"publish","type":"recipe","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/recipes\/cincinnati-chili-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Cincinnati Chili"},"content":{"rendered":"

When most people think of a bowl of chili, what comes to mind is usually dark brown Texas-style beef chili or a chili brimming with ground meat, beans, tomatoes and hot chili peppers. Unless you\u2019re from Cincinnati, of course. Cincinnati chili is a whole other bowl game.<\/p>\n

What is Cincinnati chili?<\/h2>\n

The main difference between this midwestern classic and other kinds of chili<\/a> is that Cincinnati chili is more like a thin meat sauce. This sauce is slightly sweet and filled with a striking blend of aromatic spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove, cumin and chili powder. And\u2014secret ingredient alert\u2014dark chocolate is often added for a unique sweetness.<\/p>\n

And another difference? You never eat Cincinnati chili with a spoon. This is a fork food, at least that\u2019s what the locals will tell you. One of the most popular ways to eat this chili is on top of a plate (not a bowl) of spaghetti with various toppings. Cincinnati chili is also super popular on hot dogs, which are called coneys\u2014maybe an homage to New York\u2019s Coney Island but more likely a reference the Coney Island amusement park built in Cincinnati in the late 1800s.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s served on spaghetti or as a Cincinnati chili dog<\/a>, top it with a mountain of grated cheddar cheese, kidney beans and diced onions, and serve it with oyster crackers for crunch.<\/p>\n

What’s the history of Cincinnati chili?<\/h2>\n

This unique take on chili can be traced back to the 1920s, when brothers and Macedonian immigrants Tom and John Kiradjieff opened the Empress chili parlor in Cincinnati. When creating their version of American chili, the Kiradjieffs took inspiration from their homeland by adding cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice to a tomato-based ground meat stew. Cincinnati chili also has chili powder and unsweetened chocolate to amp up the beefy flavor.<\/p>\n

Serving this type of chili on top of spaghetti was a no-brainer for the brothers. If you\u2019ve ever had Greek specialties like moussaka or pastitsio, you\u2019ll see and taste similarities. Pastitsio<\/a>, for instance, is like a Greek-inspired lasagna with a spicy-sweet meat sauce and noodles. But any likeness stops there. Cincinnati chili is purely an American staple now and one of the Midwest region\u2019s most iconic, ubiquitous dishes.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll find it at many restaurants and iconic \u201cchili parlors\u201d around Queen City as well as in other parts of the United States, including famous spots like Skyline Chili<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0Camp Washington Chili<\/span>, <\/span>Dixie Chili<\/span>, Blue Ash Chili<\/span> and<\/span> Gold Star Chili<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Chili Ingredients<\/h2>\n

\"HowTaste Recipes<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n