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Cincinnati Chili

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 LBS of Ground Beef Venison or Turkey
  • 2 beef bullion cubes
  • 1 quart water
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 16 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 2 onions diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 1 1/2 TBS vinegar
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1-2 cloves garlic diced
  • 2 TBS chili powder
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 1/2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 TBS brown sugar
  • salt & pepper

Optional ingredients for serving:

  • spaghetti
  • shredded cheddar cheese
  • diced onions
  • canned kidney beans drained

Instructions

  1. In a large pot boil together: beef, onions, celery, water and bullion cubes. (I like to actually reach my hand into the pot before I turn on the heat and sort of squish the ground meat into the water so it turns into a sort of slurry)
  2. Reduce heat and add all other ingredients.
  3. Simmer for 2 hours.
  4. Remove bay leaves and add salt & pepper to taste before serving.

To adjust this recipe for a crockpot:

  1. Reduce water to 2C
  2. Combine all ingredients in a crockpot.
  3. Use your hands to completely break up and distribute the ground meat throughout the dish.
  4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Variations:

  1. This is a very flexible dish, but if you have never had Cincinnati Chili I recommend that you make it with all the ingredients, including the "weird" ones like chocolate, before you decide to leave anything out.
  2. Obviously you can leave out or increase any ingredients to taste-add more onion, leave out the celery, double the cinnamon. . . whatever makes you happy.