Authentic Cincinnati Chili
Cincinnati chili is a unique type of chili that's flavored with not just chili powder but lots of other spices, including cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. This recipe was handed down to me by Mom, a Cincinnati native. I like mine 4-way, with spaghetti, raw chopped onions, and grated mild Cheddar. Serve oyster crackers on the side.
lean ground beef
2
pounds
water, or amount to cover
1
quart
onions, finely chopped
2
tomato sauce
1
(15 ounce) can
vinegar
2
tablespoons
garlic, minced
4
cloves
Worcestershire sauce
2
teaspoons
unsweetened chocolate
½
(1 ounce) square
chili powder
¼
cup
salt
1 ½
teaspoons
ground cumin
1
teaspoon
ground cinnamon
1
teaspoon
ground cayenne pepper
½
teaspoon
whole cloves
5
whole allspice berries
5
bay leaf
1
 Place ground beef in a large pan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil, stirring and breaking up beef with a fork to a fine texture. Slowly boil until meat is thoroughly cooked, about 30 minutes.
  Add onions, tomato sauce, vinegar, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and chocolate. Stir in chili powder, salt, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper until well mixed. Add cloves, allspice berries, and bay leaf.
  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours. Add water if necessary to prevent chili from burning.
