by Gwen Pratesi • Main Dishes, Recipes
I have been making chili FOREVER. I am sure most of us have and I am certain that we would all say that we make the best chili or that we have some super top secret chili recipe from Uncle Whoever that we will never give up. Well, it seemed that Skyline Chili wasn’t giving it up either for awhile because until a week ago I could not seem to get it right.
I, frankly, had never heard of this Skyline Chili stuff until I married my hubby. He lived in Kentucky many years ago and first had this type of chili in Louisville. Apparently, it is now served in its home city of Cincinnati, Ohio as well as Indiana, Kentucky and even Florida (of all places). My chili was more of what I would consider “normal” chili. It has the beans mixed in with the usual ingredients (onions, green peppers, tomatoes, chili powder, etc.) and this Cincinnati chili is just made with meat. It is also served over spaghetti. Now who does that? I had never heard of such a thing.
There are also several brands of Cincinnati style chili with Skyline Chili perhaps being the most recognizable name. Gold Star would be the next competitor with Empress and Dixie bringing up the rear. I went online and found out that all of these brands of Cincinnati chili have their own locations, several sell their chili, spices, T-shirts and even golf balls on their websites.
All of these brands of chili are available in the can (oh, yuck!) and are primarily sold in the same states where they have their restaurants. Skyline Chili is also available in your grocer’s freezer (even here in Atlanta), so that is what my husband has been eating for years when he needed a fix.
I guess there has been some huge rivalry between these chili makers (especially the top two – Skyline and Gold Star). There are also myriads of recipes floating around and lots of discussions about what exactly goes into this chili to make it taste so different. Well, I will tell you that I have probably tried five recipes since this quest began and as of last week, the adventure is over. I have done it! I finally found a recipe that tastes just like the stuff my hubby had in Indiana years ago and has craved from the frozen foods department since then.
So, this is how I spent a day in the mountains with 10 degree temps, 50 mile an hour howling winds and one foot of icy snow. I made chili. This recipe I used (with great success, I might add :)) was adapted from About.com. I made some changes based on what I read in comments online and how things were progressing while it cooked.
I read many discussions about how to fix the beef prior to mixing it with the spices. One was to put the ground beef in a food processor first to chop the meat finer (I am not so sure if that worked or not, but I tried it). The other key to making this is to boil the beef first. It sounds gross and does not make for pretty pictures, so you won’t be seeing those here, but it works. You need to really work the meat to get it into the teeniest pieces possible. That is part of the difference of this chili.
I would say the real secret is in the addition of cocoa and cinnamon and the large amount of spices you add. The chili tasted really hot at first, but as it cooked, the flavors mellowed and created that just right blend of spices that makes Cincinnati chili so different.
I used an equal amount of ground round and ground chuck. That way I had good flavor from the chuck, but did not have to worry so much about the fat (since we wanted to eat it right away). I will say, however, that as with many dishes (especially chili) it was WAY better day two and day three. We could not stop eating it!
One more thing about this chili…it is talked about in a way that reminds me of eating hash browns at Waffle House. Here are the ways you can fix it.
The Cincinnati “Skyline” Chili Ordering Code:
1-way: just the chili
2-way: chili served over spaghetti
3-way: chili, spaghetti, and grated Cheddar cheese
4-way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, and onions
5-way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, onions, and beans
All “ways” are served with oyster crackers (we skipped the crackers!).
Our new personal favorite would be the cheese coney. This would include the hot dog with chili, cheese, diced onions and mustard. We left off the onions and mustard (did not want to mess up the yummy chili flavor).
By the way, I cooked my chili for about eight hours (low and slow). The original recipe calls for simmering for three hours. Just trust me on this one and start it in the morning and let it cook ALL day. Better yet, cook it the day before and serve it the next day. No more frozen chili for us! 😉
I so hate to say this, but it really is “Yum-O”! 😉
Chili Cheese Coney Dog
Cincinnati Chili
Ingredients:
1 quart cold water
2 lbs ground beef (I used 1 lb. each of ground round and ground chuck).
2 cups crushed canned tomatoes
2 yellow onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 whole bay leaf
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
Directions:
1. Put your ground beef in a food processor and pulse several times. Add beef and water to a 4-quart pot. Bring to a simmer while stirring until the ground beef is in very small pieces. Simmer for 30 minutes and add all the rest of the ingredients. 2. Simmer on low, uncovered, for 3 hours (longer is better, all day is best!). Add water as needed if the chili becomes to thick (I did need to do this several times, especially because I cooked mine all day). 3. Refrigerated the chili overnight, and the next day remove the layer of fat from top before reheating and serving (I really did not have any major fat to skim and I served it the same day).
We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
posted on February 22, 2010 in Main Dishes, Recipes
About the Author
Gwen Pratesi
Gwen Pratesi is a James Beard Foundation Award Finalist in Journalism and an award-winning travel writer. She is the author and owner of PratesiLiving.com with her husband and a regular contributor to the Travel section of U.S. News & World Report. She also freelances for other publications including The Points Guy, USA TODAY, Cruise Critic, Travel + Leisure, Garden & Gun, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Reader's Digest, Forbes Travel Guide, Smarter Travel, TripAdvisor, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Magazine and World Travel Magazine. Her work has also been featured on MSN, Yahoo!, Business Insider, and SheKnows.Gwen chronicles her love of international travel and experience as a professional home cook on PratesiLiving.com, where she shares the stories of some of the world's most sought-after destinations and cruise lines, highly regarded chefs, restaurateurs, farmers, wine and spirits producers and culinary artisans.She and her husband are enjoying the coastal lifestyle in Florida with their Tibetan Terrier, Rhythm.
Stay up to Date
Subscribe to our mailing list
81 comments on “Cincinnati Chili – Mine finally tastes like Skyline Chili!!” -
-
-
Ooh Gwen,
This looks wonderful. Do you think one can do the simmer part in a crock pot?
And loving the hot dog idea too!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Maria,
I think a crock pot would work well. Just keep it on low and check it periodically to make sure it’s not drying out too much. I am sure you will need to add some water from time to time.
Gwen
-
Based on viewing a number of recipes and reading about your husband’s testimonial to authenticity, I am making this today in advance of Election Night, where we’re having a potluck party featuring foods from the “battleground states” (so far the sign-up list has whoopie pies from Penn., Wis cheddar spread, Iowa potato casserole, Mich apple crumble, Fla citrus salad, Virg ham, etc) Anyway, it smells fabulous and will be hard to wait til Tuesday to eat! Thanks for the recipe.
-
I have been making this recipe for the last 3 years. It’s our favorite. I currently have it simmering on the stove right now. Today is the first time I’ve actually read your story! I can’t believe I’ve never taken the time to do so. What an incredible journey you and your husband have endured. You are what I want to be! I see myself in you so much. I am certainly not in any place in my life to do what you do. So I will live vicariously through you. Thanks for your blog and your passion!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Stephanie,
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful comment. This recipe is the only one we use since I found it and I’m glad you enjoy it as well.
Yes, our world has been crazy over the past twelve years and it is definitely why we have decided to do what we are doing. I hope that you will be able to travel more in the future. It is definitely life changing.
Cheers,
Gwen
-
Hi Gwen. I am getting ready to try this recipe today. Just one question – do you use cocoa powder or chopped baking chocolate?
Thanks so much!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Ali,
I use unsweetened cocoa powder. My husband happened to be looking at the recipe when you sent this message. I guess I may be making it today, too. 😉
I hope you enjoy the chili!
Gwen
-
Gwen,
I just wanted you to know that I tried the recipe, and it was perfect! I served it to someone who grew up eating Skyline chili, and he said he honestly could not tell the difference. This recipe is a definite keeper.
Thanks so much!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Ali,
I’m so glad that you all found the recipe to almost identiacl to the original Skyline Chili. It is the closest one I have found so far. I appreciate your note back to me. It’s always great to hear when our readers enjoy the recipes. 🙂
Gwen
-
I’m so excited to try this recipe, we don’t have access to Skyline Chili here in Oregon. My family is in Florida and I load up on cans of chili anytime I visit. My questions is about processing the meat in the food processor – I don’t have one. Any suggestions on what to do instead?
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Stacey,
If you have a blender, you could try using it, being careful not to overprocess the meat. Another option would be to use a really sharp knife and chop the ground meat into fine pieces. As the chili cooks, I always take a wooden spoon and try to work the meat into finer pieces by pressing the meat up against the side of the pot. I think it’s best when the meat is in very small pieces. I hope that helps.
Gwen
-
Actually, Empress Chili created the first Cincinnati style chili in 1920. They are still in business, but do not have too many outlets. Both Dixie Chili (1922) and Skyline Chili (1949) were started by former Empress employees. As for outlets in Florida, I remember being in Ft. Lauderdale on Spring Break in 1973, and saw the first Skylilne Chili getting ready to open. When I mentioned this semming implausibility to my parents, they reminded me that Florida has a significant Greek population, and this style chili was created and propagated primarily by Macedonian and Greek immigrants.
-
Hi! I’m excited to try this recipe for my husband tonight for Valentine’s. I’m doing an entire Cincy dinner for him 🙂 One question though, you say, “bring to a simmer while stirring until the ground beef is in very small pieces. Simmer for 30 minutes and add all the rest of the ingredients.” Does that mean “simmer for 30 minutes, THEN add all the rest of the ingredients” or “add the ingredients during the 30 minute simmer”? I’m sure it is the first, but just checking.
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Reese,
Yes, simmer the beef and water together for 30 minutes and then add the rest of the ingredients and cook for at least 3 hours.
Good luck and I hope you have a great dinner!
Gwen
-
This was officially the best Skyline replica we have made. The processing made all of the difference. Thank you!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Reese,
Thank you for getting back to let me know how you liked the recipe. We felt the same way when I first tried this version. I’m glad you had success and that this one is a keeper!
Gwen
-
-
-
Hello I’m trying to find a recipe that has cracked the skyline flaver, not the Cincinnati pack , or gold star , I have not tried your recipe, but what I do know is because of the FDA, manufacturers have to label certain ingredients, ,on the back of the skyline chilli box you are lacking 3 ingredients ‘ tomato paste’ paprika’an tortilla yeast
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Timothy,
I’m not sure if those ingredients are in just the frozen version or what is served at the Skyline locations, but I can tell you that my husband and others who have tried the recipe say it’s the closest to the original one. If you are interested in trying this recipe, maybe you can add those ingredients and see what the outcome is. BTW, I’m not sure what tortilla yeast is. Tortillas aren’t made with yeast, as far as I know.
If you give it a try, please let me know what you think.
Gwen
-
-
Just following up – this chili was a great success with my husband, the Skyline addict. We both think the taste/spice profile is a bit different than “real” Skyline, but it’s pretty darn close and very tasty.
My husband, a hater of leftovers, has eaten probably 8-10 servings of this and is still asking for it. Good thing, since it made a lot and it’s just the two of us.
Thanks for your recipe!!
Stacey
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Stacey,
Thank you so much for letting me know how much you enjoyed the chili recipe. I’m glad that your husband enjoyed it as well.
Gwen
-
Hi,
I just tried skyline chili for the very first time earlier this week. I liked the way your recipe looked so I am about to make it. My question is do you cook the beef before placing in the processor?
Thank you,
Diana
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Diana,
No, the meat is put in the food processor before cooking. However, another option would be to use an immersion blender after you make the chili to achieve the same texture. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Gwen
-
I’m cookin this recipe right now. I’m no chef, but I am from Cincinnati so I can say the chili powder is a little heavy. I don’t know what I could sub in to fill a voild, but the chili powder took over the rather sweet and saltiness of the original dish a bit. Next time Ill add to taste, starting with half of the called 1/4 cup. Overall I’m pleased to get this close! Thanks for sharing. Also a word to people making for the little ones, be cautious on the cayenne pepper! It gets spicy quick. I enjoy the heat but my 3 year old, not so much. Thanks again for helping me get my fix!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Daniel,
Yes, you can always add spices to taste. I’m glad that you found the recipe to be close to the original. We think it’s the best one that I’ve found.
I am coauthoring a cookbook with a Louisville chef, Anthony Lamas of Seviche, A Latin Restaurant. It’s called Southern Heat and will be out next fall (2015). We will have his version in the book and it’s amazing! Look for the book next fall and see what you think of that Cincinnati Chili recipe. 🙂
Thanks,
Gwen
-
-
-
I made this and it worked well. I cooked the meat on a baking sheet in the oven and then broke the cooked meat up in an electric mixer–this worked well and I was able to remove all the grease from the meat early on.
When the chili was done simmering, it was just a bit bland, so I added beef stock (the thick paste version) and then it tasted great.
Thanks for the recipe.
-
Elizabeth Vega — Reply
I’ve never had Cincinnati-style chili before, so I don’t know how it compares, but I followed your recipe almost exactly, and we loved it! The only substitution I made was using 2 1/3 tablespoons of cayenne pepper sauce in place of the cayenne (because we had run out) and vinegar, and everything turned out beautifully. Using a stick blender at the end did the trick for texture.
Thanks so much for posting this recipe… it’s a keeper!
-
Hello! I know this recipe was posted roughly a year ago, but as someone who spent their childhood years next to a skyline chili restaurant (this was the only kind of chili I thought existed) I grew up on the stuff. Since moving to Texas, I have spent hours among hours of research trying to figure out the authentic recipe, and at least a dozen trial and error attempts…
I must include that allspice is a must when making this amazing chili concoction! Also, the closest I’ve come to the exact flavor included simmering the raw meat in beef broth, while stirring and breaking up into fine pieces until brown, then cooling and placing in the fridge overnight. In the morning, you remove the solidified layer of fat from the surface, add your spices, and continue to cook throughout the day. Happy cooking!
-
-
I plan on making this myself. It will be probably the sixth recipe I’ve tried so wish me luck. My Aunt Patti makes a version that isn’t bad. To get the right texture she puts her chili in the blender after it has been cooked for about an hour then returns it to the pot and cooks it down some more. I got to say that part she got right but her spices seem a little off.
-
-
-
Food-snob New Englander here – the sound of Cincinnati chili always grossed me out for some reason, but my boyfriend loves it so I decided to give it a try. It’s simmering away on the stove right now, smelling too good to be legal. I’m excited to try it on both spaghetti and hot dogs. Thanks for the recipe!
Also, you weren’t kidding about how gross the first step looks! One tip for those who don’t want to dirty their food processor: I used a potato masher (the old-fashioned kind with a squiggly bottom) to break the meat up for the first few minutes of cook time and it worked perfectly.
-
Has anyone tried a vegetarian version? My husband doesn’t eat meat but if still like to see how this tastes! Maybe I’ll just make it as it is just for myself and my dad. Growing up in southwest ohio I’ve had skyline too many times to count!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Jamie,
I’m not sure about a vegetarian version of this particular recipe, but if you do make one, please let me know how it turns out.
Gwen
-
@ Jamie:
My vegetarian friends (who are from Cincinnati) and I actually just made a vegetarian version tonight that was almost spot-on. I was using a pre-packaged Cincinnati chili spice mix so I can’t comment on this particular recipe. I will say to achieve the proper texture we used 3 cups of TVP (textured vegetable protein — usually available in the bulk section of a grocery store or by Bob’s Red Mill), rehydrated with 3 cups of boiling water. To that we cut up 3 portabella mushroom caps and sauteed the mixture in about 1/3-1/2 cup of Canola oil. It seems like a lot, but you have to replicate the fattiness of beef.
We put everything in a crock pot and cooked it on low for about 18 hours (fyi I don’t think it needs to go that long, we just were busy all day; 8-12 hours would probably be enough). At the end we used an immersion/stick blender for a few seconds and it made the texture absolutely accurate.
One of the comments above regarding allspice was right… it is definitely in the Cinci spice mix. To me, Cinci chili tastes like Portuguese food, and a key spice in Portuguese cooking (with meat, at least) is allspice.
-
I am from Cinci/Ky area and was missing Skyline so bad. I only went back to that area at Christmas to see my patents. They both have passed now so….but i
went on line to the Syline web site and received a link suggesting Cincinnati Chili recipe. I made that and the family loves it. Checking out the site I found ” welcome to our tour.”. During the tour I found that they sell packets of Coincinnati chili and I have been enjoying that for quite a few years now. My grandson just loves it so I can sometimes wager good grades for a pot of chili. Lol. I’m not going to lie, but they r expensive-but sooo worth it!. Now I looking for a copy of recipes of for Frischs tartar sauce and the White Castle hamburgers. YUMMY!
-
Gwen,
This is so perfect that I just had to comment!
Years ago, we had a Skyline Chili restaurant in Tampa, and that’s where we got hooked. After it closed, I began making it myself with a copycat recipe, and although it was pretty good, I knew it could be better.
This week, I searched for a new recipe, and voila, I found it. I followed the ingredient list exactly, and I used both the stove and a crock pot. Here is exactly how I made your recipe ~
I used 2 pounds of ground chuck (thanks to my Fresh Market Tuesday special). On the stove, bring the beef and water to a strong simmer in a 4-qt pot, breaking up the meat from the moment it starts to heat. After 15-20 minutes, turn off the heat. Carefully using an immersion blender, break up the beef. Now stay with me on this ~ at first I thought this might have been too aggressive, as the blender really pulverizes the meat, create a not-so-pretty gray water with the beef at the bottom of the pot. But I couldn’t turn back, so I kept going.
Transfer the beef and water to a round crock pot (mine is 4.5 quart) and add all of the remaining ingredients. I used a large whisk to make sure everything was combined. Cook on low for at least 3 hours, but allow some time before serving to remove the lid and continue cooking. This allows some of the water to escape so that the chili thickens up a bit.
When you dish it up, you’ll notice something amazing ~ it looks exactly like the Skyline from the restaurant or the frozen foods section. The pulverizing of the beef in conjunction with the other ingredients really works!
We eat our Skyline over thin spaghetti with finely shredded cheddar cheese and Crystal sauce. Or we make coneys. But we don’t add beans or oyster crackers ~ those are for Steak ‘n Shake Chili, so if anyone has THAT mysterious recipe, please share!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Terri,
Thank you for sharing this version. We have a new recipe for Cincinnati Chili coming out in our upcoming book with Chef Anthony Lamas, Southern Heat. It is awesome and very close in texture to the purchased chili, so be sure to look for the book in November. 🙂
Gwen
-
This looks so amazing. My boyfriend and I love Skyline, but we’ve been trying for the past couple years to eat real, homemade food. My only question is regarding the yield – about what volume of chili does the recipe produce?
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi,
The recipe will make enough for 6 to 8 servings on average since it’s served with pasta.
I hope you enjoy it!
Gwen
-
I’m a little curious what “over-processed” means for this chili. I had Cincinnati chili once from a mix that a friend made and plan to make Cincinnati chili for a chili cook-off later this month (October 2015). I don’t own an immersion blender, but do own a potato masher and I’m curious about how smooth the beef (or turkey cooked in beef broth) should be before it’s over-processed. Thanks!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Amanda,
If you’ve had Cincinnati Chili before, then this recipe should be the same texture. A potato masher won’t do that. You need an immersion blender or a food processor. The meat needs to be finely ground to make an authentic style Cincinnati Chili.
Gwen
-
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Kathy,
I use both McCormick’s and Penzy’s. There are a lot of seasonings in this recipe, so they will blend in with the other flavors. Each of these brands work well and really fresh spices are the best.
Gwen
-
Gwen,
I’m curious about your addition of diced onions and minced garlic. I grew up in Cincinnati on Skyline and Gold Star chili. I have never seen either of these added to the base recipe. It would seem they would add a different texture. I have used garlic and onion power for flavoring but never anything whole except what is placed on top. Do they get pulverized also, or cook down? Otherwise, this looks better than others I found online. Most brown the meat rather than boil it. How’s that Cincinnati Chili? I look forward to making it this week or next.
By the way, my mom, and I continue to use this technique, would always break up the meat by hand after adding to the water. Of course, that’s right away before the water gets too warm.
Thanks for the recipe.
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Larry,
We think the flavors are pretty spot on. Regarding the questions about the recipe, I found it online, so I followed those guidelines making just a few changes. For the onions and garlic, the chili cooks so long, you don’t even know they’re in there. The recipe called for cooking the meat in water, so that’s how I’ve made it and we think the recipe is as close as it gets to the real thing, especially after trying other recipes.
On another note, our cookbook with Chef Lamas (Southern Heat) has a slightly spiced up version of Cincinnati Chili with a little different method of preparation. It’s amazing, so you might want to get a copy of the book to try that version. 🙂
Gwen
-
The recipe sounds great and can’t wait to try it out. Can I use tomato sauce instead of crushed tomatoes and can I use onion powder instead of chopped onions? I love the flavor the onion and the tomatoes give but its a texture thing for me, I dont like it chunky. Thanks.
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Thomas,
You need to use the ingredients as listed and follow the recipe to get the best results. The chili cooks for a very long time, so it’s not “chunky” at all. If you look at the photos, you can see the final texture, which is very similar to what you find at Skyline Chili.
Gwen
-
I grew up on this stuff! But I now live 550 miles away from the closest Skyline. I made this 100% from the recipe, using 93% beef. I tasted it after 2 hours and was disappointed, but let it go. Too much cayenne, I thought. Tasted it at 3 hours, decided it needed a bit more salt. Let it go. The heat was diminishing
At 4 hrs I realized it just may be close. Between 4 and 5 hrs I heated some beans, chopped some more onion, cooked some pasta, grated some mild cheddar.
At 5 hrs I served – 5 ways! Everyone loved it and said it tasted “like home” (Cincy).
Several years ago I made a batch from a recipes.com. OK, but just that. This recipe is (pardon me) “dead nuts” right on. It IS a clone!
Make it, but DO NOT deviate from the recipe or timing. Yeah!
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Pat, Thank you so much for taking the time to write your comment. We’re thrilled that you and everyone who tried the chili thought it was as good as the original version. That’s the way we feel, too. It does take a while, but if you follow the recipe (as you discovered), you can get as close to Cincinnati Chili as we think is possible. I’m glad you found the recipe and hope you enjoy it for many years to come! Gwen
-
We currently live in Colorado, but my husband and I met and married in Cincinnati, and lived there for about 8 years. We LOVE Skyline Chili, and so do our twins (now 17). We’ve been in Colorado for three years and I developed a hankerin’ for Skyline, found your recipe and made up two batches over the weekend. I cooked up a batch of small red beans, some spaghetti, minced some onions, shredded some cheddar cheese, and then just sat everything out, along with a bottle of hot sauce and some oyster crackers. It was a HIT!!! We felt like we were sitting down to eat at a Skyline Restaurant back in Ohio! THANK YOU for posting this recipe!
-
Shailesh Jethva — Reply
Wonderful, Gwen ! Your Cincinnati Chili looks absolutely lip-smacking yummy! Also, thanks for sharing the recipe. 🙂
-
My husband and I live in Texas. He’s from New York and has never had Skyline chili. I visited Cincinnati many years ago with a friend and I’ve been hooked ever since. Every now and then I get it shipped to me, but my husband is a true foodie &I would rather try to make something. So, he scoured the Internet and found your recipe for me. I’m currently assembling my ingredients in preparation to make it this evening and let it sit overnight. My question is this… I’m not a big fan of onions, but will cook with them when necessary. Will it make a huge difference if I leave them out of the recipe?
I’ll be sure and let you know how it turns out. I’m very excited about this !
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Cheryl,
Definitely leave the onions. You won’t even know they’re in there since the chili cooks so long and they definitely add a lot of flavor.
Good luck and let me know how you like it!
Best,
Gwen
-
Oh my gosh. The chili turned out amazing! I was a little worried at first, it didn’t seem to be thickening up. But when my husband got home and helped me skim the fat off, it was perfect. I refrigerated it overnight, and then we had some on hotdogs for dinner last night. It was so good that I actually heated up some for breakfast this morning! And guess what’s for dinner tonight?
Thank you so much for posting the recipe. You absolutely nailed it!
Cheryl 🙂
-
Pingback: Prates Who Dont | Information
-
This recipe is perfect! Thank you! I’ve come close to this a few times, but never wrote it all down.
The only thing I would change is the need for a food processor. When the beef is ground, simply putting it into cold water will break down into very fine pieces. People make the mistake of putting it into warmer water and that makes it chunky.
-
I just made your recipe or the Cincinnati chill. I am from Oklahoma , and spent over 20 years in the meat and food industry. The Company I worked for hired a guy from Ohio as a Sausage maker and food scientist. He developed a chili recipe for our company that was very close to a Cincinnati chili.
In Oklahoma we have a couple of Coney Island hot dog shops , but not as many as in the earlier years that serve a Greek style 5 way menu. There are more or them in Tulsa, ok.
But anyway to make a long story short..I have made your recipe and followed it verbatim . It take patience to cook this down and get it to the right consistency. It took about 4 or 5 hours of cooking on simmer to turn from a soup to a gravy.. Great Recipe I’m glad you posted it.
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Steve,
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice comment. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Best,
Gwen
-
Buy Jennie-o ground turkey or any frozen rolls of ground turkey and you won’t have all the fat, follow the same recipe and you won’t believe you used turkey and it’s more healthier. For some reason the turkey goes into really small pieces, if you like it finer, just squeeze all the turkey in the pot before the water gets to hot , then add all your ingredients!
-
I’ve lived in the Cincinnati area my whole life and I’ve tried many different Cincinnati chili recipes. Not to be negative, but let me say this one is way off. First of all, there are no onions cooked in Cincinnati recipe chili. They’re added later. There are no tomato chunks. Tomato paste is used instead of tomato sauce. And your recipe has way too much turmeric and vinegar to taste authentic. But thanks anyway for the recipe. I will eat the remainder and try to remember how to tweak my recipe to make it taste more like Skyline or Gold Star.
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Greg,
I’m sorry this recipe didn’t resemble the Cincinnati Chili recipes you remember. If you’ve read the comments, many people think it’s the closest to the one they know or have found over the years at restaurants. We think so, too. I hope you find the version that works best for you.
Gwen
-
-
Hello I’ve never tried your recipe…it does look like so many other ones on the internet…what I do know is the few ingredients that they do give on the back of the skyline frozen chili box is not in your recipe…tomato paste, Paprika ,dried yeast .on the water this one I do know about ….I have a friend that works at the skyline Processing plant in Ohio…. his job is to dump the ingredients in a big kettle, that are all dry ingredients even the beef is dried out …and fill it up with water from a hose …no beef chicken pork or Squirrel Broth or what ever other broth that people claim is in the recipe…it’s just water… I hope this doesn’t sound rude just trying to help thank you
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Tim,
Homemade recipes are very different from how factories make processed foods in big vats.
I’m sure Skyline Chili that’s being prepared for thousands of frozen dinners is made with things we’d never use at home – such as dried beef and dried yeast.
This recipe is the closest we’ve found to the original and i think many people have enjoyed it as well based on the comments here.
Gwen
-
Mark H — Reply
First I would like to say I lived in the Cincinnati area the first 23 years of my life, ate Cincinnati chili more than most and your recipe is right on. I have lived in Richmond Va since 1994 and have tried probably 50 different online recipes….This is the one. For those who say “They dont put onions in the recipe” I say does that matter? What matters is how it tastes. For the few who say it tastes nothing like it. I say you missed and ingredient or maybe you added Tumeric (Haha) when it wasn’t on the recipe.
Anyways thanks for giving me this. Another great Cincinnati specialty is Goetta….Maybe try it sometime.
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Mark,
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I’m so glad you are enjoying this recipe!
We agree that it’s the closet version to the original Cincinnati Chili that we have found. I’ve also tried quite a few recipes.
I was not familiar with Goetta but did look it up. It resembles the Pennsylvania Dutch scrapple I grew up with in Philadelphia. 🙂
Best,
Gwen
-
Do you think I could just copy this and cook it for less time in an pressure cooker? I have used the basis of this recipe many times on the stovetop with small changes to my taste, but am interested in speeding things up.
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Jake,
I just saw this question, but wanted to respond. I’m afraid that the pressure cooker would turn the meat to a mushy texture since the pieces are so small. I think a slow cooker would be fine on low, but a pressure cooker might be too much to achieve the desired texture and results.
I hope that helps.
Gwen
-
One ingredient that is not in any authentic Cincinnati Chili recipe – chocolate. Not in Skyline and not in Gold Star. I don’t know where this rumor got started.
-
One of our relatives was a friend of the Lambinedes family (owners of Skyline) and asked if chocolate was used ro make the chili. They just laughed at him, no way.
-
Did you actually make the recipe? Because there’s not enough “chocolate” in the recipe to make that much of a difference since it’s unsweetened cocoa. We’ve had comments from all kinds of Skyline Chili camps and been told how to prepare this probably more than 100 ways. So far this recipe is the closest that we’ve made to get close to what we order at Skyline Chili.
-
I was wondering what your chili powder was made of. I notice that there is a lot of variation between the different brands of chili powder. For instance, I have a Sam’s Club bottle and pepper is the first ingredient then “spices” and salt etc..
The Walmart version actually has more spices like Cumin, paprika before listing chili pepper. I notice in various comments some people seem to get actual ground chili pepper only and that would explain why some of them find the amount too hot in recipes that use decent amounts.
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Joe, I mostly use two different chili powders, depending on what’s in my pantry, but more than likely this recipe was originally made with Penzey’s chili powder. The other possibility is the chili powder from McCormick. I hope that helps. Gwen
Leave a Reply
Ooh Gwen,
This looks wonderful. Do you think one can do the simmer part in a crock pot?
And loving the hot dog idea too!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Maria,
I think a crock pot would work well. Just keep it on low and check it periodically to make sure it’s not drying out too much. I am sure you will need to add some water from time to time.
Gwen
Based on viewing a number of recipes and reading about your husband’s testimonial to authenticity, I am making this today in advance of Election Night, where we’re having a potluck party featuring foods from the “battleground states” (so far the sign-up list has whoopie pies from Penn., Wis cheddar spread, Iowa potato casserole, Mich apple crumble, Fla citrus salad, Virg ham, etc) Anyway, it smells fabulous and will be hard to wait til Tuesday to eat! Thanks for the recipe.
I have been making this recipe for the last 3 years. It’s our favorite. I currently have it simmering on the stove right now. Today is the first time I’ve actually read your story! I can’t believe I’ve never taken the time to do so. What an incredible journey you and your husband have endured. You are what I want to be! I see myself in you so much. I am certainly not in any place in my life to do what you do. So I will live vicariously through you. Thanks for your blog and your passion!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Stephanie,
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful comment. This recipe is the only one we use since I found it and I’m glad you enjoy it as well.
Yes, our world has been crazy over the past twelve years and it is definitely why we have decided to do what we are doing. I hope that you will be able to travel more in the future. It is definitely life changing.
Cheers,
Gwen
Hi Gwen. I am getting ready to try this recipe today. Just one question – do you use cocoa powder or chopped baking chocolate?
Thanks so much!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Ali,
I use unsweetened cocoa powder. My husband happened to be looking at the recipe when you sent this message. I guess I may be making it today, too. 😉
I hope you enjoy the chili!
Gwen
Gwen,
I just wanted you to know that I tried the recipe, and it was perfect! I served it to someone who grew up eating Skyline chili, and he said he honestly could not tell the difference. This recipe is a definite keeper.
Thanks so much!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Ali,
I’m so glad that you all found the recipe to almost identiacl to the original Skyline Chili. It is the closest one I have found so far. I appreciate your note back to me. It’s always great to hear when our readers enjoy the recipes. 🙂
Gwen
I’m so excited to try this recipe, we don’t have access to Skyline Chili here in Oregon. My family is in Florida and I load up on cans of chili anytime I visit. My questions is about processing the meat in the food processor – I don’t have one. Any suggestions on what to do instead?
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Stacey,
If you have a blender, you could try using it, being careful not to overprocess the meat. Another option would be to use a really sharp knife and chop the ground meat into fine pieces. As the chili cooks, I always take a wooden spoon and try to work the meat into finer pieces by pressing the meat up against the side of the pot. I think it’s best when the meat is in very small pieces. I hope that helps.
Gwen
Actually, Empress Chili created the first Cincinnati style chili in 1920. They are still in business, but do not have too many outlets. Both Dixie Chili (1922) and Skyline Chili (1949) were started by former Empress employees. As for outlets in Florida, I remember being in Ft. Lauderdale on Spring Break in 1973, and saw the first Skylilne Chili getting ready to open. When I mentioned this semming implausibility to my parents, they reminded me that Florida has a significant Greek population, and this style chili was created and propagated primarily by Macedonian and Greek immigrants.
Hi! I’m excited to try this recipe for my husband tonight for Valentine’s. I’m doing an entire Cincy dinner for him 🙂 One question though, you say, “bring to a simmer while stirring until the ground beef is in very small pieces. Simmer for 30 minutes and add all the rest of the ingredients.” Does that mean “simmer for 30 minutes, THEN add all the rest of the ingredients” or “add the ingredients during the 30 minute simmer”? I’m sure it is the first, but just checking.
Gwen — Reply
Hi Reese,
Yes, simmer the beef and water together for 30 minutes and then add the rest of the ingredients and cook for at least 3 hours.
Good luck and I hope you have a great dinner!
Gwen
This was officially the best Skyline replica we have made. The processing made all of the difference. Thank you!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Reese,
Thank you for getting back to let me know how you liked the recipe. We felt the same way when I first tried this version. I’m glad you had success and that this one is a keeper!
Gwen
Hello I’m trying to find a recipe that has cracked the skyline flaver, not the Cincinnati pack , or gold star , I have not tried your recipe, but what I do know is because of the FDA, manufacturers have to label certain ingredients, ,on the back of the skyline chilli box you are lacking 3 ingredients ‘ tomato paste’ paprika’an tortilla yeast
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Timothy,
I’m not sure if those ingredients are in just the frozen version or what is served at the Skyline locations, but I can tell you that my husband and others who have tried the recipe say it’s the closest to the original one. If you are interested in trying this recipe, maybe you can add those ingredients and see what the outcome is. BTW, I’m not sure what tortilla yeast is. Tortillas aren’t made with yeast, as far as I know.
If you give it a try, please let me know what you think.
Gwen
Just following up – this chili was a great success with my husband, the Skyline addict. We both think the taste/spice profile is a bit different than “real” Skyline, but it’s pretty darn close and very tasty.
My husband, a hater of leftovers, has eaten probably 8-10 servings of this and is still asking for it. Good thing, since it made a lot and it’s just the two of us.
Thanks for your recipe!!
Stacey
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Stacey,
Thank you so much for letting me know how much you enjoyed the chili recipe. I’m glad that your husband enjoyed it as well.
Gwen
Hi,
I just tried skyline chili for the very first time earlier this week. I liked the way your recipe looked so I am about to make it. My question is do you cook the beef before placing in the processor?
Thank you,
Diana
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Diana,
No, the meat is put in the food processor before cooking. However, another option would be to use an immersion blender after you make the chili to achieve the same texture. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Gwen
I’m cookin this recipe right now. I’m no chef, but I am from Cincinnati so I can say the chili powder is a little heavy. I don’t know what I could sub in to fill a voild, but the chili powder took over the rather sweet and saltiness of the original dish a bit. Next time Ill add to taste, starting with half of the called 1/4 cup. Overall I’m pleased to get this close! Thanks for sharing. Also a word to people making for the little ones, be cautious on the cayenne pepper! It gets spicy quick. I enjoy the heat but my 3 year old, not so much. Thanks again for helping me get my fix!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Daniel,
Yes, you can always add spices to taste. I’m glad that you found the recipe to be close to the original. We think it’s the best one that I’ve found.
I am coauthoring a cookbook with a Louisville chef, Anthony Lamas of Seviche, A Latin Restaurant. It’s called Southern Heat and will be out next fall (2015). We will have his version in the book and it’s amazing! Look for the book next fall and see what you think of that Cincinnati Chili recipe. 🙂
Thanks,
Gwen
I made this and it worked well. I cooked the meat on a baking sheet in the oven and then broke the cooked meat up in an electric mixer–this worked well and I was able to remove all the grease from the meat early on.
When the chili was done simmering, it was just a bit bland, so I added beef stock (the thick paste version) and then it tasted great.
Thanks for the recipe.
Elizabeth Vega — Reply
I’ve never had Cincinnati-style chili before, so I don’t know how it compares, but I followed your recipe almost exactly, and we loved it! The only substitution I made was using 2 1/3 tablespoons of cayenne pepper sauce in place of the cayenne (because we had run out) and vinegar, and everything turned out beautifully. Using a stick blender at the end did the trick for texture.
Thanks so much for posting this recipe… it’s a keeper!
Hello! I know this recipe was posted roughly a year ago, but as someone who spent their childhood years next to a skyline chili restaurant (this was the only kind of chili I thought existed) I grew up on the stuff. Since moving to Texas, I have spent hours among hours of research trying to figure out the authentic recipe, and at least a dozen trial and error attempts…
I must include that allspice is a must when making this amazing chili concoction! Also, the closest I’ve come to the exact flavor included simmering the raw meat in beef broth, while stirring and breaking up into fine pieces until brown, then cooling and placing in the fridge overnight. In the morning, you remove the solidified layer of fat from the surface, add your spices, and continue to cook throughout the day. Happy cooking!
I plan on making this myself. It will be probably the sixth recipe I’ve tried so wish me luck. My Aunt Patti makes a version that isn’t bad. To get the right texture she puts her chili in the blender after it has been cooked for about an hour then returns it to the pot and cooks it down some more. I got to say that part she got right but her spices seem a little off.
Food-snob New Englander here – the sound of Cincinnati chili always grossed me out for some reason, but my boyfriend loves it so I decided to give it a try. It’s simmering away on the stove right now, smelling too good to be legal. I’m excited to try it on both spaghetti and hot dogs. Thanks for the recipe!
Also, you weren’t kidding about how gross the first step looks! One tip for those who don’t want to dirty their food processor: I used a potato masher (the old-fashioned kind with a squiggly bottom) to break the meat up for the first few minutes of cook time and it worked perfectly.
Has anyone tried a vegetarian version? My husband doesn’t eat meat but if still like to see how this tastes! Maybe I’ll just make it as it is just for myself and my dad. Growing up in southwest ohio I’ve had skyline too many times to count!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Jamie,
I’m not sure about a vegetarian version of this particular recipe, but if you do make one, please let me know how it turns out.
Gwen
@ Jamie:
My vegetarian friends (who are from Cincinnati) and I actually just made a vegetarian version tonight that was almost spot-on. I was using a pre-packaged Cincinnati chili spice mix so I can’t comment on this particular recipe. I will say to achieve the proper texture we used 3 cups of TVP (textured vegetable protein — usually available in the bulk section of a grocery store or by Bob’s Red Mill), rehydrated with 3 cups of boiling water. To that we cut up 3 portabella mushroom caps and sauteed the mixture in about 1/3-1/2 cup of Canola oil. It seems like a lot, but you have to replicate the fattiness of beef.
We put everything in a crock pot and cooked it on low for about 18 hours (fyi I don’t think it needs to go that long, we just were busy all day; 8-12 hours would probably be enough). At the end we used an immersion/stick blender for a few seconds and it made the texture absolutely accurate.
One of the comments above regarding allspice was right… it is definitely in the Cinci spice mix. To me, Cinci chili tastes like Portuguese food, and a key spice in Portuguese cooking (with meat, at least) is allspice.
I am from Cinci/Ky area and was missing Skyline so bad. I only went back to that area at Christmas to see my patents. They both have passed now so….but i
went on line to the Syline web site and received a link suggesting Cincinnati Chili recipe. I made that and the family loves it. Checking out the site I found ” welcome to our tour.”. During the tour I found that they sell packets of Coincinnati chili and I have been enjoying that for quite a few years now. My grandson just loves it so I can sometimes wager good grades for a pot of chili. Lol. I’m not going to lie, but they r expensive-but sooo worth it!. Now I looking for a copy of recipes of for Frischs tartar sauce and the White Castle hamburgers. YUMMY!
Gwen,
This is so perfect that I just had to comment!
Years ago, we had a Skyline Chili restaurant in Tampa, and that’s where we got hooked. After it closed, I began making it myself with a copycat recipe, and although it was pretty good, I knew it could be better.
This week, I searched for a new recipe, and voila, I found it. I followed the ingredient list exactly, and I used both the stove and a crock pot. Here is exactly how I made your recipe ~
I used 2 pounds of ground chuck (thanks to my Fresh Market Tuesday special). On the stove, bring the beef and water to a strong simmer in a 4-qt pot, breaking up the meat from the moment it starts to heat. After 15-20 minutes, turn off the heat. Carefully using an immersion blender, break up the beef. Now stay with me on this ~ at first I thought this might have been too aggressive, as the blender really pulverizes the meat, create a not-so-pretty gray water with the beef at the bottom of the pot. But I couldn’t turn back, so I kept going.
Transfer the beef and water to a round crock pot (mine is 4.5 quart) and add all of the remaining ingredients. I used a large whisk to make sure everything was combined. Cook on low for at least 3 hours, but allow some time before serving to remove the lid and continue cooking. This allows some of the water to escape so that the chili thickens up a bit.
When you dish it up, you’ll notice something amazing ~ it looks exactly like the Skyline from the restaurant or the frozen foods section. The pulverizing of the beef in conjunction with the other ingredients really works!
We eat our Skyline over thin spaghetti with finely shredded cheddar cheese and Crystal sauce. Or we make coneys. But we don’t add beans or oyster crackers ~ those are for Steak ‘n Shake Chili, so if anyone has THAT mysterious recipe, please share!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Terri,
Thank you for sharing this version. We have a new recipe for Cincinnati Chili coming out in our upcoming book with Chef Anthony Lamas, Southern Heat. It is awesome and very close in texture to the purchased chili, so be sure to look for the book in November. 🙂
Gwen
This looks so amazing. My boyfriend and I love Skyline, but we’ve been trying for the past couple years to eat real, homemade food. My only question is regarding the yield – about what volume of chili does the recipe produce?
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi,
The recipe will make enough for 6 to 8 servings on average since it’s served with pasta.
I hope you enjoy it!
Gwen
I’m a little curious what “over-processed” means for this chili. I had Cincinnati chili once from a mix that a friend made and plan to make Cincinnati chili for a chili cook-off later this month (October 2015). I don’t own an immersion blender, but do own a potato masher and I’m curious about how smooth the beef (or turkey cooked in beef broth) should be before it’s over-processed. Thanks!
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Amanda,
If you’ve had Cincinnati Chili before, then this recipe should be the same texture. A potato masher won’t do that. You need an immersion blender or a food processor. The meat needs to be finely ground to make an authentic style Cincinnati Chili.
Gwen
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Kathy,
I use both McCormick’s and Penzy’s. There are a lot of seasonings in this recipe, so they will blend in with the other flavors. Each of these brands work well and really fresh spices are the best.
Gwen
Gwen,
I’m curious about your addition of diced onions and minced garlic. I grew up in Cincinnati on Skyline and Gold Star chili. I have never seen either of these added to the base recipe. It would seem they would add a different texture. I have used garlic and onion power for flavoring but never anything whole except what is placed on top. Do they get pulverized also, or cook down? Otherwise, this looks better than others I found online. Most brown the meat rather than boil it. How’s that Cincinnati Chili? I look forward to making it this week or next.
By the way, my mom, and I continue to use this technique, would always break up the meat by hand after adding to the water. Of course, that’s right away before the water gets too warm.
Thanks for the recipe.
-
Gwen — Reply
Hi Larry,
We think the flavors are pretty spot on. Regarding the questions about the recipe, I found it online, so I followed those guidelines making just a few changes. For the onions and garlic, the chili cooks so long, you don’t even know they’re in there. The recipe called for cooking the meat in water, so that’s how I’ve made it and we think the recipe is as close as it gets to the real thing, especially after trying other recipes.
On another note, our cookbook with Chef Lamas (Southern Heat) has a slightly spiced up version of Cincinnati Chili with a little different method of preparation. It’s amazing, so you might want to get a copy of the book to try that version. 🙂
Gwen
The recipe sounds great and can’t wait to try it out. Can I use tomato sauce instead of crushed tomatoes and can I use onion powder instead of chopped onions? I love the flavor the onion and the tomatoes give but its a texture thing for me, I dont like it chunky. Thanks.
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Thomas,
You need to use the ingredients as listed and follow the recipe to get the best results. The chili cooks for a very long time, so it’s not “chunky” at all. If you look at the photos, you can see the final texture, which is very similar to what you find at Skyline Chili.
Gwen
I grew up on this stuff! But I now live 550 miles away from the closest Skyline. I made this 100% from the recipe, using 93% beef. I tasted it after 2 hours and was disappointed, but let it go. Too much cayenne, I thought. Tasted it at 3 hours, decided it needed a bit more salt. Let it go. The heat was diminishing
At 4 hrs I realized it just may be close. Between 4 and 5 hrs I heated some beans, chopped some more onion, cooked some pasta, grated some mild cheddar.
At 5 hrs I served – 5 ways! Everyone loved it and said it tasted “like home” (Cincy).
Several years ago I made a batch from a recipes.com. OK, but just that. This recipe is (pardon me) “dead nuts” right on. It IS a clone!
Make it, but DO NOT deviate from the recipe or timing. Yeah!
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Pat, Thank you so much for taking the time to write your comment. We’re thrilled that you and everyone who tried the chili thought it was as good as the original version. That’s the way we feel, too. It does take a while, but if you follow the recipe (as you discovered), you can get as close to Cincinnati Chili as we think is possible. I’m glad you found the recipe and hope you enjoy it for many years to come! Gwen
We currently live in Colorado, but my husband and I met and married in Cincinnati, and lived there for about 8 years. We LOVE Skyline Chili, and so do our twins (now 17). We’ve been in Colorado for three years and I developed a hankerin’ for Skyline, found your recipe and made up two batches over the weekend. I cooked up a batch of small red beans, some spaghetti, minced some onions, shredded some cheddar cheese, and then just sat everything out, along with a bottle of hot sauce and some oyster crackers. It was a HIT!!! We felt like we were sitting down to eat at a Skyline Restaurant back in Ohio! THANK YOU for posting this recipe!
Shailesh Jethva — Reply
Wonderful, Gwen ! Your Cincinnati Chili looks absolutely lip-smacking yummy! Also, thanks for sharing the recipe. 🙂
My husband and I live in Texas. He’s from New York and has never had Skyline chili. I visited Cincinnati many years ago with a friend and I’ve been hooked ever since. Every now and then I get it shipped to me, but my husband is a true foodie &I would rather try to make something. So, he scoured the Internet and found your recipe for me. I’m currently assembling my ingredients in preparation to make it this evening and let it sit overnight. My question is this… I’m not a big fan of onions, but will cook with them when necessary. Will it make a huge difference if I leave them out of the recipe?
I’ll be sure and let you know how it turns out. I’m very excited about this !
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Cheryl,
Definitely leave the onions. You won’t even know they’re in there since the chili cooks so long and they definitely add a lot of flavor.
Good luck and let me know how you like it!
Best,
Gwen
-
Oh my gosh. The chili turned out amazing! I was a little worried at first, it didn’t seem to be thickening up. But when my husband got home and helped me skim the fat off, it was perfect. I refrigerated it overnight, and then we had some on hotdogs for dinner last night. It was so good that I actually heated up some for breakfast this morning! And guess what’s for dinner tonight?
Thank you so much for posting the recipe. You absolutely nailed it!Cheryl 🙂
-
Pingback: Prates Who Dont | Information
This recipe is perfect! Thank you! I’ve come close to this a few times, but never wrote it all down.
The only thing I would change is the need for a food processor. When the beef is ground, simply putting it into cold water will break down into very fine pieces. People make the mistake of putting it into warmer water and that makes it chunky.
I just made your recipe or the Cincinnati chill. I am from Oklahoma , and spent over 20 years in the meat and food industry. The Company I worked for hired a guy from Ohio as a Sausage maker and food scientist. He developed a chili recipe for our company that was very close to a Cincinnati chili.
In Oklahoma we have a couple of Coney Island hot dog shops , but not as many as in the earlier years that serve a Greek style 5 way menu. There are more or them in Tulsa, ok.
But anyway to make a long story short..I have made your recipe and followed it verbatim . It take patience to cook this down and get it to the right consistency. It took about 4 or 5 hours of cooking on simmer to turn from a soup to a gravy.. Great Recipe I’m glad you posted it.
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Steve,
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice comment. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Best,
Gwen
Buy Jennie-o ground turkey or any frozen rolls of ground turkey and you won’t have all the fat, follow the same recipe and you won’t believe you used turkey and it’s more healthier. For some reason the turkey goes into really small pieces, if you like it finer, just squeeze all the turkey in the pot before the water gets to hot , then add all your ingredients!
I’ve lived in the Cincinnati area my whole life and I’ve tried many different Cincinnati chili recipes. Not to be negative, but let me say this one is way off. First of all, there are no onions cooked in Cincinnati recipe chili. They’re added later. There are no tomato chunks. Tomato paste is used instead of tomato sauce. And your recipe has way too much turmeric and vinegar to taste authentic. But thanks anyway for the recipe. I will eat the remainder and try to remember how to tweak my recipe to make it taste more like Skyline or Gold Star.
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Greg,
I’m sorry this recipe didn’t resemble the Cincinnati Chili recipes you remember. If you’ve read the comments, many people think it’s the closest to the one they know or have found over the years at restaurants. We think so, too. I hope you find the version that works best for you.
Gwen
Hello I’ve never tried your recipe…it does look like so many other ones on the internet…what I do know is the few ingredients that they do give on the back of the skyline frozen chili box is not in your recipe…tomato paste, Paprika ,dried yeast .on the water this one I do know about ….I have a friend that works at the skyline Processing plant in Ohio…. his job is to dump the ingredients in a big kettle, that are all dry ingredients even the beef is dried out …and fill it up with water from a hose …no beef chicken pork or Squirrel Broth or what ever other broth that people claim is in the recipe…it’s just water… I hope this doesn’t sound rude just trying to help thank you
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Tim,
Homemade recipes are very different from how factories make processed foods in big vats.
I’m sure Skyline Chili that’s being prepared for thousands of frozen dinners is made with things we’d never use at home – such as dried beef and dried yeast.
This recipe is the closest we’ve found to the original and i think many people have enjoyed it as well based on the comments here.
Gwen
Mark H — Reply
First I would like to say I lived in the Cincinnati area the first 23 years of my life, ate Cincinnati chili more than most and your recipe is right on. I have lived in Richmond Va since 1994 and have tried probably 50 different online recipes….This is the one. For those who say “They dont put onions in the recipe” I say does that matter? What matters is how it tastes. For the few who say it tastes nothing like it. I say you missed and ingredient or maybe you added Tumeric (Haha) when it wasn’t on the recipe.
Anyways thanks for giving me this. Another great Cincinnati specialty is Goetta….Maybe try it sometime.
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Mark,
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I’m so glad you are enjoying this recipe!
We agree that it’s the closet version to the original Cincinnati Chili that we have found. I’ve also tried quite a few recipes.
I was not familiar with Goetta but did look it up. It resembles the Pennsylvania Dutch scrapple I grew up with in Philadelphia. 🙂
Best,
Gwen
Do you think I could just copy this and cook it for less time in an pressure cooker? I have used the basis of this recipe many times on the stovetop with small changes to my taste, but am interested in speeding things up.
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Jake,
I just saw this question, but wanted to respond. I’m afraid that the pressure cooker would turn the meat to a mushy texture since the pieces are so small. I think a slow cooker would be fine on low, but a pressure cooker might be too much to achieve the desired texture and results.
I hope that helps.
Gwen
One ingredient that is not in any authentic Cincinnati Chili recipe – chocolate. Not in Skyline and not in Gold Star. I don’t know where this rumor got started.
-
One of our relatives was a friend of the Lambinedes family (owners of Skyline) and asked if chocolate was used ro make the chili. They just laughed at him, no way.
-
Did you actually make the recipe? Because there’s not enough “chocolate” in the recipe to make that much of a difference since it’s unsweetened cocoa. We’ve had comments from all kinds of Skyline Chili camps and been told how to prepare this probably more than 100 ways. So far this recipe is the closest that we’ve made to get close to what we order at Skyline Chili.
-
I was wondering what your chili powder was made of. I notice that there is a lot of variation between the different brands of chili powder. For instance, I have a Sam’s Club bottle and pepper is the first ingredient then “spices” and salt etc..
The Walmart version actually has more spices like Cumin, paprika before listing chili pepper. I notice in various comments some people seem to get actual ground chili pepper only and that would explain why some of them find the amount too hot in recipes that use decent amounts.
-
Gwen Pratesi — Reply
Hi Joe, I mostly use two different chili powders, depending on what’s in my pantry, but more than likely this recipe was originally made with Penzey’s chili powder. The other possibility is the chili powder from McCormick. I hope that helps. Gwen
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
