Cincinnati Chili

* Low Carb * Weekend Winner *

It's that time of the year! The leaves are turning glorious colors and floating down from overhead branches, and there is just the hint of a chill in the evening air. It's chili weather!

The helpful husband has *gasp* put me on a grocery budget, so I've been having fun finding recipes that use what we have at home, and only what we have at home. I did not have the ingredients for our usual chili (http://kennedydorn.blogspot.com/2012/11/game-day-chili-and-corn-bread.html), so I poked around and discovered this version. And now it’s going to be a battle to figure out which chili we make from now on – as this one is as good as our favorite!

Cincinnati Chili

Courtesy of Cook’sIlustrated

Serves 6-8 (in my house this served 4)

2 tsp table salt or more to taste

1½ lbs ground beef chuck

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 medium onions, chopped fine (about 2 cups)

2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp cocoa

1½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp ground allspice

¼ tsp ground black pepper

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups water

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

2 cups tomato sauce

Hot pepper sauce

Accompaniments 

1 pound spaghetti, cooked, drained, and tossed with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 can red kidney beans (15-ounce), drained, rinsed, and warmed

1 medium white onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)

Sour cream

Editor’s Note: We used the total amount of liquid and the chili took about 3 hours to reduce. If you’re short on time, cut the water added to the sauce down to 1 cup.

Bring 2 quarts of water and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the ground chuck, stirring vigorously o separate the meat into individual strands. As soon as the foam from

the meat rises to the top (this takes about 30 seconds) and before the water returns to a boil, drain the meat into a strainer and set it aside.

Rinse and dry the empty saucepan. Set the pan over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is warm, add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and browned around the edges, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the chili powder, oregano, cocoa, cinnamon, cayenne, allspice, black pepper, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, water, vinegar, sugar, and tomato sauce, scraping the pan bottom to remove

any browned bits.

Add the blanched ground beef and increase the heat to high. As soon as the liquid boils, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chili is deep red and has thickened slightly, about 1 hour. Adjust the seasonings, adding salt and hot pepper sauce to taste. (The chili can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat before serving.)

Cincinnati Chili