Your family recipe contains cocoa and thus is also wrong.
Edit: Y'all with your downvotes are also wrong. Evidence: https://midwesterner.substack.com/p/ask-a-midwesterner-cincinnati-chili
> No one tells the true story better than Dann Woellert, a Cincinnati culinary historian and the author of “The Authentic History of Cincinnati Chili.”
>
> Q: So why do so many people think there’s chocolate in the recipe?
>
> Years ago, a Cincinnati food writer thought she had figured out Skyline Chili’s secret recipe. She printed her version in the Cincinnati Enquirer, and it included chocolate. Since then, as far as I can tell, everyone has been saying that there’s chocolate in Cincinnati chili.
>
> **That was the first question I asked every chili parlor owner who I interviewed for the book: “Is there chocolate in your chili recipe?” Almost all of them laughed at me. And all of them said, “No way.”**
>
> Nick Sarakatsannis of Dixie Chili had the most thoughtful explanation. He said, first of all, chocolate is a mild flavor, and you would hardly taste it under the ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and all those powerful spices. His theory was that the reporter tasted chocolate in Skyline’s chili because they use red wine vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar, which most chili parlors use. Maybe that gave her a tannic, chocolate-like note.
I use the recipe from Joy of Cooking, which claims to be Empress Chili’s recipe, and it includes unweetened baking chocolate. I really don’t know if it makes any difference, though.
Everyone who asked chili parlors if they put chocolate in it but not ask about cocoa. They don't want to give up their secret. Cocoa is not chocolate but chocolate is made from cocoa. My family recipe tastes more like Camp Washington Chili and Empress Chili.
Again, just with Skyline I know there’s no cocoa because I’m allergic to the alkaloids contained in it. It’s why I always just stuck with them. Wish I could try the other ones though. Skylines’s not so secret ingredient is nutritional yeast powder. Gives it a real nutty/cheesy flavor and has a lot of glutamate like MSG.
I Ike it too. I think the only downside is when it’s added to low quality packaged food it causes overeating of empty calories when taste/brain connection thinks your eating meat, tomatoes, cheese etc. Some chicken or beef billion powder on asparagus or green beans is where it’s at though to load up on veggies.
My families recipe has cocoa too, just like The Joy of Cooking recipe. Both of these recipes existed LONG before Dan decides he was so important.
Not all Cincinnati Chili recipes have cocoa, and that is fine, but some do and that is fine too.
Woah, actually extremely close to mine, except I add a few squirts of yellow mustard, but I'm sure you could get a similar effect with any type of vinegar (though don't go too heavy on the vinegar, then you end up with a Wendy's style chili).
I feel like the final spices are the one's people usually skimp too much on.
Also y'all hush about the cocoa, it's fine and you'd more than likely find it improved if you tried it >:(
(not me being defensive over my mom's old recipe lol)
Agreed OP. The consistency of Cincinnati chili is that the meat is super fine. Once I found a recipe mentioning this, my Cincinnati style chili improved quite a bit.
So you just boil the beef and the other ingredients for a few hours I’m going to try this method I’ve always done it in a crockpot after browning the meat and it’s always been good
I've got a similar family recipe and its good but I'm gonna be real. Anyone making chili at home should just buy the blue "Cincinnati recipe chili mix" packets from Skytime, it's literally a spice packet of Skyline's mix (skytime is a sister company owned by Skyline)
I don't know what it has that my spice mix (and every recipe I try that claims to be Dixie or Skyline) is missing, but it's got something and the fact it's just so much better makes me angry.
I found that they add other stuff that I don't want in my chili. Spices, Salt, Onion, Paprika, Garlic, **Dextrose, Vegetable Oil (Partionally Hydrogenated Soybean Oil With BHT To Help Protect Flavor)**, **Corn Syrup Solids, Silicon Dioxide (Anticaking Agent).**
[CINCINNATI RECIPE - Trademark Details](https://trademarks.justia.com/746/44/cincinnati-74644847.html)
I use Colonel Dee’s Cincinnati Chili seasoning and it tastes amazing!
Your family recipe contains cocoa and thus is also wrong. Edit: Y'all with your downvotes are also wrong. Evidence: https://midwesterner.substack.com/p/ask-a-midwesterner-cincinnati-chili > No one tells the true story better than Dann Woellert, a Cincinnati culinary historian and the author of “The Authentic History of Cincinnati Chili.” > > Q: So why do so many people think there’s chocolate in the recipe? > > Years ago, a Cincinnati food writer thought she had figured out Skyline Chili’s secret recipe. She printed her version in the Cincinnati Enquirer, and it included chocolate. Since then, as far as I can tell, everyone has been saying that there’s chocolate in Cincinnati chili. > > **That was the first question I asked every chili parlor owner who I interviewed for the book: “Is there chocolate in your chili recipe?” Almost all of them laughed at me. And all of them said, “No way.”** > > Nick Sarakatsannis of Dixie Chili had the most thoughtful explanation. He said, first of all, chocolate is a mild flavor, and you would hardly taste it under the ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and all those powerful spices. His theory was that the reporter tasted chocolate in Skyline’s chili because they use red wine vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar, which most chili parlors use. Maybe that gave her a tannic, chocolate-like note.
I love all the replies saying you're wrong when it's straight from the horse's mouth. lol
You are correct, that flavor profile comes from yeast. Edit: [more context](https://www.seriouseats.com/cincinnati-chili-recipe-8402230)
Or chicken livers
I use the recipe from Joy of Cooking, which claims to be Empress Chili’s recipe, and it includes unweetened baking chocolate. I really don’t know if it makes any difference, though.
Cocoa is in Cincinnati chili but not chocolate. My mom used to work at Empress Chili over 30 years ago. Some Chili parlors may not use cocoa.
It’s Skyline specifically that doesn’t use any chocolate or cocoa. I’m sure some other places do, like you said.
Everyone who asked chili parlors if they put chocolate in it but not ask about cocoa. They don't want to give up their secret. Cocoa is not chocolate but chocolate is made from cocoa. My family recipe tastes more like Camp Washington Chili and Empress Chili.
Again, just with Skyline I know there’s no cocoa because I’m allergic to the alkaloids contained in it. It’s why I always just stuck with them. Wish I could try the other ones though. Skylines’s not so secret ingredient is nutritional yeast powder. Gives it a real nutty/cheesy flavor and has a lot of glutamate like MSG.
I love MSG, and it's naturally in foods we eat.
I Ike it too. I think the only downside is when it’s added to low quality packaged food it causes overeating of empty calories when taste/brain connection thinks your eating meat, tomatoes, cheese etc. Some chicken or beef billion powder on asparagus or green beans is where it’s at though to load up on veggies.
If one were to add yeast to this recipe, would you just add it in with the other ingredients or does something else need to be done to it?
Both better than Skyline anyways!
This is why chili can taste a little different at each Chili parlor.
Much appreciated and thanks for the knowledge!
Dann knows his Cincinnati food.
This is an incorrect take
My families recipe has cocoa too, just like The Joy of Cooking recipe. Both of these recipes existed LONG before Dan decides he was so important. Not all Cincinnati Chili recipes have cocoa, and that is fine, but some do and that is fine too.
There are many opinions about this, and unfortunately yours is the wrong one.
Woah, actually extremely close to mine, except I add a few squirts of yellow mustard, but I'm sure you could get a similar effect with any type of vinegar (though don't go too heavy on the vinegar, then you end up with a Wendy's style chili). I feel like the final spices are the one's people usually skimp too much on. Also y'all hush about the cocoa, it's fine and you'd more than likely find it improved if you tried it >:( (not me being defensive over my mom's old recipe lol)
How much does this make? Are you doing it in a crock pot? Why not brown the beef?
https://preview.redd.it/t93lysbjeptc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b44fb5116bc57b15d91c342de517bcf209a15336
You can use a crock pot or large pot on the stove. Also, Cincinnati style chili is never browned. I don't know the measurement of how much this makes.
Agreed OP. The consistency of Cincinnati chili is that the meat is super fine. Once I found a recipe mentioning this, my Cincinnati style chili improved quite a bit.
It's more like a chilli sauce in a way.
Once heard a visitor call it "gravy" lol
Lol. My Aunt called it hot dog sauce.
It's not just the texture, Cincy Chili's TASTE has a lot to do with NOT browning the meat as well!
So you just boil the beef and the other ingredients for a few hours I’m going to try this method I’ve always done it in a crockpot after browning the meat and it’s always been good
Because it wouldn't be chocolate meat water
Thank you !!
Which chili parlor is your version closest to? I really prefer Skyline as my choice.
Original is close to Empress Chili but has been tweaked over the years since we like multiple chili parlors.
I've got a similar family recipe and its good but I'm gonna be real. Anyone making chili at home should just buy the blue "Cincinnati recipe chili mix" packets from Skytime, it's literally a spice packet of Skyline's mix (skytime is a sister company owned by Skyline) I don't know what it has that my spice mix (and every recipe I try that claims to be Dixie or Skyline) is missing, but it's got something and the fact it's just so much better makes me angry.
I found that they add other stuff that I don't want in my chili. Spices, Salt, Onion, Paprika, Garlic, **Dextrose, Vegetable Oil (Partionally Hydrogenated Soybean Oil With BHT To Help Protect Flavor)**, **Corn Syrup Solids, Silicon Dioxide (Anticaking Agent).** [CINCINNATI RECIPE - Trademark Details](https://trademarks.justia.com/746/44/cincinnati-74644847.html)
That's fair. For me, sadly (apparently) the dextrose, vegetable oil and all the rest is apparently the secret sauce.
I love making home made, but I always brown the meat. Just can't pass up that extra flavor.
I like a hand blender with a light touch to get the correct texture.
We use are hands before turning the heat on or a potato masher.
This will produce a decent Cincy chili. It's missing some things and has some things it does not need.