I revamped My Cincinnati Chili Recipe With Marukan Rice Vinegar

***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my post. No other compensation has been provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

Since I live in the great state of Ohio, I have always got to try locally-inspired dishes. We've got Buckeye Balls, Sauerkraut Balls (recipe can be found HERE) and tons of ethnic dishes that showcase the many cultures found here in NE Ohio. I know I absolutely love heading to the West Side Market in Cleveland to sample some delicious Polish, Hungarian, German, and Greek foods. 

One of my favorite regional dishes would have to be Cincinnati Chili. I started making this years ago when I was craving spaghetti and had to please my husband. You see, he's weird. He won't eat anything with an obvious tomato-based sauce. So normally spaghetti AND chili are totally out of the question.  Until I discovered Cincinnati Chili.

Cincinnati Chili cannot be confused with normal chili. It has an entirely different and unique flavor profile that makes it stand in a category of its own. With ingredients like cinnamon, allspice, cloves, chocolate and Marukan Rice Vinegar, this dish is literally oozing with flavor. 

It's actually fairly simple to make, although it does call for several ingredients. Don't let the long list intimidate. It's seriously well worth the effort. 

First, you need to prepare the meat by boiling it. Yes, I did just say boil. Doing this gives the beef a fine consistency, much like that found at Skyline Chili. 

Once the meat has boiled and the water level has reduced, add all the spices and other ingredients. Normally this recipe doesn't call for kidney beans mixed into it, but I was feeling it at the time so I tossed in a can. 

While your chili simmers away, making your home smell like some exotic, delicious restaurant in the Mediterranean, prepare your pasta. Traditionally, this dish is made with plain old spaghetti. You can use any pasta you'd like, though. It's even good as a casserole with macaroni or egg noodles! Top it with some cheese and get ready to drool. 

Once your pasta is done, top it with chili and cheese for a "3 Way", add some beans on top for a "4-Way" or get really crazy by adding cheese, beans and diced onions for a "5-Way". (Yes, these are the terms used here in Ohio for these classic variations of the dish.) 

For easy reference, here is my exact recipe. I recently changed it up by using Marukan Rice Vinegar rather than apple cider vinegar, and you can definitely detect a difference in flavor. The rice vinegar is delicate in flavor and offers a wonderful tang. 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground chuck. 
• 1 quart water, or amount to cover
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons Marukan Rice Vinegar 
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 (1 ounce) square unsweetened chocolate
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 5 whole cloves
• 5 whole allspice berries
• 1 bay leaf

Directions

1. Place the ground beef in a large pan, cover with about 1 quart of cold water, and bring to a boil, stirring and breaking up the beef with a fork to a fine texture. Slowly boil until the meat is thoroughly cooked, about 30 minutes, then remove from heat and refrigerate in the pan overnight.
2. The next day, skim the solid fat from the top of the pan, and discard the fat. Place the beef mixture over medium heat, and stir in the onions, tomato sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, chocolate, chili powder, salt, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, 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 the chili from burning.

Note: You don't HAVE to let it sit overnight, but doing so does allow you to skim some of the fat, which lowers the fat content. It also allows the flavors to blend to perfection. I have eaten it without refrigerating overnight, too, and it was still very yummy!

Have you cooked using Marukan Rice Vinegar before? How does it help you elevate old favorites into vibrant new dishes? I'd love to hear all about your experiences! 


You can learn more about Marukan on their website.


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