Cincinnati Chili

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef (lean)
1 medium yellow onion (diced)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
¼ cup chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1½ teaspoon white sugar
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
½ ounce unsweetened chocolate
1 bay leaf
6 ounces tomato paste (can or tube)
6 cups water
2 pounds spaghetti (If serving all at once)
6 cups cheddar cheese (grated)

Optional Toppings:
1 raw onion (chopped)
1 can kidney beans
Oyster crackers

Directions

Throw all the ingredients in a 5-6 quart pot (preferably a dutch oven).

Pour water over all the ingredients

Mash all the ingredients together using a large potato masher.

Bring the mixture to simmer and cook 2 – 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.

Chili is done when it reaches a saucy consistency. Don’t let it get too thick. The goal is a saucy consistency that ladles easily over the spaghetti.

Boil spaghetti until it’s soft. We recommend that you follow the directions on the spaghetti package and add 3 to 5 minutes.

Drain spaghetti into a colander and then transfer back to the pot. After you make sure that your pasta pot is off the heat, pour one large spoonful of the chili into the pasta pot and mix. (This step prevents the pasta from sticking together.)

Use tongs to serve spaghetti on large plates.

Ladle a large amount of chili on top of each plate of spaghetti.

Optional: Place chopped raw onions and/or kidney beans on top of the chili.

Ue your hands to smother everything with a mountain of grated cheddar cheese. You should only see the bare edge of the chili and spaghetti.