Pressure Cooker Cincinnati Style Chili
What’s the secret to Cincinnati Style Chili? Is it chocolate? Cinnamon? One may never know.
Today, we’re gonna make pressure cooker Cincinnati style chili. A first for me.
Ever had Cincinnati Style Chili before? Ever made it? That’s what we’re gonna do today!
Now, if you are familiar with Cincinnati Style Chili, you know that it’s basically a meat sauce. It has a tomato base and has a very distinct aroma of cinnamon. There’s actually quite a few spices that give it it’s fantastic flavor, including chocolate. Yes, I said chocolate. I’ve made this dish for, well actually my Mom made it when we were kids.
Before you start the chili, go ahead and have your spaghetti done or just about done because this only takes 25 minutes to cook in the pressure cooker.
We’ve got a busy tray full of flavor going on here..
Starting clockwise from the top right, we’ve got grated onion, cinnamon, ground beef, beef stock, chili powder, worchestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, cocoa powder, dried minced garlic, cayenne pepper, cumin, a bay leaf and tomato paste.
Now, I’ve gone through several recipes for this dish and most of them don’t mention anything about the texture of the meat. Cincinnati Style Chili is supposed to have a very fine texture. In other words, no chunks. That’s the reason the onions in this recipe are grated, not chopped or minced.
A trick I learned many years ago for ground beef, when you’re making a fine textured dish such as taco meat (ground beef ones), instead of browning the meat first, you add the liquid to it and mash it up.
That way, you’re sure to have the texture you want. Some folks like the chunky ground beef texture but for this dish, in my opinion it needs to be fine and smooth.
Add the rest of the ingredients and combine well.
Looks kinda like sausage meat, huh?
Once you get everything combined, place the lid on and lock. Turn the steam release valve to the locked position.
Select the soup/stew button and adjust the timer to 25 minutes. When the timer goes off, it’s done.
The smell that fills the house when you’re making Cincinnati Style Chili is absolutely heavenly. Usually on the stove it takes about an hour and a half. Using the pressure cooker for this recipe is wonderful because you’re not walking around with your mouth watering so long.
I personally like my Cincinnati Style Chili served as a 5-way. That is, the chili is served over spaghetti and topped with kidney beans, onions and cheese. (With a side of oyster crackers) Yummy!
If you like Cincinnati Style Chili and have never made it, you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you do. If you’ve never had it before, you’ll wanna stick this recipe in your back pocket for the next chilly day because it’s delicious. Besides, who doesn’t love a nice warm chili on a cool Autumn night? Right. š
Make it a great day and as always, keep it delicious!
Till next time ~ much love, Connie
Cincinnati Style Chili ~ Pressure Cooker Fast
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 2 C beef stock
- 1 medium onion grated fine
- 1 can tomato paste
- 2 tsp worchestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tsp dried minced garlic
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Place the ground beef and beef stock in the pot. Combine well until all the meat is broken into a fine texture.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.
- Cover with the lid and turn the steam release valve to the locked position.
- Press the soup/stew button and adjust the timer to 25 minutes.
- When finished, carefully release the steam and stir.
- Serve hot over pasta with beans, onions and cheese (if desired) or serve on hot dogs for coneys.
Notes
What is Happy Belly Foodie all about? Keeping it delicious! 
This looks sooooo good and I am going to try it, but my question to you is: does the chili end up tasting a lot like the cinnamon? My hubby isn’t real fond of cinnamon, so that is why I ask.
Also, I am making your chili dog coney sauce this weekend. It sure sounds great and will be having coney dogs for friends over for lunch. I think you are fabulous and am anxious to try your recipes. I just discovered you about two weeks or so ago. Thanks for all your hard work and giving all of us your recipes, it is greatly appreciated. I bought the Instant Pot in February and just love it so much. It is my number one go to appliance. Will let you know about the coney dogs….. Lots of hugs your way…..Claudia
Wow Claudia, thank you so much. I absolutely love doing this blog. Even if no one looked at it, I’d still do it. I think that shows, especially when sweethearts like you say such kind things about it. And the instant pot truly is a miracle! I LOVE mine and I learn something new each time I use it.
For the chili, you can use just a pinch of the cinnamon or even leave it out if you want but the amount in the recipe doesn’t leave you tasting it like WOW or anything. The combination of spices makes a whole flavor in itself, so you’re not really tasting just one. Since it is chili (both of the chili recipes) you can adjust it anyway you like with the amounts of seasonings. Make it your own, I say. <3 Thanks for visiting and commenting š
My son and I made this for supper this evening. Wonderful!
Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Susan
this. is. IT!
i spent a couple hellish months in cincy about 20 years ago and one of the few bright spots of my time there was skyline chili. ever since then, iāve tried to find a recipe that would allow me to recreate the taste without having to revisit the city, and every one failedā¦until this one. i kinda knew this was the right recipe from just reading how you created the right consistency of the meat, but once i popped the top on my instant pot, i knew iād hit paydirt.
thanks tons for a great recipe!
Thank you Chris. Enjoy!
What size can of tomato paste?
6 ounce
Thanks so much for this yummy, easy recipe! This Ohio-born-and-raised Atlanta transplant finally has a Skyline fix! š
PRO-TIP: For those of us who grew up with Skyline and notice the little differences, hereās how to infuse your spaghetti with that same flavor Skyline does ā and avoid the hassle of boiling noodles in a separate pot:
When chili is done, strain it using a fine mesh strainer, reserving the liquid (You should have about 1.5-2 cups). Reserve chili in a separate container and return liquid to pot, adding an additional cup or so of water. Turn pot on Saute mode to bring liquid to boiling, then add your noodles, breaking them in half and stacking them in criss-crossed layers. Turn pot off, lock on and seal lid and set pot to Manual High for 4 minutes. Quick release and stir, then serve, topped with chili, beans, onions, cheese and hot sauce and with oyster cracker garnish!
Voila ā¦ Skyline-infused noodles! š š