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    Recipes » Soup » Authentic Instant Pot Cincinnati Chili (Skyline Copycat)

    Authentic Instant Pot Cincinnati Chili (Skyline Copycat)

    Oct 5, 2021 · Last updated: Aug 25, 2022 by Gina Dickson · This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

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    cincinnati chili on a plate with cheese and crackers on top

    This homemade copycat recipe for authentic tasting Instant Pot Cincinnati Chili will become a quick and easy family favorite. The sweet and savory sauce is spiced with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, garlic all infused with beef hamburger and tomato sauce.

    The chili is served piled high on top of a big plate of spaghetti then traditionally topped with cheddar cheese, beans, oyster crackers, diced onions, and shredded cheese. It's a delicious recipe your entire family will enjoy.

    Authentic Instant Pot Cincinnati Chili on a plate with cheese and crackers on top
    PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER
    🌶 Love chili? Try one of these recipes!

    Texas Roadhouse Chili Recipe

    Wendy’s Chili Recipe

    Tip: How To Thicken Chili

    Vegetarian White Chili

    Canned Chili

    Cincinnati chili is a filling meat sauce dish so it needs light sides such as the famous Green Jacket Salad or an Apple Cranberry Salad.

    Jump to:
    • History coming to America
    • What is Cincinnati chili like today?
    • Why this recipe works
    • 🛒 Ingredient notes
    • 💭 Tips for making the recipe
    • 🔪 Step by step instructions
    • 💭 Tips for making homemade Skyline Chili
    • How to serve
    • ❓ FAQ
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe

    History coming to America

    Cincinnati-style chili was born when brothers Tom and John Kiradjieff left Macedonia, to start their new lives in America. They brought with them their Macedonian recipes with the traditional combination of spices and opened a restaurant on October 24, 1922.

    They named it Empress Chili Parlor. They boldly created their own version of chili using the spices of their homeland. They sold chili dogs, chili spaghetti, coffee, cigars, and some grocery items. 

    Since their location happened to be right next to the Empress Burlesque theater the restaurant was provided a steady stream of customers. "The Empress" became the model that later chili parlors would follow. Many of their friends came to American and working at the chili polar became their first job in America.

    What is Cincinnati chili like today?

    There have evolved many different variations of the original chili.  It is typically a type of chili con carne characterized by the use of seasonings such as cinnamon, cloves allspice, and sometimes chocolate.

    It is usually an all-beef chili that is simmered with water or broth, a tomato base, and a unique mixture of savory and sweet spices and seasonings. It is commonly served over spaghetti or as a hot dog sauce.

    Also, it's normally a thin, sauce-like consistency, unlike most chili con carne. The most famous restaurant today that serves Cincinnati chili is called Skyline Chili. Skyline began as a chili parlor on Glenway Avenue. This restaurant overlooked the Cincinnati skyline, inspiring the name of the parlor.

    Why this recipe works

    • Using an electric pressure cooker helps infuse all the spices and meat flavors together much faster than traditional stovetop chili.
    • After many trials and taste tests, I have found what seems to be the most authentic combination of flavors like what you would purchase at the Skyline Chili restaurants today.
    • This is a great recipe to serve guests because many people have never had the Skyline Chili they now serve in the Ohio area. I have served it many times and people always comment later on how surprised they were by the dish and how much they liked it. It's the perfect medley of unexpected spices in chili.

    🛒 Ingredient notes

    ingredients for cincinnati chili copycat
    • Ground beef: You will want to use an 80/20 meat to fat ratio. The fat enhances the flavor, but don't worry. You can easily remove the excess by chilling the chili after it is done cooking in your Instant Pot.
    • Seasonings: Always be sure your seasonings are fresh. If they have been in your pantry for more than 6 months then they will start to lose their flavor and strength to season your recipes
    • A-1 sauce - I personally buy store brand for this and it works just fine.
    • The original recipe had kidney beans as a topping, but for my recipe pictures, I used pinto beans that I canned myself. My hubby does not like kidney beans due to the fact he was forced to eat them as a child in traditional chili; bad memories. Black beans would also be a good choice if you prefer.
    • I have found it is better to use garlic powder instead of fresh cloves garlic for the copycat version. The skyline chili does not have a noticeable garlic taste.
    • The same goes for onion powder vs raw onions. The powder is more subtle.
    • Be sure and use a combination of white sugar and brown sugar.

    See the recipe card for a complete list and quantities.

    💭 Tips for making the recipe

    The original restaurant boils the meat right in the sauce and leaves the fat in it. This gives it the fine meaty constancy that makes it like the original. I personally feel that is too much fat so for this Instant Pot Skyline chili recipe, I do a lower fat version and boil the hamburger in water and then drain all the water and fat off of it.

    🔪 Step by step instructions

    1. Add your ground beef to the Instant Pot pan along with two quarts of water. Turn the Instant Pot to the saute function. Cook hamburger in the water until all red is gone. It should take 7 to 8 minutes. Be sure to stir several times throughout the cooking process. The hamburger should be small and crumbly.
    2. Drain water from the cooked hamburger and return the meat to the instant pot pan.
    3. Add the seasonings, tomato paste, chili powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, black pepper garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, paprika, and A-1 sauce. Stir well to mix in all the seasonings.
    4. Add the liquids, tomato sauce, white vinegar, and water. Stir so all the ingredients are blended together evenly.
    5. Lock on the lid, bring the Instant Pot to high pressure and cook time for 30 minutes. When the time is up let the pressure come down naturally. Unlock the lid.
    6. Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles and toppings of your choice.
    7. Combine all spices into a large bowl and mix thoroughly into lean ground beef.

    💭 Tips for making homemade Skyline Chili

    If your hamburger clumps together in large pieces then use an immersion blender in the water and hamburger mixture before you drain it. If you don't have an immersion blender then try a potato masher.

    How to serve

    One of the most memorable parts of eating this chili is the ordering process. No, it's not just a bowl of chili, you have decisions to make and you have to know the Cincinnati Chili language. You step up to the counter and tell them the way you want it. 

    The traditional way to serve the chili is two-way, chili over spaghetti, but you must decide if you want cheese, onions, or beans added to the chili. Also, don't forget, hot sauce and oyster crackers are served on the side with each plate. 

    • Two-Way: Chili on top of spaghetti
    • Three-Way: Chili on top of spaghetti with tons of cheese shredded on top
    • Four-Way: Chopped onions added to the three-way
    • Five-Way: Beans added to the four-way
    • Coney: Vienna sausage or hot dogs with mustard, topped with chili, onions, and cheese on a steamed bun

    ❓ FAQ

    Is there Cocoa in Cincinnati chili?

    There is no cocoa in Cincinnati chili. The original owner, Mr. Lambrinides died in 2015 at 87, and the recipe had been locked away until then. Even franchise owners weren't allowed to know what's really in the chili. However with the concern for allergies these days, an owner let it slip; there is no chocolate or cocoa powder in the recipe.

    What makes Cincinnati chili different?

    What makes it different is the way the meat is cooked and the spices used. Cincinnati Chili has a thinner consistency with very small pieces of hamburger throughout. Also, the spices are sweet because the recipe was created by a Greek immigrant using his native spice blend of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

    Authentic Instant Pot Cincinnati Chili on a plate with cheese and crackers on top

    Related Recipes

    • Copycat Wendy's Chili Recipe
    • Canned Chili Recipe
    • Vegan White Bean Chili
    • Best Copycat Texas Roadhouse Chili Recipe

    Love a recipe you've tried? 😋 Please leave a 5-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

    Recipe

    Authentic Instant Pot Cincinnati Chili on a plate with cheese and crackers on top

    Authentic Instant Pot Cincinnati Chili (Skyline copycat)

    Gina Dickson
    This homemade copycat recipe for authentic tasting Instant Pot Cincinnati chile will become a quick and easy family favorite. The sweet and savory sauce is spiced with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, garlic all infused with beef hamburger and tomato sauce.

    Note:

    To save you ink, video and equipment images will not print.

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share by Email Share by Text
    Tap to prevent your screen from going dark while making this recipe.
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    boil hamburger 10 mins
    Total Time 55 mins
    Course Soup
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10
    Calories 359 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 1/2 pounds ground beef 80/20
    • 15 ounce can tomato sauce
    • 6 ounce can tomato paste
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
    • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
    • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
    • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 tablespoon A-1 sauce
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups water
    • 1/2 cup white sugar

    Need an ingredient to make this recipe? Click this Instacart button and get what you need sent right to you.

    Instructions
     

    • Add your ground beef to the Instant Pot pan along with two quarts of water. Turn the Instant Pot to the saute function. Cook hamburger in the water until all red is gone. It should take 7 to 8 minutes. Be sure to stir several times throughout the cooking process. The hamburger should be small and crumbly.
    • Drain water from the cooked hamburger and return the meat to the instant pot pan.
    • Add the seasonings, tomato paste, chili powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, black pepper garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, paprika, and A-1 sauce. Stir well to mix in all the seasonings with the cooked hamburger.
    • Add the liquids, tomato sauce, white vinegar, and water. Stir so, all the ingredients are blended together evenly.
    • Lock on the lid, bring the Instant Pot to high pressure, and cook time for 30 minutes. When the time is up let the pressure come down naturally.
    • Unlock on the lid and serve over cooked spaghetti and toppings of your choice.

    Need an item in the this recipe? Click the Instacart button and have it sent right to you.

    Notes

    How to serve
    The traditional way to serve the chili is two-way, chili over spaghetti, but you must decide if you want cheese, onions, or beans added to the chili. Also, don't forget, hot sauce and oyster crackers are served on the side with each plate. 
    • Two-Way: Chili on top of spaghetti
    • Three-Way: Chili on top of spaghetti with tons of cheese shredded on top
    • Four-Way: Chopped onions added to the three-way
    • Five-Way: Beans added to the four-way
    • Coney: Vienna sausage or hot dogs with mustard, topped with chili, onions, and cheese on a steamed bun

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2cupsCalories: 359kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 21gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 832mgPotassium: 657mgFiber: 2gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 822IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 3mg
    Share Your CreationTag @intentionalhospitality and hashtag #intentionalhospitality so I can see what you made. Don’t forget to leave a star rating.

    Update Notes: This post was originally published in 2014, but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions, and tips, in October of 2021.

    I appreciate your shares! xox

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    About Gina Dickson

    Hey y'all, I am here to help you build community and nurture faith around your table. You will find fun party ideas and delicious recipes for easy-to-make meals and party food. I want to help you create a table where people come together, enjoy a meal and linger with good conversation.

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    1. victoria

      November 28, 2014 at 3:41 pm

      Our family eats Cincinnati chili at least once a week as I grew up in that city and am very familiar with the famous chili and its famous family. I knew the family and often ate at their original store. We always have to stop at a Cincinnati chili restaurant every time we go home for a visit. It's definitely a part of our heritage. I'm glad your family enjoys it too. I've fixed it for many a friend over the years and the reactions are often comical - people either love it or hate it.
      Just as a note, you usually boil the meat right in the sauce and leave in the fat. I know it's not the best for health, but it really does add the flavor.

      Blessings,

      Victoria

      Reply
      • Gina Marie

        November 28, 2014 at 11:15 pm

        Victoria,
        I have changed the post and the recipe to let everyone know if they want to make a more authentic chili they need to boil the meat right in the sauce. I'm going to try that next time we make it.
        We also enjoy finding friends to have over for dinner that have never had Cincinnati Chili and see what their reaction is. It defiantly is a unique dish!
        Thanks for your tips!

        Reply

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