Who makes the best chili? Ask a thousand people and you’ll probably get a thousand different opinions.

In Cincinnati, we like to slip in hints of chocolate and cinnamon. Across the Midwest, you might find pork taking the place of beef.
And whatever you do… don’t try adding beans to a Texan’s chili unless you’re ready for a fight.

Inspired by all these variations, I started reaching out to the chili cook-off champions each year, from office contests to family events, to see if they’d give up their recipes. Many were kind enough to share.

What follows is my own take built from the ingredients most of them had in common, combined with a few of their unique touches and some of my personal twists. Followed by a “Twist List”

Ingredients

the amounts are up to you, it’s a taste and go process!

• Ground Beef 1lb
  • Browned (many Cincinnatians prefer to boil)
• The Holy Trinity of Cajun cooking – Sauté
  • Onions
  • Celery
  • Green Pepper
• Garlic Clove
• Diced Tomatoes
  • I prefer canned Rotel fire roasted
• Tomato Sauce
• Tomato Paste
  • small can per pound of chili
• Bone Broth
• Olive oil 
• Worcestershire
• Liquid Smoke
  • ONLY a cap full and taste, a little goes a long way
• Thai Chili Sauce
  • This is one of my twists, adds sweet, heat, and thickness
  • Bonus tip – use it in your salsas, you’re welcome
• Wing Sauce
  • for a little KICK!
  • Adds some acidity from the vinegar as an alternate to oversalting
  • I prefer, you may want to sub with another ingredient from the twist list below
• Kidney Beans
  • Light or Dark or a combo, sorry Texas
• Bullion Cube
• Salt
• Cumin
  • A must imho
• Cinnamon
  • Use sparingly, a little goes a long way
• Your favorite chili seasoning packet
  • If someone already makes a blend of spices you prefer, by all means use it.
• Cocoa powder
  • Adds nice depth

Twist List

• Hot Pepper of your choice
  • I prefer to leave out and get heat from other additions
  • You may love a certain peppers flavor, and you don’t have to always use the entire thing.
• Hot Sauce of your choice
• White Vinegar
  • As mentioned earlier, when you keep adding salt and can’t seem to get there, vinegar can help you raise the acidity without the risk of oversalting
• Apple cider vinegar
• Chili powder
  • Careful, can be sneaky hot
• Black pepper
  • i love black pepper, but it gets overpowered in chili, so i leave it out
• Oregano
• Basil
• Cayenne pepper
• Paprika
• Garlic salt
  • I prefer salt and fresh garlic
• Porter or Stout Beer
  • to keep meat from burning
  • adds earthy flavors
• Coffee
  • brewed expresso or ground
  • roasty flavors
• Marmite
  • alternate to bullion
• Anchovy paste
  • alternate to bullion
• Brown sugar
• Maple syrup
• Honey
• Apple butter
• Masa harina