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    Home » Recipes » Pressure cooker

    Pressure Cooker Cincinnati Chili

    Published: Sep 13, 2012 · Modified: Feb 28, 2017 by Mike Vrobel · This post may contain affiliate links · 18 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Pressure Cooker Cincinnati Chili
    Pressure Cooker Cincinnati Chili

    I'm a little nervous about today's post. Chili has devoted fans. The kind of people who put "fanatic" back in fan. And, while I'm an Ohio boy, I've never been to Cincinnati. So, some people could view this recipe as blasphemous...not quite blasphemous as an Ohio boy posting a Texas chili recipe, but close.

    I don't care. I love Cincinnati chili. When I was working my first job out of college, a group of us would go to Skyline Chili once a week for lunch. It was the high point of my week, which probably tells you how that job was going for me.

    Cincinnati chili is very saucy, which is good, because it is used to top a plate of spaghetti, and is then topped with a pile of shredded cheese. Think of it as closer to spaghetti sauce than a bowl of Texas red. It is served in five different "ways", each ingredient layered from the bottom:

    • One way - chili (usually called "a bowl of chili")
    • Two way - spaghetti topped with chili
    • Three way - spaghetti, chili, cheese
    • Four way - spaghetti, chili, onions, cheese
    • Five way - spaghetti, chili, beans, onions, cheese

    I've been trying to get the mix of spices right for years; here's my current best guess. I use my pressure cooker to speed things up. And...and...I'm not sure I should admit this, but...I like to cook the beans in the chili. Why cook them separately when I can cook them with the spices, and add to the flavor? This makes me a Cincinnati chili heretic, of course. Look out, here come the angry mob, straight up I-71!
    *No pressure cooker? No worries. Check the notes section for regular stove top instructions.

    Recipe: Pressure Cooker Cincinnati Chili

    Equipment:

    • 6 quart or larger pressure cooker (That's a Cuisinart Electric PC in the pictures, but my favorite is now an Instant Pot Electric PC.)

     

    Print
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    Pressure Cooker Cincinnati Chili


    ★★★★

    4 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Mike Vrobel
    • Total Time: 8 hours 45 minutes
    • Yield: 6-8 1x
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Pressure Cooker Cincinnati Chili recipe - a taste of the queen city from your pressure cooker in about an hour.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    Brined Beans

    • 1 pound dried red kidney beans, sorted and rinsed
    • 3 quarts water
    • 3 tablespoons table salt (or 6 tablespoons kosher salt)

    Chili

    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 2 medium onions, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ cup chili powder
    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
    • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
    • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
    • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 ½ pounds ground beef
    • 4 cups water
    • 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
    • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Other ingredients and condiments

    • 1 pound dried spaghetti, cooked according to package directions in salted water
    • 8 ounces (4 cups) finely grated cheddar cheese
    • Minced onions
    • Oyster crackers
    • Hot sauce (I use Frank's red hot, but it's milder than what they serve at Skyline.)

    Instructions

    1. Brine the beans: 8 hours before cooking (or the night before), sort and rinse the kidney beans, then cover with 3 quarts water and add the salt. Soak the beans at room temperature until it is time to cook, then drain and rinse carefully.
    2. Sauté the aromatics: Heat the vegetable oil in the pressure cooker over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add the onions, garlic, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the pressure cooker. Sauté the onions and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes.
    3. Toast the spices and cook the beef: Make a hole in the center of the onion/garlic mix and add the chili powder, cumin, coriander, cocoa powder, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaf. Let sit for 30 seconds to toast the spices, then stir them into the onions. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring and breaking up any clumps, until the beef just loses its pink color.
    4. Cook the chili: Stir the drained and rinsed kidney beans into the pot, then pour in the water, and add the crushed tomatoes on top. (Do not stir; the tomatoes may burn if they get to the bottom of the pot.) Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and bring the cooker up to high pressure. (Read your fine pressure cooker manual for how to do this). Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes in an electric PC, 15 minutes in a stovetop PC. Let the pressure come down naturally, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cider vinegar and brown sugar, then add salt and pepper to taste.
    5. Serve the chili: Put a layer of spaghetti on the plate, top with a generous layer of chili, sprinkle on the minced onions, then heap on the cheese. Pass the oyster crackers to sop up the thin sauce, and hot sauce for anyone who wants to add some heat.
    • Prep Time: 8 hours
    • Cook Time: 45 minutes
    • Category: Pressure Cooker
    • Cuisine: American

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    Brined and rinsed kidney beans
    Brined and rinsed kidney beans

     

    Sauté the onions and chili powder
    Sauté the onions and chili powder

     

    Cook the beef until it just loses its pink color
    Cook the beef until it just loses its pink color

     

    A plate of five way - spaghetti, chili, beans, onions and cheese
    A plate of five way - spaghetti, chili, beans, onions and cheese

    Notes:

    *No pressure cooker? No worries. Cook the recipe in a dutch oven, following the instructions. In step 3, instead of pressure cooking on high, bring all the ingredients to a boil, cover the pot and move it to a 350*F oven for 2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Remove from the oven, and season to taste.

    *Even quicker pressure cooker chili: If you have pre-cooked beans, you can use them instead of dried. Skip the brining step. In step 4, cook the chili for 5 minutes under high pressure. Rinse the beans, and serve them with the chili on top of the

    *As with most stews and chilis, this recipe freezes well. I freeze it in 2 cup containers for future lunches.

    What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

    Related Posts:
    Pressure cooker pork chili with beans
    Pressure Cooker Turkey, Chorizo and Bean Chili
    My other pressure cooker recipes

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    Comments

    1. Karina Sigler says

      September 03, 2017 at 6:14 pm

      Hello, my husband is questioning the amount of chili powder in the recipe. Does it really call for 1/4 cup. He was raised in Ohio and thinks it will make it too spicy. Please advise.

      Reply
      • Mike Vrobel says

        September 04, 2017 at 10:35 am

        Yes, 1/4 cup is correct. And I live in Ohio. 🙂

        Reply
        • Karina Sigler says

          September 04, 2017 at 3:08 pm

          Thank you.

          Reply
    2. Mike says

      July 27, 2016 at 1:55 pm

      I noticed you aren't draining the beef at all. What type of ground beef are you using? I would think standard 80/20 would come out pretty greasy. I guess since you sauteed in the spices in the meat the only thing you could do would be to chill the chili after cooking and then skim the fat off the top? Or maybe taking the fat out of the chili is considered sacrilege?

      Reply
      • Mike V says

        July 27, 2016 at 5:21 pm

        I use 80/20, and it works out fine for me. If you want to go with less fat, go ahead.

        Reply
    3. Kali says

      March 11, 2016 at 9:04 pm

      I grew up in central Kentucky, and left when I joined the military. I always get the craving for a 5 way and cheese coney when I've been away from home too long, and they don't have anything like skyline/gold star in Southern California. I made this for my family today, and we really enjoyed it. I tweaked it just a little by leaving out the water and instead using 2 cups of sweet red wine, and an extra can of tomatoes. It turned out a little too thin and didn't quite have the taste that I remember so next time I will just use 1 cup of dry red wine. Thanks for posting.

      ★★★★

      Reply
    4. Renee says

      December 15, 2015 at 11:52 am

      My husband hates beans. If I want to skip them entirely, do I just cook at pressure for 5 minutes?

      Reply
      • Mike V says

        December 15, 2015 at 1:43 pm

        Follow the technique I have here: https://www.dadcooksdinner.com/2013/09/pressure-cooker-walking-tacos.html/

        Reply
    5. Tiffany says

      December 06, 2015 at 5:45 pm

      Wow!! You nailed the recipe!! We just finished eating and it was a delicious blast from the past. I lived in Cincinnati for years, and I loved eating at Skyline!! It been 15-20 years since I enjoyed a 5 way!! Thank you for sharing, this will definitely be a family winter favorite from here on out in our family.

      Reply
      • Mike V says

        December 06, 2015 at 8:21 pm

        You're welcome!

        Reply
    6. Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says

      September 16, 2012 at 5:02 pm

      Skyliners! I forgot to mention that's another great use for leftovers - thanks for mentioning it.

      Reply
    7. Dan McGrew says

      September 16, 2012 at 4:58 pm

      Hope you make extra to put on a hotdog bun and top with mustard, onions and cheese.

      Reply
    8. Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says

      September 14, 2012 at 11:54 am

      You're right. Cut and paste will be the death of me. 1.5 pounds ground beef.

      Reply
    9. cj says

      September 14, 2012 at 11:09 am

      love your site! i assume its 1.5 lbs of grd beef and not 3 right? you have it listed twice.

      Reply
    10. Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says

      September 14, 2012 at 12:53 am

      Thank you! And the midwest says it missses you too...especially during a snowstorm in the middle of February. 🙂

      Reply
    11. willbakefortattoos.com says

      September 14, 2012 at 12:03 am

      Ok. So I love the recipes I try from your site. This one makes me miss the midwest. I can't wait to try it. I love my pressure cooker.

      Reply
    12. David Froula says

      September 13, 2012 at 10:39 pm

      oh yes gonna make this soon as it cools off a little more. My college roommate was from Cincy and we used to try and make the 5 way back in the day.

      Reply
    13. Doug Reichard says

      September 13, 2012 at 3:31 pm

      yum

      Reply

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    Welcome to Dad Cooks Dinner! I'm Mike Vrobel, a dad who cooks dinner every night. I'm an enthusiastic home cook, and I write about pressure cooking, rotisserie grilling, and other food topics that grab my attention.

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