Bill Donovan’s Code 3 Chili
Makes 5 to 6 servings
This is not Bill Donovan's award-winning recipe (he doesn't give that out), but it’s his favorite recipe to serve at home and at the Cincinnati firehouse where he was a firefighter for many years.
2 pounds ground chuck
1⁄4 cup chopped green sweet pepper
1⁄2 cup chopped onion 1 can (14 ounces) beef broth 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (16 ounces) dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1⁄4 cup mild chili powder
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1⁄2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño chile pepper (optional)
1⁄ to 1 cup water or tomato 2 juice
In a 4-quart Dutch oven, cook meat, onion and sweet pepper until meat is brown and vegetables are tender. Cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain off fat.
Add beef broth, beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, salt, garlic powder, crushed red pepper and jalapeño chile pepper (if you like your chili very hot) to the meat mixture.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add enough water or tomato juice the last 20 minutes of cooking to desired consistency.
Note: This recipe also has appeared in Midwest Living magazine. Skyline Chili is probably Cincinnati’s most popular chili choice, but the recipe remains a trade secret. Here is an approximation of the famous Cincinnati favorite, which has Greek overtones and a subtle sweetness.
When it comes to serving it authentically, Three-Way Chili consists of spaghetti noodles covered with chili sauce and a huge amount of cheese. Four-Way Chili adds raw onions OR beans. Five-Way Chili adds raw onions AND beans.
It’s often is served with, or over, a hot dog and bun.