It’s the big day, the final game of the 2021-22 NFL season. Tonight’s game features the favorite, money-rich, L.A. Rams versus the comparably ramshackle Cincinnati Bengals. It’s reminiscent of Mike Tyson’s Super Punch Out. The Bengals, a perennial loser, have been an improbable contender, like Little Mac. Now their final reward, after all the slugfests, is the final boss: heavyweight champ Nick Bruiser. I’m not sure who will win tonight’s game. Yes, the Rams are favored behind their vaunted defense and wunderkid coach (not sure why my beloved home team did not offer him a HC job). But Little Mac…er, Joe Burrow has an annoying amount of swag and, more importantly pocket elusiveness. This will be his biggest weapon in that his offensive line is as solid as a slice of emmentaler.
But, you’re here for the food. The past few days have been super-nice. Highs in the low 60’s and I was able to be out at night in just a sweatshirt. In that I’ve put on a couple of pounds over the winter, I figured I’d go light this year, LA-style. Well, it snowed this morning and it’s cold again, so I themed it up and have gone with Spicy Korean Wings for the L.A. Rams and none other than Cincinnati Chili for the Bengals. While I’ve made the wings before, and you can get the recipe here, this is my first time making Cincinnati Chili for the blog. It’s somewhat similar to my winter-spiced chili. I forgo the beans as a topping and automatically incorporate them into the cooking chili and eliminate the raw onion topping, because “ewww”. Cincinnati Chili is heaped on top of spaghetti, but be sure to oil up the noodles a little. Nothing worse than dry noodles under chili. Hope you have a great time eating and watching tonight’s big game! If you need some appetizer ideas, here’s what else I got for you.
Cincinnati Chili
Spice mix
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp each of paprika, smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried cilantro
1 tsp each of cocoa powder, cinnamon, and cumin
1/2 tsp each of cayenne pepper, allspice, ground cardamom, ground coriander, and garlic powder
Chili
1 lb ground chuck (80% lean)
1 large white onion, petite dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
28 oz can of tomato purée
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup each of beef and chicken stock
Bay leaf
2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Other
1 lb of spaghetti, cooked, drained, and tossed with olive oil
Grated cheddar cheese
Minced white onion and oyster crackers (if desired)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, measure out your spices into a medium-bowl.
When the water is at a full boil, add the beef, stirring to break up as much as possible. When the water begins to foam, drain the meat in a colander and reserve.
Clean out the pot, and heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions, with a pinch of salt, until softened. Once softened, stir in the garlic until fragrant, about a minute. Then stir in the tomato paste until fully incorporated. Stir in the spice mix, a tsp of salt and ground black pepper, and toast, about a minute.
Stir in the drained beef, Worcestershire sauce, tomato purée, vinegar, brown sugar, and broth. Fill the empty can of sauce with water and empty into the pot. Toss in a bay leaf and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for an hour, stirring occasionally.
After an hour, taste for any seasoning needs and stir in the kidney beans. Once warmed through, serve over the prepared spaghetti and top with grated cheese.
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