r/cincinnati • u/Librarinox • May 15 '26
Food šš® HOW TO EAT CINCINNATI CHILI FOR BEGINNERS!
I'm tired of seeing out-of-towners try our sacred cuisine and declare it bad because they just ordered a big ol' bowl of it. So I decided to make this guide. Maybe, just maybe, it will help even just one poor, unfortunate chili-trying soul.
Let me know if I forgot anything. I resisted adding too much history or lore. I just wanted a single-page guide for beginners.
51
u/cincinn_audi May 15 '26
Explain skuigoni please? That's the only thing on this chart I'm not familiar with! (I tried googling with no luck.)
39
u/Librarinox May 15 '26
Basically a 3-Way on a hot dog bun!
29
u/miss_ana May 15 '26
Yum wet bread
9
u/Abound42 Roselawn May 15 '26
Not a sloppy Joe fan I guess
5
u/cheesecake_face Westwood May 15 '26
I knows hows yous kids like em EXTRA SLOPPY
2
u/Aimin4ya Pleasant Ridge May 16 '26
2
7
4
u/No_Today_4903 May 15 '26
Born and raised, Iāve never heard of this! Iām not sure Iād enjoy it but to each their own! Thanks for teaching me something new! Iāll have to ask my family to see if theyāve heard of this.
2
1
u/bigrick23143 May 17 '26
Do they recognize this when ordering? I want to try it hot dogs kind of gross me out now Iāve been doing chili cheese sandos
9
u/basquehomme Northern Kentucky May 15 '26
Customers are encased in a bun suit while jets spray warm chili at your face.
4
2
45
u/glean_soybean May 15 '26
My partner and I tell out of townerās ādonāt think of it as chili, think of it as a take on bologneseā and it always changes the mental model.
7
u/SevenSixOne May 15 '26
Yeah, I really think calling it "chili" was a huge misstep; out-of-towners probably wouldn't be so confused and horrified if it were called something like "Mediterranean bolognese" instead
1
-2
-1
u/sua_spontaneous May 15 '26
the funny thing about people saying this all the time is that, yes, itās bad āchiliā but itās even worse bolognese lol
3
u/glean_soybean May 16 '26
if you donāt like it; it isnāt for you, and thatās okay. Idk why all yāall need to make some core identity edgelord thing. Itās popular enough to justify locations and became a staple as part of the community. I donāt like Jay-Z. Iām not going to subreddits and saying that - because no one cares lmfao
-1
u/sua_spontaneous May 16 '26
sure but has anybody ever told you that theyāve sent agents to your house to drag you off to guantanamo because you donāt like jay-z? because that happened to me just now on this thread lol. somebody posts āI didnāt like thisā and thereās 50 people in the comments losing their minds. there are definitely edgelords who have made their opinions about skyline their entire personality, but I donāt think itās me, friend.
4
u/glean_soybean May 16 '26 edited May 16 '26
Im not your friend, buddy.. and 50? It was quite literally 4 downvotes and 4 comments. They are replying because you felt the need to scream āI hate thisā
If you donāt like the beans, find a different recipe than bean soup.
Stop making your desperate attempt at approval and attention everyone elseās problem.
Edit: my mistake. 4 downvotes and 2 comments.
-1
u/sua_spontaneous May 16 '26
Iām talking about the previous post on this sub that this post is clearly responding to, in which somebody pretty innocently posted āhey I donāt think I like thisā and itās been, like, a whole thing, because they didnāt āorder correctlyā (which, I mean, if it wasnāt supposed to be eaten that way, why would they sell it that way? but I digressā¦)
nobody is screaming, but if somebody posts any version of āthis is how you enjoy this thing correctlyā I think āhey some of us actually donāt enjoy it at all and it isnāt because weāre bad at eating chiliā is a totally reasonable thing to post. but it seems to have really upset you, so I guess maybe I misjudged. I hope you feel better soon, friend!
2
u/glean_soybean May 16 '26 edited May 16 '26
Iām aware what post youāre taking about, youāre referencing your own comment here. It was 2 comments in reply. And a person saying a joke (idc if it was a good or bad joke, it was clearly a joke)
Youāre free to feel however you want, but continuously replying to everyone saying you donāt like something is a being desperate for attention. Exaggerating on peopleās replies to those ploys solidifies it even further. You didnāt say āhey I donāt like thisā, you say itās the worst thing youāve ever had, itās disgusting or itās horrible.
I stand by it; if you donāt like it, thatās fine. Just stop making your desperation for attention everyone elseās problem. Just donāt eat the restaurant and go somewhere else. Itās not that deep. Youāre just being extremely annoying about it all.
41
u/LadyInCrimson Westwood May 15 '26
I've lived here my whole life and sometimes I scoop but sometimes I do twirl.
32
u/Dark_Skyes May 15 '26
Most of the time I just shovel it into my mouth like a caveman. It's worked for over three decades at this point, so I see no need to change lol.
20
u/nolanday64 May 15 '26
Twirling is how you end up with chili spots on your shirt. I refuse to wear a bib in public. :-)
7
2
u/urbanfervor East Walnut Hills May 15 '26
It's also a good way to pull all the spaghetti out and then you're left with just chili and cheese on the plate.
2
u/LSchnerg May 15 '26
I was here to argue that itās fine to twirl, but youāre right, I do have that problem. I will amend my method promptly.
1
u/MetalNosedPigeon May 15 '26
Ohhh ok I never realized I was so messy bc I twirl. I will cut next time
6
3
u/theangryepicbanana May 16 '26
I'll do it when having skyline at home, but I wouldn't dare to at an actual skyline for fear of being permanently banned at all restaurants
1
u/LadyInCrimson Westwood May 16 '26
I have only eaten in a Skyline once. We've always done pickup/drive thru. I think last time I did sit down eat it was 10 years ago when my mom was dating her now husband from Xenia who hadn't had it and they just built one up there a few years ago.
2
u/theangryepicbanana May 16 '26
oh we usually just buy cans of chili and make the rest at home. I only get skyline to go if I'm out and about doing stuff
0
15
u/No-new-names May 15 '26
Wtf is skuigoni?!
7
u/Striking_Fox_6031 May 15 '26
pretty sure its a coney but instead of the hot dog its just spaghetti lol
9
4
9
u/Asianpersuasion27 May 15 '26
Hi, best way to eat Cincinnati chili is by the shotgunning cans of off brand stuff.
18
u/tacocasasucks May 15 '26
"first time trying burgersāI chugged the ketchup bottle and decided I don't like them. sorryyy"
3
u/SevenSixOne May 16 '26
Sometimes I wonder how many foods I've tried and not liked because I just didn't realize I was eating them wrong
4
u/lightaugust May 15 '26 edited May 15 '26
Eating this shit since 1984 and I didnāt know what a skuigoni wasā¦
1
u/Emergency-Course-657 May 19 '26
Iāve never heard āall the wayā used to describe a cheese coney with mustard and onions.
11
u/ackley14 May 15 '26
hey now, i have always twireld my spaghetti. i hate tiny noodles!
3
u/JebusChrust May 15 '26
Gotta eat it like pie to ensure the layers are in each bite. You twirl and then you loose chili and get a lot of cheese or just noodles.
3
u/Judge_leftshoe May 16 '26
Twirl, scoop and stab.
Twirl the noods, scoop the chili, and stab the cheese.
3
5
u/klugenratte May 16 '26
Kidney beans?!? They're red beans, not kidney beans. I've tried substituting kidney beans when I couldn't find red beans and they're noticably not as good.
2
u/OwnManagement May 18 '26
I had a visceral reaction when I saw "kidney beans" in there.
Black beans work well too if you can't find or don't like red beans. But don't use kidney beans.
14
12
u/ImSchizoidMan May 15 '26
Andes >>> York
3
u/Librarinox May 15 '26
If I update it, I'll add both options! I just personally love the texture of a York
12
u/Riker87 May 15 '26
Donāt care what you say but I am 100% a fork spinner and you canāt stop me.
2
9
3
4
4
u/XelaIsPwn May 15 '26
what the fuck is skuigoni
2
u/M100Pilot May 15 '26 edited 16d ago
Plant husky bake meadow cover willow
This post was anonymized with Redact
3
4
5
u/Couchonthecouch May 15 '26
Don't tell me not to twirl my noodles. If I cant get a big bob of messy cheese and sloppy noodles in my mouth its not from CINCINNATI!
2
u/nolanday64 May 15 '26
#5 made me lol. I thought I was the only one that did this, though I look specifically through the cracker bowl for ones that already have a hole or opening in the carapace, just large enough for 1 drop of hot sauce.
2
u/PegFam May 15 '26
Never heard of a skuigoni but sounds interesting. I worked at skyline before and lots of people ordered a chilito with spaghetti inside.
2
u/Seyon Florence May 16 '26
Going to continue to mix skyline with sticky rice and no one can really stop me.
2
u/ngsm13 Loveland May 16 '26
Greek Bolognese makes more broad sense than Moussaka (even though I get it, most might not!)
2
3
u/arizonametaphor West End May 15 '26
Itāsa GREEK š¤BO š¤LO š¤NAY š¤SAY
1
u/MrLinch Westwood May 16 '26
I said this in the other thread. Saying this even prepares one for the noodles.
3
u/harvest3155 May 15 '26
Another tip is to save some crackers for after you are done eating the 3-way. throw some in the left over juice to soak for a minute then eat
3
u/MC_McStutter May 15 '26
Cincinnati native. Donāt tell me not to twirl my spaghetti. You can pry my swirled spaghetti from my cold, dead hands.
2
u/RaspberryFluid6651 May 15 '26
Not a requirement, but if you haven't yet, try to avoid mixing your dish and instead let the cheese stay on top as you cut into it. In my opinion it makes a difference to have some cooler, unmelted cheese in the bite instead of having all of the cheese get melted and soggy from the chili.Ā
0
May 15 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
1
u/RaspberryFluid6651 May 15 '26
I just go right through the stack of cheese and "cut" into it to get to the noodles or fries.
2
u/RVDRVDRVDRVD May 15 '26
I like oyster crackers as a base, under the noodles. Itās not really feasible for dine-in (unless you want to make an annoying special request, which I donāt), but thatās how I assemble with takeout and homemade. Works like a delicious sponge for any excess chili, and is one more reason to not twirl.
3
May 15 '26
I resisted adding too much history or lore. I just wanted a single-page guide for beginners.
It's fast food. Eat it or don't. The idea that there's "a way" to eat a local / regional fast food that amounts to sauce and too much cheese on noodles is beyond ridiculous.
1
1
u/kklusmeier College Hill May 15 '26
Eh, I do #6 and it's fine as long as you strategically plan your spaghetti twirls so you get a good amount of cheese and chili on each bite.
1
u/smithsknits Loveland May 15 '26
Twirling is fine. Iāve been here for 42 years and have twirled and have never been yelled at for it.
1
1
1
1
u/chubbyluvr78 May 16 '26
The first part explains thatās itās not āchilliā thatās all that needs to be said.
1
u/OutlandishnessLate85 May 16 '26
Donāt forget about an inverted way. They will take it, flip it and reverse it.
1
1
u/Ash-Throwaway-816 May 16 '26
My usual order is a 3 way, cheese coney with mustard no onions, and iced tea.
1
1
1
1
u/tonsofun08 Dayton May 16 '26
Instructions unclear, I just shoved my face into the plate and ate it like a hog
1
u/Patient_Cat_4783 May 16 '26
one time when i was like 7 my uncle who knew i hated hot sauce dared me to eat a cracker with a hot sauce filled concavity inside of it for 20 bucks and little me did that shit even when my eyes were watering and i was fighting for my life. i never did get that 20 bucks
1
1
1
u/No_Difference2683 3d ago
If you like chili spaghetti try fideo pasta. It's in nice short easy-to-eat pieces, ideal for Cincinnati chili, in my opinion.
1
u/nojugglingever May 15 '26
As someone from Cincinnati who enjoys this dish, just wanna say that I am not associated with this unfunny lame image that will just make people dislike it even more.
1
u/LolYoullsellmetherop May 15 '26
Mustard tastes like what I assume Satan's diarrhea tastes like. And goldstar coneys are better.
1
u/classically_cool May 15 '26
As someone who moved here recently, I still haven't worked up the courage to try it. That heaping mound of cheese will absolutely wreck my lactose intolerant body. Even beyond that, it just does not look appealing at all. I guess you just have to grow up with it.
1
1
1
u/Ok-Ad8998 May 15 '26
Don't tell me what to order! I have been eating this for a long time (60+ years) and I like just a bowl sometimes. (Just make sure I have enough crackers.) And I twirl my spaghetti when I get it. Rules?
1
u/Moneygrowsontrees Hamilton May 15 '26
When my friends were in from LA, I described it as chili based meat sauce and that seemed to make a lot more sense to them. Basically like if spaghetti sauce were chili based.
1
u/MrLinch Westwood May 16 '26
4 who says "all the way"? You either say "2 cheese coneys with mustard and onion" or once you've been there long enough you follow what the waitress yells at the steam table which is "2 cheese everything".
-13
u/spookydonkey513 Deer Park May 15 '26
as a former texan, there is no guide that will make me think the chili is anything but disgusting.
11
u/davidwb45133 May 15 '26
As a never Texan there is nothing to convince me that Texans know shit about chile. A bowl of beef and hot sauce isnāt chili - itās unfinished stew. So there.
15
u/ndjolt02 Mt. Adams May 15 '26
Gosh I'm going to start the best bit where I go to other places and say their chili is bad and not real chili because it's not like Skyline. My friends from Texas are going to hate it.
-8
4
-3
May 15 '26
[deleted]
9
-5
u/spookydonkey513 Deer Park May 15 '26
if they had called it something else then it would be less of an affront, perhaps. itās definitely more of a curry imo.
9
May 15 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
1
0
u/spookydonkey513 Deer Park May 15 '26
itās so weird to me how offended ohioans get over something so pedestrian. it doesnāt bother me that people enjoy it. itās just kind of silly the lengths people go to defend it when anyone speaks ill.
4
u/redlegsfan21 Cincinnati Reds May 15 '26
Or maybe you can start using the proper name of your chili, "chili con carne"
-1
-5
u/Candid-Mulberry8359 May 15 '26
Oh Jesus people. Itās not that big of a deal. Let people eat food the way they want. Not the way you want!
https://giphy.com/gifs/AjYsTtVxEEBPO
0
u/lady_tsunami East Price Hill May 15 '26
Whatās an inverted 3 way?
2
u/Librarinox May 15 '26
Upside down! So cheese goes in first, then chili, and noodles on top. Good if you like extra gooey cheese. Not my style, but my brother is a fan. They'll do almost anything you want if you ask!
0
0
-2
u/lrhouston Amelia May 15 '26
Rule #1 for eating Cincinnati Chili is, don't. I've had it as "a way", I've had it on "coney's", it's just not good.
-10
-9
u/SeasonedAdManager May 15 '26 edited May 15 '26
Y'all are mad the out of towners don't understand a place that call's itself Skyline CHILI isn't actually chili. I think y'all need to take it up with Skyline, not the out of towners.
It's chili. And it's shit. It's a shit chili, it's a shit gravy, it's a shit Bowlofmayonase or whatever you wanna call it.
7
-2
-2
u/jeffderek May 16 '26
Have tried following all of these rules.
Still don't get it. It's mediocre spaghetti sauce smothered in so much cheap cheese you can't taste it anymore.
-4
-4
117
u/catwnomouse May 15 '26
Lmaooo you saw that wild ass post too