Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil
4 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 tablespoons chili powder
25 whole allspice berries, tied in a small cheesecloth bag
6 medium bay leaves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1 (8-ounce) can tomato paste
1 quart water, using less if you prefer thicker chili
3 pounds ground beef chuck, uncooked
Spaghetti, Cheese (Colby), Chopped Sweet Onions (Bermuda Onion), Beans if you like, and oyster crackers.
Directions
1. In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the chopped onions and garlic.
2. Combine the sautéed onions and garlic, chili powder, bag of allspice berries, bay leaves, cinnamon, ground red pepper, white vinegar, salt, tomato paste and water.
3. Crumble the uncooked ground beef chuck into the mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring often.
4. Reduce the heat and simmer for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove the allspice bag and bay leaves.
6. To serve three-way chili, place cooked spaghetti on a plate, cover with chili and top with shredded cheese. Add chopped sweet onions or beans if desired and eat with oyster crackers.
Story behind the recipe
I remember grandma making this when we were young and the entire bunch of cousins were at her house. We had a big family and at times there might be 30 people waiting to eat 3-way. I wanted to make this many years ago and asked my Mom if she had grandma's recipe. Mom emailed it to me on Friday, July 10, 2020, at 10:16 AM. I can imagine her and my dad sitting at the kitchen table with her on the iPad sending me this recipe and Dad working the crossword puzzles. I like how my mom even included ..."or an old piece of an old t-shirt." that part was left to only cheese cloth in the recipe above. If you're not familiar with how to eat 3-way you cut and scoop it with a fork. No Italian style twirling of the spaghetti. Both my mom and Grandma are gone now but not forgotten. I love and miss them both. Heading off to make a pot of 3-way!