Who puts pasta in their chili?

Traditionalists say chili only includes beef, tomatoes and heat — absolutely nothing else. But in Indiana, we add beans, sometimes V-8 and spaghetti to create what could pass for soup. It's called Hoosier chili — a much-maligned meal.

indystar.com - Retro Recipes: Why some Hoosiers put spaghetti in chili - IndyStar

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Chili with spaghetti gets a bad rap. It divides families. It earns disdain at chili cookoffs. Traditionalists say chili only includes beef, tomatoes and heat — absolutely nothing else. But in Indiana, we add beans, sometimes V-8 and spaghetti to create what could pass for soup. It’s called Hoosier chili — a much-maligned meal. And chili mac? Let's not even go there. Hoosier chili pre-dates Cincinnati chili, which was created by Macedonian immigrant Tom Kiradjieff in 1922. Cincinnati chili has cinnamon and a blend of Middle Eastern spices and spaghetti. A heaping crown of cheddar cheese is optional. Some have speculated pasta was a food stretcher during the Great Depression. However, as far back as 1908, a Mrs. E.C. Comer of Indianapolis submitted her chili recipe, which called for a "10 cent piece of boiling beef" and spaghetti, to an Indianapolis newspaper. At 5 cents a box, spaghetti or macaroni was a budget stretcher or a way to dilute the “heat” of the spices for the Midwestern palate.

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Retro Recipe: Fried chicken, Mom Unser's chili kept fans fueled at Indy 500. One of the earliest purveyors of chili in Indianapolis was Dory C. Blacker, who moved to the city from Thorntown in 1904 at the age of 16 to work at the J.F. Darmody Candy Co. After a few years, Blacker went into business for himself at 347 Indiana Ave. and served the chili that would become his claim to fame. D.C. Blacker’s Chile Con Carne Products at 45 S. Cruse on the east side, churned out 43,000 cans of the stuff and as many cans of seasoning each day. Blacker was allegedly once offered $25,000 for the recipe.

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By 1924, there were five Blacker’s Chile Parlors in town. During the 1920s and 30s, it was a favorite of local boxers and there may or may not have been some gambling going on in one of the restaurants. Dory Blacker retired and closed the parlors in 1965. He died five years later, leaving his secret recipe with a brother. In 1976, Robert Buehl and Irene Reinhart bought the Blacker's recipe and briefly brought it back at their restaurant, Charro’s at 119 N. Pennsylvania St.

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Blacker's recipe was among the most requested when readers wrote into both the Star and News. The original was a closely guarded secret, but those who responded to requests swore it was “just like Blacker’s."

Here are two that allegedly came close to the original.

In 1975, Anita King submitted her family recipe for King Chili that was obtained by a man who worked for Blacker’s Chile Parlors and later opened his own restaurant in Columbus, Ind.

King Chili

3 medium-size potatoes

½ teaspoons salt

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 quart tomato juice

1 can red beans

1 teaspoon chili powder

Boil potatoes until tender. Spring salt in skillet; brown ground beef and onion in skillet. Mash potatoes. Put the potatoes and tomato juice in a large saucepan. Crush beans and add to hamburger mixture and tomato juice mixture. Add chili powder; bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. The following recipe could possibly be the closest since the recipe calls for the ground beef to be cooked in fat. The key is to chill overnight and then skim off the fat and reheat.

Just like Blacker’s Chile

1 pound ground beef

½ pound suet

10 large chili peppers

1 teaspoon seeds from peppers

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds

1 16-ounce can chili beans in sauce

Cooked spaghetti, if desired

Sear beef and suet in skillet until half done. Place in a large kettle, add a generous covering of water.

Grind peppers, seeds, garlic and cumin and add to meat. Add beans.

Cook over low heat until done; chili will cook down to a deep dark color. Follow IndyStar Visuals Manager and Retro Indy writer Dawn Mitchell on Twitter: @dawn_mitchell61.

indystar.com - Retro Recipes: Why some Hoosiers put spaghetti in chili - IndyStar

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