Steak ‘n Shake copycat chili-mac recipe. A real chili-mac is not chili sitting onto of noodles or even mixed in with macaroni elbows. Real chili-mac is spicy beef sitting on a dollop of ketchup and a pile of pasta.
Chili-mac with beans is called chili 4-way!
Chili-Mac has been a part of my life as long as I can remember.
Growing up, Wally’s Drive-In was the best place in the world for a hamburger, onion rings, or a chili-mac. I suppose they had other things on the menu, but I wouldn’t know. I never ordered anything besides those 3 things.
Wally’s had been a staple in my hometown and it was a sad day when the last carhop delivery was made and the doors were locked permanently.
It would be a long time before a genuine chili-mac made an appearance in my life.
Oh, I’d seen chili-macs on menus and saw recipes for chili-mac, but let’s face it, those were never anything more than chili, with or without beans, glopped on top of spaghetti noodles.
If you are from the Midwest you know that a real chili-mac doesn’t even involve real chili.
I feel the same way about chili dogs, coney dogs, etc.
None will ever be as good as Jaenick’s Root Beer Stand Red Hots and Sauce Buns.
Those are not your everyday chili dogs and bear no resemblance to coney dogs at every “coney island” type restaurants that have popped up over the years.
But that discussion is left for another day, another post.
I encountered my first Steak ‘N Shake a few years after Wally’s closed.
It was almost identical to Wally’s. They even had a drive-through.
Then we moved…….again. No Steak ‘N Shake in sight or even within an hour’s drive.
So, what’s a girl to do? Make your own recipe.
The original Wally’s recipe called for kidney suet – um, no thank you!
If you are set on having the grease ring at the bottom of the plate that is common when eating Steak ‘n Shake chili-mac, just use a high-fat ratio ground beef like 73/27 and don’t drain off the fat.
I have never eaten Cincinnati chili or skyline chili, but I suspect Chili Mac might be closer to those than a chili that you eat from a bowl with a spoon.
At least in its consistency. I’m not sure about the addition of all those extra spices and chocolate though.
Chili-Mac is about as easy as a meal gets.
The recipe does not call for browning the meat.
That is not a mistake on my part.
This recipe continues to simmer long enough that the hamburger is cooked.
You could also boil the hamburger for the same smaller pieces, but that just creates extra work in my opinion.
That is the secret to getting the proper consistency for my version of chili-mac.
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Chili-Mac
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef preferably 73/27 or 80/20
- 1 cup Ketchup plus additional for to top noodles when plating
- 1 package Chili Seasoning I use Williams or Lawry's
- 4 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 16 ounces Spaghetti Noodles
- Onions diced, optional
- Shredded Cheese optional
- Red Kidney Beans optional
Instructions
- Add ground beef, 1 cup ketchup, chili seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer 2 hours.
- Cook spaghetti near the end of simmering time.
- Warm extra ketchup in a microwave or a small saucepan. Additional Worcestershire sauce can be added to the ketchup if desired.
- Place spaghetti into a bowl, top with ketchup and beef mixture. Sprinkle any additional toppings you want.
- Serve with saltine crackers and grated Parmesan cheese.
Cheryl Ward
This recipe is spot on! I knew the moment it was all mixed together, before being cooked. I made it for my husband’s birthday because he requested it. We bought more traditional chili ingredients & I just knew it wouldn’t be right, so I looked it up and read through a couple of recipes and chose yours. SCORE! Everyone loved it. Thank you!
Beth Mueller
Hi Cheryl!
I am so glad you found this in time for your husband’s birthday and it was exactly what you needed. Thanks for coming back and leaving a review!
Cheers!
Kay
Yum!!! This recipe is spot on! Thank you for sharing it!
Beth Mueller
Hi Kay!
Thanks for swinging back by and letting me know you liked it and for the great review!
Cheers!
Scot
Looking at Wally’s recipe and other Cincinnati-style recipes require the beef to mostly covered with water in order to simmer. Is there no water added to the simmer portion of this recipe, only ketchup and Worcestershire?
Most recipes bring the liquid and beef in the saucepan to a boil on medium-high and then once at a boil, simmer at medium-low. Do you just cook the beef in this recipe on medium-low because there’s not a lot of liquid? I’m just worried about browning the meat and overcooking it if there’s not enough.
Can’t wait to try this out! Steak N’ Shake chili mac is maybe my favorite comfort food, and no recipe I’ve ever found has exactly matched what you find at the restaurant.
Beth Mueller
Hi Scot!
No water needed! Using a high-fat ground beef like 80/20 or 73/27 will render enough fat for simmering the meat. I use a medium-low heat so the fat starts to melt before the beef has a chance to brown on the bottom.
It will get easier to stir about 30 minutes into the cooking time.
If you find that the meat becomes too thick towards the end you can add a splash of water, but honestly, I think I have had to do that once in my life and that was because I walked away during the last half hour. In Wally’s recipe the meat is cooking in beef kidney fat rather than water, probably explains why it was greasier than my recipe – LOL.
Cheers!
Scot
Thanks Beth. I will get 80/20 and hope for the best. Do you break it down with something like a potato smasher or wooden spoon first? The fine texture is an important aspect in the chili beef. How often do you stir it?
Beth Mueller
Hi Scot!
I just stir it all together and turn the heat on. In the beginning, I stir it every 5 to 10 minutes with a wooden spoon. As the beef starts to warm up it will turn into “mush” for lack of a better word. You may even think you have too much liquid at some point. No worries, it will thicken during the long simmer time. I don’t recommend removing any of the fat that starts to form on top, just stir it back in. Once it is done cooking you can remove the fat before serving. Hope all of this helps!
Cheers!
Lionel
You nailed it. I knew a manager from s n s and he told me the sauce was ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. That was over 25 years ago. I never could figure out the meat. This receipt for the meat is dead on. The key is the 2 hour simmer to get the right consistency. Its really a Bolognese type sauce.
Beth Mueller
Hi Lionel!
Thanks for visiting and leaving great feedback!
Cheers!
Beth
I typically used my leftover taco meat or sloppy Joe meat for this recipe. The ketchup and worscheshire make it blend right in. Perfect for a quick meal to use up leftovers.
Beth Mueller
Hi Beth!
That’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Cheers!
Natalie
Being from Illinois and moving to Utah where we have no Steak n Shakes I have tried many recipes and this one was the best! I did have one thought…. do you think you could put it in a crockpot to simmer?
Beth Mueller
Hi Natalie!
Thanks for coming back and leaving a comment and review!
I’ve never tried the crockpot, but I don’t see why you couldn’t do it. I would cook it on high for 2 to 3 hours or 4 to 5 on low.
Since you start with raw beef you just want to make sure it is cooked all the way through.
Hope this helps!
Jim
As a former employee, Steak and Shake used Heinz ketchup and Worcestershire sauce 4:1 ratio, but it was always placed on top with Romano cheese as a condiment. They made the meat sauce at a factory, and I have been looking for their secret recipe for years.
Beth Mueller
Hi Jim!
Thanks for the info on the secret sauce! I could never seem to get that part just right.
Cheers!
Kristi
So I never comment on any recipes that I get off different sites, however with that being said I must simply say I am a huge Steak and Shake chilli mac fan that is the only thing I have ever ordered from there with a side of fries….. This is the best recipe yet!!!!! Thank you for bringing it to the inner web!!!!!!!! In haven’t been to the restaurant in a few years now because of poor service and now I can enjoy this anytime (three nights in a row) thank you again!!!!
Beth Mueller
Hi Kristi!
Thanks for stopping by! So glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! I too eat it many nights in a row when I have made it.
Cheers!
Beth
It’s my kryptonite too! But I love all things carbs!
Lisa
OMG ….. this was the best. Since being at home because of ****** . My family wanted Steak n Shake Chili Mac and with your recipe we nailed it. Thank you for sharing!
Beth Mueller
Hi Lisa!
Thanks for leaving a review and letting me know you liked it!
Stay Safe!