Gold Star Cincinnati Original

Cincinnati's chili parlors each guard their own spin, and the Gold Star style is known for going dark and deep — a little Worcestershire for savory backbone and an extra hit of chocolate for a sauce that turns almost black and velvety over a long, slow cook. This is our take on that darker, richer end of the Cincinnati spectrum: still the thin, aromatic, cinnamon-warmed meat sauce meant for a mound of spaghetti, but with more umami and a smoother, glossier finish. Ladle it over thin spaghetti, blanket it with cheddar, and you've got the full parlor experience at home.

Go the full "five-way": spaghetti, chili, beans, diced onion, and a mountain of fine-shredded mild cheddar, with oyster crackers on the side.

Mild cheddar is traditional — sharp overpowers the delicate spicing. The long slow-cook is what makes it velvety, so don't rush it.