Transform your next cookout with Homemade Hot Dog Chili! Made with simple ingredients like ground beef, aromatic spices, and a touch of tomato puree, this chili elevates your hot dogs to a whole new level of deliciousness.
Whether you're hosting a backyard BBQ, tailgating, or simply craving classic comfort food, this chili is sure to satisfy. Top your hot dogs with a generous spoonful and enjoy the flavor explosion!
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Why Hot Dog Chili is the perfect addition to your recipe repertoire?
You probably know a couple of good chili recipes, so why make this Hot Dog Chili at home? Although similar, the chili and Hot Dog Chili are not the same.
The most noticeable difference is the consistency. While ordinary chili is full of beans and chunks of beef, Hot Dog Chili is much smoother, more like a thick beef sauce than a stew.
Then there's the spice level. Hot Dog Chili is a lot milder when it comes to heat, allowing the flavors to come through. Kids and folks who are sensitive to spicier food won't have any problems with this dish.
Why you'll love this recipe
Hot Dog Chili is an essential recipe to master for its simplicity and versatility. With inexpensive and everyday ingredients you already have on hand, you can cook up a dish that won't only upgrade your hot dogs to the next level of deliciousness but allows you to create a variety of other culinary options easily. Check the section below for a few ideas!
Keep a quart of this Hot Dog Chili in your freezer, and you're only moments away from preparing a hearty and delicious homemade meal.
Simple Hot Dog Chili recipe Ingredients
For this best Hot Dog Chili recipe, you'll need:
- White onion
- Garlic
- Oil, vegetable, or olive
- Ground chuck
- Tomato puree, canned
- Beef broth
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
Recipe notes and substitutions
For a smoother consistency, use the finest ground chuck you can find.
You can use lean ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey instead of ground chuck. You can also use a 50-50 combination of ground chuck and ground pork.
How to make Hot Dog Chili
To prepare this quick and easy Hot Dog Chili recipe:
- Chop the white onions and put them off to the side.
- Mince the garlic and reserve.
- Heat a medium saucepan over a medium flame.
- When the pan is hot, pour in the oil and wait until it shimmers to add the onions.
- Saute the onions until they start to become translucent, and then add the minced garlic.
- Continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant, then add ground beef. Stir well to break up any clumps.
- Cook the beef while stirring from time to time until the meat is no longer pink. You can drain any excess fat at this point.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the tomato puree. Cook for about a minute before adding the beef broth, chili powder, cumin, salt, and ground black pepper.
- Mix well, and simmer with the cover off for about 20 minutes. Don't worry if the chili doesn't tighten up; it should be a little loose.
To make chili dogs
Place hot dogs in buns and squirt a little ketchup and yellow mustard on them. Spoon the hot dog chili sauce on them and then sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese on top.
Serve the chili dogs with potatoes such as potato chips, French fries, or potato salad.
What to serve with Hot Dog Chili
This recipe makes a lot of chili, and there are only so many Chili Dogs you can reasonably eat. Here are five other ideas for what to do with leftover Hot Dog Chili:
- Chili Mac. Combine quality quantities of chili with mac 'n cheese for a meaty main course.
- Chili Cheese Fries. Top French fries with chili and cheese, either shredded cheese or cheese sauce.
- Baked potato topping. Split a baked potato and spoon some of the chili over it. Remember to add some of your favorite garnishes like sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon bits, and chopped green onions.
- Beef and bean quesadilla. Spread a thin layer of refried beans on a large tortilla and top with some homemade Hot Dog Chili. Sprinkles on some Mexican cheese blend and cover with another tortilla. Grill the quesadilla on both sides until the tortilla is crispy, slice it into six pieces, and serve with sour cream and salsa on the side.
- Nachos. Pour the chili over tortilla chips and top with shredded cheese, jalapenos, tomatoes, and onions.
How to store this quick and easy Hot Dog Chili recipe
Before transferring the chili to an airtight container, make sure to cool it down. Since this chili is so thick, it can take a while to cool down. To prevent it from remaining in the danger zone for too long:
- Make an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water.
- Put the leftover chill in a smaller bowl and place the bowl with the chili into the ice bath.
- Stir the chili until cold.
- Transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator.
If you are wondering how long does Hot Dog Chili last in the fridge, the answer is four to five days. Need to save it for longer than that? It freezes beautifully for up to a month.
What is the best way to reheat hot dog chili?
Warming chili in a pot on the stove is easy:
- Dump the chili into a medium saucepan and place the saucepan over a medium-low flame. If the chili is a little too thick, add some extra beef stock or water to thin it out.
- Bring the chili to a simmer and cook it until hot. Stir frequently to prevent scorching.
More beef recipes for game day
Hot Dog Chili
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 15 ounces tomato puree
- ½ cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons chili powder such as McCormick
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic. Sauté until the onions are tender. Add the ground chuck and cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain the fat from the beef if desired.
- Add the tomato puree, beef broth, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper to the pot. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes and serve over your favorite hot dogs.
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