Southern Food Junkie Hot Dog Chili Sauce

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Yesterday was the official “first day of Spring” and you know what that means, it is time for longer days and warmer weather. The time has come upon us when we break out our old grills and clean them up. That also means grilling season and hot dogs. Nothing makes a hot dog like this Southern Food Junkie Hot Dog Chili Sauce.

We get out our bristle brushes or our Great Scrape to get off all the old crude from the previous grilling season. This signals the time for some true American classics, hot dogs, and hamburgers on the grill.

We all know that nothing is better for a hot dog and hamburger (think Carolina burger) than good chili. That is why this Southern Food Junkie Hot Dog Chili Sauce is so epic.

I developed this recipe about 15 years ago when my wife and I first moved into our first home together.

We both love this spicy hot dog chili. This chili has a good bit of heat to it so you can adjust that for your needs.

What makes Southern Food Junkie Chili special is how thin it is.

This is not a chunky chili. It has a very fine texture that is perfect for hot dogs and hamburgers. It is similar to the chili served on top of the Coney Island chili dogs.

The method we use to cook it is what makes it so special and it is a really easy hot dog chili recipe to make.  

Once you make this hot dog chili sauce, you will never buy canned chili again.

How To Make It- Ingredients You Will Need this Hot Dog Chili Sauce Recipe

Hamburger Meat

I like to use a good 80/20 ground hamburger meat. 80/20 has a good amount of fat but it isn’t too much. It is still lean ground beef. You will need 1 pound of ground beef for this recipe.

Tomato Sauce

I use one 8-ounce can of tomato sauce

Water

You will need 16 ounces or 2 cups of water

Chili Powder

Chili powder is the main ingredient in this recipe that gives it its flavor. I like to start out with 2 teaspoons of chili powder.

Cumin

Chili powder contains most of the spices by itself to make a great chili but I like to add in an extra amount of spices. Cumin is already in Chili powder but I will add an additional 1/2 teaspoon of cumin.

Paprika

This is another spice that I like to add a little extra of. I like the red tint that it gives it and the warm smokey flavor. I like to add an additional 1 teaspoon of Paprika.

Garlic Powder

If I am in a pinch, I use garlic powder since it is readily available. When I first made this recipe, I wasn’t accustomed to growing my own food. Now, I typically grow my own garlic each year so I have it on hand. I use 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder or 2 to 3 cloves of garlic.

Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne Pepper is where this dish gets its heat from. A little goes a long way with this spice. I use 1/4 teaspoon to get a nice spicy hot dog chili sauce.

Onion

I like to use white onion for this recipe. 1 medium minced onion is recommended. If you don’t have an onion on hand, you can substitute it with Onion powder.

Ketchup

I use 1/2 cup of ketchup in this recipe. Ketchup has sugar, vinegar, and tomato paste in it.

Worcestershire Sauce

Have you ever heard of the fifth taste called umami? That is where the Worcestershire sauce hits. It is that savory meaty flavor that we all love. I use 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce in this recipe.

Yellow Mustard

Yellow mustard really brightens this dish up. It also adds some color. I use two tablespoons of yellow mustard.

Olive Oil

I use olive oil to saute the onions at the very beginning of this recipe. You will need 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Salt

I like to use sea salt or kosher salt. Start with a lower amount then you can add more. A lot of the products used in this recipe already have salt so adjust as you see fit. I start with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Black Pepper

Like salt, Black pepper is two of the most common seasonings you will find in most dishes. Pepper carries some heat to it so if you don’t like a real spicy blend, you can back off of the cayenne and black pepper to suit your needs.

Instructions-How To Make It

Here are the simple steps you will need to make this hot dog chili sauce

• Step 1: Start with a small stock pot or Dutch oven on medium heat to medium-high heat and add olive oil to the pot.
• Step 2: Wait till the oil is hot then add the minced onion.
• Step 3: After the onions are translucent (about 5 mins) add your 16 ozs of water. There should be enough water to cover the meat.
• Step 4: Next, add the hamburger meat to the water and break the meat apart with a wooden spoon. The water will help the meat to break down really fine
• Step 5: Bring water to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low.
• Step 6: Add the remaining ingredients and stir.
• Step 7: Continue to check periodically and stir chili.
• Step 8: Turn the burner down to low heat to allow the chili to simmer until it has reduced by half or reaches the desired consistency you would prefer.

Southern Food Junkie Hot Dog Chili Sauce is great on top of your Hot Dogs But Here are a Few More Uses for it:

• Use it as a topping on your baked potato
• Use it on french fries to make Chili fries or chili Cheese Fries
• Use it to make chili cheese chips by adding it as a topping to plain potato chips or corn chips
• It can be used as a substitute for Sloppy Joe
• Some People like chili on top of spaghetti
• Southern Food Junkie Hot Dog Chili Sauce is also great on top of Sausage Dogs and Bratwurst!

FAQ’s

Can I Make This Recipe in a Slow Cooker or Crockpot?

You can use a slow cooker to make this dish. The only difference is it may not reduce and have the same consistency as it does on the stovetop.

Can I Save the Left Over Chili?

Absolutely. Store the leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If I know I am not going to eat it soon I will put the leftover chili in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for later. It can be safely stored for up to 6 months this way. Sometimes I will even double my recipe in order to make a big batch and then freeze it. I will portion it out in freezer-safe containers.

What is the difference between Hot Dog Chilli and hot Dog Sauce?

Hot Dog Sauce is a thinner hot dog chili than traditional chili. It doesn’t have beans and is a fine and smooth texture.

Can I Substitute Another Meat for the Hamburger Meat?

Yes, you can use ground chicken or even ground turkey.

Can I Cook this Recipe in my Instant Pot?

You could make this in the instant pot, you will just have to adjust the cooking time on it as it will be much less cooking time.

I hope you enjoy the southern Food Junkie Hot Dog Chili Sauce. It truly makes an excellent hot Dog. I like to finish mine off with a little cheddar cheese on top for the ultimate chili cheese dogs. Make sure to freeze your leftovers so that next time you want a quick meal, just pop the container in the microwave and defrost it. You will have a quick little meal.
If you haven’t yet, check out these other great recipes below!

-Ronnie | Let’s Get Food Junked

Check out these other great posts:

Marinade for Smoked Beef Jerky

Chicken Bog | A Traditional South Carolina Dish

Southern Food Junkie Chili

Brunswick Stew

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