If you’ve never tried chili on a hot dog, you are going to love this hot dog chili. It’s made with just a few simple ingredients. I even found some hotdogs that are all beef with clean ingredients – no fillers or junk.
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Ingredients
Ground beef
Salt
Vinegar (optional)
Tomato paste
Water
Onion, diced (optional)
Ketchup
Chili powder
Directions
Add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan. Bring everything to a boil and reduce to simmer for 1 hour. Stir frequently while it’s cooking.
Tips
- Try and aim to use organic ingredients. They are much cleaner and not made with possible chemicals as most conventional processed food is.
- Vinegar is optional in this recipe but it balances and enhances the flavor of the chili.
- Use a potato masher as the chili is boiling so the beef is fine and not chunky. It should not be the texture of chili in a bowl.
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What is Hot Dog Chili?
I’m from West Virginia so if you’ve ever had the pleasure of hitting the back roads in our state, then you’ve probably come across a hot dog stand. Here’s a few of our iconic restaurants – Hillbilly Hot Dogs, Stewart’s Original Hot Dogs, Frostop Drive-In, just to name a few. My favorite place was King Tut Drive-In. That restaurant brings back so many fond memories of when I was a child. It’s where I’m from in Beckley, WV. Sadly, the owners retired a few years ago and the wife ended up passing away. The business was sold and demolished.
Hot dog chili is prepared differently than chili you eat in a bowl. There are no beans in hot dog chili. It’s actually called Hot Dog Chili Sauce. All the ingredients are boiled first and then simmered slowly for an hour on the cooktop. Once it is done cooking, it’s more like a sauce consistency. This recipe came from my Aunt Sandy’s sister-in-law, Jeannie Gunter. Simply delicious!
Storage
Hot Dog Chili will store in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. I’m not typically one to store a lot of leftovers in the fridge due to some foods, especially meat, can produce high histamines. For longer storage, divide the chili into one or two containers, depending on the amount you might need. Place in the freezer for 1-2 months.
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What Makes Hot Dog Chili Sauce So Good?
Going to King Tut was a staple every weekend when I was little. We did end up moving further south when I was around 11 or 12 years old (my dad was in the U.S. Army). Southern West Virginian’s created the West Virginia Hot Dog back in the day. It consisted of an English bun (top cut), hot dog, mustard, chili and slaw. If you aren’t eating your hot dogs like this, you are missing out. Seriously, when all of the toppings are combined on top of the hot dogs, the flavors of the warm chili, cool creamy coleslaw and mustard just meld together in your mouth.
Fun Fact
When I met my husband and his family, I introduced them to eating hotdogs like a WV hot dog. I think his brothers still eat them like this. All of his family was from Connecticut and then migrated to Florida back in the 1970’s. It must not be a northern way to eat them haha.
Other Foods To Try With Coleslaw On Top
Creamy Coleslaw
It may be a weird combination, but another way I add coleslaw is to top a homemade sloppy joe sandwich with creamy coleslaw. So good, you should really try it!
What Goes Good With Hot Dogs
Most of the time, we eat hot dogs over the summer. It’s either at a bbq or we’re hanging out at one of the natural springs. There’s usually grills there so it makes it nice to pack everything in a cooler and cook at the park.
I like to serve these potato chips or sweet potato fries. If you are having a big bbq, serve these cute beef sliders along with the hot dogs.
Make Your Own Hot Dog Buns
There’s nothing like the taste of homemade buns. Ditch the ones at the store and feed your family nutritious buns using fresh milled flour.
Where to Buy Organic Hot Dogs
The younger me would just buy what was at the store. Since learning about what is in traditional hot dogs from the store, I made the switch to a healthier all beef hot dog. I actually stopped eating them for years until I found this brand. These come from grass-fed, grass-finished cows and just make this entire West Virginia Hot Dog even more better. Since I’m also only eating them a handful of times a year, I’m ok with it anyway. These are just beef and spices. No sugar, No junk.
Let’s Compare to a Different Brand
Ball Park and Oscar-Meyer are the two popular brands you’ll find at a traditional grocery store. Here is a label from Ball Park hot dogs. This is why I quit eating this child hood nostalgia food. The ingredients are pretty gross and I encourage you to check out the ones I’m buying now.
Tools Used in This Recipe
Hot Dog Chili
Ingredients
Method
- Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a boil.
- Cover with lid and reduce to simmer for 1 hour. Stir frequently while it’s cooking.
Notes
- Try and aim to use organic ingredients. They are much cleaner and not made with possible chemicals as most conventional processed food is.
- Vinegar is optional in this recipe but it balances and enhances the flavor of the chili.
- Use a potato masher as the chili is boiling so the beef is fine and not chunky. It should not be the texture of chili like you would eat in a bowl.
I hope you enjoy making this recipe for you and your family all summer long or anytime throughout the year. Please share this post over on Pinterest and tag me on Instagram.
Wendy Lea Walker, NTP
Nutritional Therapy Practitioner
I’m Wendy. A wife, empty-nester mama, homemaker, homebaker, gardener and small-time farmer. I love sharing wisdom and mistakes I’ve learned along the way. Anyone can garden or homestead, no matter where you live. It’s a mindset. You just have to start somewhere. I believe food is medicine. Feed the body real whole foods and healing will begin. I’m an advocate for eating real food and enjoy sharing all my fresh-milled flour recipes. I’ve learned to slow down over the years from all the noise that came with life and enjoy creating a simple cottage home.
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