Coney Island Style Hot Dog Chili
Enjoy the Bold Taste of Chili on Your Hotdog
In Atlanta, we have a drive-in restaurant, The Varsity, that serves hotdogs, burgers, fries, and onion rings as their staple items. One of my favorite items they serve is their chili dog; actually, it's the chili-slaw dog that I like the most.
The chili dog is similar to a Coney Island hot dog, with a beanless chili on top and a stripe of mustard.
Add slaw and you've really gone Southern.
They also have a chili cheeseburger which is great, so you have a few options with this chili when the guests arrive.
When making this chili for hotdogs, not only is taste important, but texture is crucial. After watching a Diners, Drive-In, and Dives episode on the Food Network, I had that a-ha moment. The owner of a restaurant famous for their hotdogs and chili dogs showed how he made the chili. He added water to the raw beef. What?!?!?!
I took this method and created my taco beef and hotdog chili. Adding water to the raw beef gives the meat a finer texture and more uniform consistency. Because of this, it performs better on the hotdog and taco, instead of falling out all over the place.
Give Them What They Want
When it comes to serving hotdogs, anybody can put out a bottle of ketchup, mustard, and relish. But go the extra mile and serve hotdog chili and chopped onions along with it, and your friends and family will remember it forever.
You can also serve some sauteed sauerkraut as a special treat. Everyone will want to come to your house for hotdogs.
The Main Attraction
Even though this recipe is a hotdog chili, don't forget to serve a quality hotdog. I completely understand if the budget is a big concern, but please don't buy the cheapest hotdogs unless you absolutely have to. This chili deserves a great canvas.
- 2 lb Ground Beef (80/20)
- 2 cup Water (To use first)
- 1 can Tomato Sauce (14.5 Oz)
- 2 tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Salt (Morton Coarse Kosher Salt)
- .5 tsp Cumin (Ground)
- .5 tsp Oregano (Dried)
- .5 tsp Garlic (Granulated)
- .5 tsp Onion (Granulated)
- .5 tsp Black Pepper (Ground)
- Taco Meat Instructions
Heat a large cast-iron pan or Dutch oven on medium heat. You can use regular cast iron or enamel coated.
When the pan or pot is hot, place the entire amount of ground beef in the pan. Add 2 cups of water and break down the meat in the pan with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
Stir occasionally and when there is no more pink color in the beef.
Add the seasoning ingredients to the beef in the pan and stir well.
Stir in 1 cup of water and 1 can of tomato sauce and simmer on low until there is barely any liquid left.
You can use it immediately on your hotdogs or burgers. Or, let it cool, then portion it into vacuum seal bags to freeze for later
