Chili Dogs

While It's Hot Issue #24: A chili designed specifically for chili dogs

This is a chili designed specifically for hot dogs.

When making chili dog chili, the goal isn’t chunks of beef or a stew-like consistency. It’s a deeply flavored chili that’s spoonable, glossy, and rich allowing it to cling to a hot dog instead of sliding off it.

The technique matters more than you would think. Browning the meat in large pieces first builds deep flavor. Breaking it up by hand keeps the texture consistent and uniform. Stock is added gradually, so the beef fat and liquid emulsify into something cohesive rather than greasy or soupy. While this chili was built with hot dogs in mind, it works equally well for chili cheese fries, nachos, or even burritos.