Chili Dogs with Homemade Chili Sauce

Name: Chili Dogs with Homemade Chili Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 51 min
Total time: 1 h 11 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil; 1 medium (about 1 cup) (150 g) yellow onion, finely chopped (about ¼-inch pieces); 1 pound (454 g) 80/20 ground beef, at room temperature for 15 minutes if possible; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced; 3 tablespoons (48 g) tomato paste; 2 tablespoons (16 g) chili powder; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin; 1 teaspoon (2 g) sweet paprika; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) cayenne pepper (optional); ¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1¼ cups (300 ml) low-sodium beef broth; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce; 2 teaspoons (10 g) yellow mustard; 2 teaspoons (8 g) light brown sugar; 2 teaspoons (10 ml) apple cider vinegar; 8 hot dogs (450 g) all-beef hot dogs, straight from the fridge; 8 buns (340 g) hot dog buns, split but still attached at the hinge; 1½ cups (150 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded from a block (about 5½ oz); 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vegetable oil

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Skillet-seared hot dogs in toasted buns, smothered in a thick, finely textured beef chili sauce made from scratch in one pan and topped with melty sharp cheddar. It's classic ballpark comfort at home.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 51 min
Wait: 1 min
Total: 1 hr 12 min
Makes: 8 chili dogs (about 2½ to 3 cups chili sauce)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the chili sauce
1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
1 medium (about 1 cup) (150 g) yellow onion, finely chopped (about ¼-inch pieces)
1 pound (454 g) 80/20 ground beef, at room temperature for 15 minutes if possible
3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons (48 g) tomato paste
2 tablespoons (16 g) chili powder
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (2 g) sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) cayenne pepper (optional)
¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1¼ cups (300 ml) low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons (10 g) yellow mustard
2 teaspoons (8 g) light brown sugar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) apple cider vinegar
For the chili dogs
8 hot dogs (450 g) all-beef hot dogs, straight from the fridge
8 buns (340 g) hot dog buns, split but still attached at the hinge
1½ cups (150 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded from a block (about 5½ oz)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vegetable oil

Equipment (6)

12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or 3-quart (2.8 L) saucepan with a wide base
Large nonstick or cast-iron skillet, 12-inch (30 cm), for the hot dogs and buns
Potato masher or sturdy wooden spoon for breaking up the beef
Box grater
Tongs
Large spoon for removing fat

Steps

Before you start

Shred the cheddar from a block if you can. Pre-shredded cheese is coated to prevent clumping and melts less smoothly.
Use 80/20 ground beef. Leaner beef makes a drier, grainier sauce.
Plan on about 72 minutes start to finish. The sauce simmers for 25 minutes. Cook the hot dogs and toast the buns only after the sauce is done, so everything is hot at the same time.
Cayenne is optional. Leave it out for a mild, kid-friendly sauce.

1
Prep the ingredients
- Finely chop the onion into ¼-inch pieces, mince the garlic, and shred the cheddar on the large holes of a box grater (you want about 1½ cups, 150 g).
- Measure the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne (if using), salt and pepper into one small bowl.
- Stir the Worcestershire, mustard, brown sugar and vinegar into the beef broth in a measuring cup.
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Ready when: Everything is chopped, measured and within reach of the stove.
Tip: Chop the onion small. Large pieces stand out in a hot dog topping.
2
Soften the onion
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the 12-inch deep skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute.
- Add the onion and a pinch of the salt from your spice bowl.
- Cook, stirring often, for about 4 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with no browning.
3
Brown the beef finely
- Raise the heat to medium-high and add the ground beef.
- Using a potato masher or the edge of a wooden spoon, press and chop the meat into very fine crumbles as it cooks.
- Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
- Tilt the pan and spoon off all but about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat, so the sauce is rich but not greasy.
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Ready when: No pink remains and the meat is in tiny crumbles, with a few lightly browned edges.
Tip: Break the meat up while it is still raw and just starting to cook. Once it browns, it will not break down further, and the chili will be chunky instead of hot-dog-friendly.
4
Bloom paste and spices
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Add the garlic, tomato paste and the whole bowl of spices.
- Stir constantly for about 2 minutes, smearing the paste against the pan so it coats the meat.
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Ready when: The paste darkens to brick red, the spices smell toasty, and the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
Tip: If the spices begin to stick or scorch, splash in 2 tablespoons of the broth mixture right away.
5
Simmer the sauce
- Pour in the broth mixture and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low so it bubbles gently.
- Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes total, stirring every 5 minutes and mashing the meat again if any clumps remain.
- Taste and add salt if needed.
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Ready when: When you drag a spoon across the bottom of the pan, the trail stays open for 2 seconds. The sauce is thick and spoonable, not soupy, and measures about 2½ to 3 cups.
Tip: If it gets too thick before 25 minutes, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. If it is still loose, simmer a few minutes longer.
6
Sear the hot dogs
- Move the chili sauce to a back burner on the lowest heat and cover to keep warm.
- In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat.
- Add the hot dogs and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes with tongs.
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Ready when: Hot dogs are browned in spots, plump, and 165°F (74°C) in the center.
Tip: Keep the hot dogs whole. Slashing them lets juices escape and the dogs dry out.
7
Toast the buns
- Transfer the hot dogs to a plate.
- In the same skillet, set the buns cut-side down over medium heat, working in batches of 3 to 4.
- Toast for 1 minute per batch, wiping any burnt bits off the pan between batches if needed.
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Ready when: Cut sides are golden brown and slightly crisp.
Tip: Toasted buns form a barrier that keeps the chili from making the bread soggy.
8
Assemble and serve
- Place a hot dog in each toasted bun.
- Spoon ¼ to ⅓ cup of hot chili sauce over each one (⅓ cup if you have about 3 cups of sauce, ¼ cup if closer to 2½), then sprinkle each with about 3 tablespoons (about 19 g) of shredded cheddar.
- Let them sit for 1 minute so the heat from the chili softens the cheese, then serve right away with napkins.
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Ready when: Cheese is soft and starting to melt into the chili.
Tip: For fully melted cheese, place assembled dogs on a baking sheet under a broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.

Good to know

Tips

Mash the beef while it is raw and cooking. This gives the classic fine, saucy texture of a coney-style topping instead of chunky chili.
A thick sauce is key. If it runs off the hot dog, simmer it a few more minutes. It will also thicken as it cools.
Add cayenne in ¼-teaspoon increments, tasting after each one, to adjust the heat. Chili powder blends vary a lot in strength.
Top with finely chopped raw onion and a squiggle of yellow mustard for a classic diner-style finish.

Make ahead

The chili sauce tastes even better made up to 3 days ahead. Cool it completely, refrigerate in an airtight container, and reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of water until steaming hot, 5 to 8 minutes. Cook the hot dogs and toast the buns just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Leftover chili sauce: refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time to loosen, until steaming (165°F/74°C). Assembled chili dogs do not keep well: the buns turn soggy within 30 minutes at room temperature, so store the components separately. Cooked hot dogs keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge; reheat in a skillet for 3 to 4 minutes.

Substitutions

80/20 ground beef → ground turkey (93% lean) or ground pork. Add 1 extra tablespoon of oil when browning, since leaner meat gives off less fat. You may not need to spoon off any fat.
sharp cheddar cheese → Monterey Jack, pepper Jack, or American cheese slices. American cheese melts the most smoothly. Pepper Jack adds some heat.
low-sodium beef broth → water plus ½ teaspoon of salt. The chili will be a bit less rich. Add an extra teaspoon of Worcestershire to compensate.
all-beef hot dogs → beef or pork bratwurst, fully cooked. Cook an extra 2 to 3 minutes, until 165°F (74°C) in the center. Use sturdier buns.