Cole Cooks: Chili Dog Chili
Chili is not a one size fits all dish. At FunDiego Family we have at least 10 recipes for chili. For our 4th of July neighborhood BBQ we wanted a chili that would work well with hot dogs and hamburgers. Based on several years of tweaking we developed this Chili Dog Chili recipe which proved to be a huge hit.
UPDATE: FEBRUARY 2020: We have simplified this recipe so you do not have to grind your own spices.
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I adopted this recipe from our recipe for Cincinnati chili along with one of my basic chili recipes. This is a chili without beans, but it is definitely not a Texas style chili. From my Cincinnati chili I took the idea of simmering the meat before browning it. This is actually a common technique. Serious Eats uses it in their somewhat more complicated recipe for hot dog chili.
The key feature of chili is the peppers you add and how many. I have a pretty standard list of peppers that I use for chili. These include New Mexico, Ancho and Arbol. I do around 2 of each for 2 pounds of meat. However, that is only a rough guide. Chilis vary a great deal by name and availability. You can substitute California for New Mexico, Pasilla for Ancho and Serrano or Cascabel for Arbol. Use the Scoville heat guide as a measure to how hot you want your chili.
Scoville Heat Guide:
California 500-1,500
New Mexico 750-1,250
Ancho 1,000-1,500
Pasilla 1,000-2,000
Guajillo 2,500-5,000
Arbol 20,000-30,000
Serrano 8,000-22,000
Cascabel 8,000-12,000
There are also lots of ways to prepare the dried chilis. I like to heat them in a skillet with cumin and coriander seeds and then blend them in my Nutri Ninja to a powder. From Serious Eats I got the idea of adding a whole star anise. For a detailed look at how we make chili powder see our recipe.
This is a recipe that can be done on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. I think the Instant Pot both cuts down on cooking time and adds intensity to the flavor. The reception I got when I served the Instant Pot version to a crowd was very positive.
This is a great topping for not only hot dogs, but also burgers, chili cheese fries and nachos. 2 pounds of beef will easily top 20 hot dogs or burgers. Of course, the recipe can be adjusted for more or less as needed.
Chili Dog Chili
Ingredients
- 2- lbs ground beef
- 2 tbsp chili powder for best results use homemade chili powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1.5 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 whole star anise optional
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 Tablespoon hot sauce Franks, Texas Pete, Crystals etc
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Masa harina optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in Dutch oven or instant pot. Add diced onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until light brown. Add ground spices/chili, oregano, soy sauce, sugar and cider vinegar. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, chicken stock and beef. Bring to simmer and cook on low heat for 2 hours on stovetop. If using Instant Pot cook on high pressure for 20 minutes and let natural release for 15 minutes.
- To thicken combine equal mixture of masa harina and water in bowl and add to chili. Start with 1 tablespoon of each and adjust as needed.
Notes
For more info on the Instant Pot check out our Top 10 Instant Pot Tips and our Top 10 Instant Pot Recipes
