Do you love chili dogs? My easy hot dog chili that I make in the slow cooker is the best you can make! So much flavor. Don’t use canned chili, used a good chili on your dogs!
Hot dogs are an easy way to get dinner on the table but why not make it spectacular? Pile this homemade hot dog chili sauce over your hot dogs and top with cheese and onions. You can even use this hot dog chili on a hot dog bar!
What is a Chili Dog?
- A chili dog is a hot dog on a bun that is topped with chili con carne.
- Sometimes the chili sauce is called coney sauce or, once made called a coney dog.
- Similar texture as sloppy joes but has a chili flavor.
- You can also use this sauce to top a burger!
- They can be messy and often ate with a knife and fork.
How to Make Homemade Hot Dog Chili
This recipe has quite a few ingredients though you will find that almost all of the ingredients are right in your cupboard!
Ingredients
- Ground beef – I like to use a fatty ground beef for this recipe (10-20%fat)! Gives the sauce a great flavor.
- Ketchup – add sweetness and more tomato flavor
- Canned tomato sauce – This is the base for the sauce
- Water – helps thin the sauce out
- White onion – save some for topping the chili dogs if desired.
- Seasonings – salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder
- Worcestershire sauce – a secret ingredeint that adds tang and beefy flavor
- Mustard – adds a tanginess and what is a hot dog without a little mustard?
- Brown sugar – just a touch to sweeten the sauce.
Step by Step Directions
Step 1 – Add the ground beef to a skillet on the stovetop.
Step 2 – Cook over medium-high heat. The trick to good hot dog chili is to crumble the meat extra small with your spatula.
Step 3 -Drain the fat off the beef and add to the slow cooker.
Step 4– Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cover and cook on high for 1.5 hours or low for 3 hours. Stir this often, or it will burn.
How to serve hot dog chili:
- Serve over hot dogs and buns (make sure to offer a knife and fork to your guests).
- Offer toppings such as shredded cheddar cheese, minced onion, jalapenos, mustard (try it! so good).
- Some even top their chili dogs with nacho cheese!
- Add this hot dog chili to a hot dog bar and impress your guests!
FAQs and Expert Tips for this Recipe
Hot dog chili can thicken up quickly before you can use it all. Add
a few tablespoons of water, beef broth or a few tablespoons of ketchup
Instead of adding the meat and ingredients to the slow cooker add right to the pan. Simmer on low for 20 minutes, stirring often.
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Hot Dog Chili
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 1 cup ketchup
- 8 oz. tomato sauce (not paste)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup minced white onion
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp. mustard (regular liquid mustard)
- 2 tsp. brown sugar
Instructions:
- Set a large skillet on the stove top over medium high heat. Brown the meat and crumble as small as you can. Drain the fat off and add the meat to the slow cooker.
- Add remaininng ingredients and stir.
- Cover and cook for 1.5 – 2 hours on high or 3 hours on low, stirring often. This may burn if you leave it unattended too long.
- If the hot dog chili sauce gets too thick add a splash of water or a touch more ketchup.
Stove-top instructions:
- Follow directions above but add everything to the skillet along with the beef. Turn the stove to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add water or ketchup if it thickens too much.
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
- Cheddar cheese
- Minced white onion
- Mustard (yes! additional mustard is great on this)
- Some even top their chili dogs with nacho cheese!
- Sliced jalapenos
a few tablespoons of water, beef broth or a few tablespoons of ketchup Nutritional data is only for the hot dog chili, not the bun, hot dog, or toppings.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
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- Slow Cooker Beer and Garlic Brats
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- Slow Cooker Hot Dog Bar
Was excited to make this because of the great reviews. This is not hot dog chili. It’s sloppy joes.
This looks great…I have picky children(and a picky wife) when it comes to onions. They don’t eat them unless they lose their crunchiness. Do they get soft in the 2 hours in the crock pot? Would it work if I put them in with the ground beef when browning the ground beef?
They do stay a little crunchy. I would cook them with the ground beef.
Can the sauce be frozen for later also
Yes, this freezes well.
I agree tastes like Manwich