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Dinner - West Virginia-Style Hot Dog Chili Sauce

This hearty, bold hot dog chili is inspired by the savory, unsweet, spicy chili sauce you'll find across many West Virginia hot dog joints. Perfect for slathering over steamed or toasted buns, it's loaded with flavor, not sugar.

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🧂 Ingredients

For the Chili Sauce:

  • 1½ pounds (680 g) 85/15 ground beef
  • 1 (14.5 oz / 411 g) can beef broth
  • 1 yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 hot pepper (jalapeño or cherry pepper), finely minced
  • 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 (7 oz / 198 g) can tomato paste
  • 1–2 tablespoons (8–16 g) chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons (6 g) garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons (4 g) paprika
  • ½ teaspoon (1 g) cayenne powder, to taste
  • ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground turmeric
  • 1 (12 oz / 355 ml) jar Heinz chili sauce (or ½ cup / 120 ml ketchup)
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Pinch of sugar, optional

For the Hot Dogs:

  • 8–10 beef or all-meat hot dogs
  • Hot dog buns, for serving
  • Optional toppings: finely minced yellow onion, mustard, ketchup

🍳 Instructions

1. Brown the Beef

  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef.
  • Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook for 15–20 minutes until browned and cooked through.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Remove beef to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain all but 2 teaspoons of fat from the skillet.

2. Sauté Veggies & Spices

  • Return skillet to medium heat. Add the diced onion, hot pepper, and red bell pepper.
  • Cook until softened, about 5–7 minutes. Season lightly.
  • Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika, and turmeric. Cook for 1 minute.
  • Add tomato paste and mash into skillet. Cook for 1–3 minutes until darker red and fragrant.

3. Combine and Simmer

  • Return browned beef to skillet. Stir to coat with the spice mix.
  • Pour in the beef broth and chili sauce (or ketchup). Stir to combine.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • If it dries too fast, add a splash of water. If too loose, simmer longer to reduce.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar if needed.

🌭 How to Cook the Hot Dogs

Choose one of the following easy methods:

  1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add hot dogs and cook for 5–7 minutes, turning frequently, until browned and heated through.

🌊 Simmer:

  1. Fill a saucepan with enough water to cover hot dogs.
  2. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, then add hot dogs.
  3. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until heated.

🔥 Grill:

  1. Preheat grill to medium heat.
  2. Place hot dogs on grill and cook for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until grill marks appear and dogs are heated through.

🧺 Serve

  1. Warm your hot dog buns (microwave for a few seconds or lightly toast).
  2. Place cooked hot dogs in buns.
  3. Spoon chili sauce generously over each.
  4. Top with mustard, ketchup, and minced onions, if desired.

🔢 Nutrition (per serving of chili sauce only)

Nutrient Amount
Calories 232 kcal
Carbohydrates 10 g
Protein 18 g
Fat 13 g
Sodium 819 mg
Fiber 1 g
Sugar 6 g
Vitamin C 7 mg