Because nothing goes hand in hand with a game then an American Chili Dog.
NOTE: The chili recipe makes enough chili for 16-20 hot dogs, which may seem like a lot, but you're just getting a large spoonful with each dog. So, if you have fewer people to cook for, just use the leftover chili as a stand-alone-dish for later. If you're feeding more, just double the chili recipe. You'll be happy you made a big batch.
Get the best quality hot dog you can, we tend to look for kosher dogs. The hot dogs themselves only need to be grilled enough to be heated; they are already cooked when you take them out of the package.
Ingredients
1/2 pound bacon, cut into small pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 pounds ground beef
4 chopped garlic cloves
16 ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons molasses or honey
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne, optional
Salt
As many hot dogs as you have people to serve
Buns for the hot dogs
Chopped red onion, for garnish
Shredded cheddar (or jack) cheese, for garnish
Directions
Cook bacon, onions, ground beef, garlic: Fry the bacon over medium heat until it begins to get crispy, then add the chopped onions and fry over high heat, stirring often, until they begin to brown. Stir in the ground beef. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned, a few minutes. When the beef is about halfway browned, stir in the chopped garlic.
Add tomato sauce, molasses, broth, spices: Once the beef is well browned, stir in the tomato sauce, molasses and beef broth. Add all the spices except the cayenne and stir well. Bring to a simmer and taste. Add salt or the cayenne if it needs it. You can add more cayenne or chili powder if you like things really spicy, but taste first before adding more.
Simmer for 30 min or more:
Cook the chili on a gentle simmer for at least 30 minutes before you start grilling the hot dogs. You can cook it several hours if you want to, adding a little more beef broth here and there if the chili gets to dry.
Grill the hot dogs: Grill the hot dogs over medium heat until they get a light char. Grill the hot dog buns briefly if you want – no more than a minute, as they will burn fast. You can also paint the buns with olive oil or butter before grilling if you’d like. Dog goes in bun, chili goes on top, sprinkle on chopped red onion and shredded cheese, and ANYTHING else you may like!