Welcome to the chili canine of my desires! A thick, molten beef chili sauce, sluggish cooked for hours, designed to operate extra like a sauce so it smothers slightly than working in every single place. As for the grilled scorching canine? Skip a budget footy franks. Smoked sausages are the way in which to go. Assume – kranksy, bratwurst, half-smokes!
A cracking recipe for summer time BBQ’s, game-day, and simply while you want one thing significantly moreish.


THE chili sauce for decent canines….
This can be a chili canine that’s impressed by the well-known Half-Smoke Chili Canines at Ben’s Chili Bowl in Washington DC. It’s an establishment well-known for his or her chili which is served in varied codecs – in a bowl, burgers, and chili canines.
The chili sauce used for the recent canines is totally different to the chili served in bowls. It’s noticeably thicker and smoother, and doesn’t have beans in it. Basically, it’s like a thick sauce that stays on the recent canine higher than common chili so you’ll be able to eat it together with your arms.

I’ve at all times wished to copy the Ben’s chili sauce. I’ve had just a few makes an attempt over time – certainly I simply have to sluggish cook dinner for longer, longer! Nope, it simply didn’t have that very same “molten” texture.
The reply got here to me once I was making lentil soup: a partial blitz. Releases flavour, thickens the sauce, and makes it smoother too. This modified my chili-dog-game without end. Will it change yours too??

Chili = American vs chilli = Australian/UK: Ordinarily, I write in Australian-English slightly than Americanised English, as a result of I dwell in Australia. Nonetheless, on condition that chili canines could be very a lot a beloved dish of the States, I’ve determined to respect the origins and use “chili” with one “l” all through this put up!
Elements in chili canine
Alrighty, first up, what it is advisable make the chili sauce for decent canines!
Elements in chili sauce
The components are not any totally different to my traditional chili con carne besides the ratios of the spices are a little bit totally different (extra!). And there are not any beans on this chili sauce so it’s smoother and sits in/on the recent canine higher.

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Beef mince / floor beef – Whereas this recipe will work with lean beef, it is not going to have as a lot beefy flavour. As a result of many of the good beefy flavour we love is within the fats!
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Beef bouillon dice (inventory dice) – Higher than salt! Provides extra flavour.
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Onion & garlic – Important flavour bases.
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Tomato paste and crushed tomato – For thickening and flavour of the sauce. By the point all of the spices are added in and it’s been sluggish cooked, you don’t actually style the tomato in any respect.
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Capsicum/bell pepper – A conventional inclusion in chili.
Selfmade chili powder for sauce
There’s no store-bought chili powder combine in my chili sauce. I choose to make my very own from scratch as a result of the flavour of chili powder varies from model to model. Making your individual ensures consistency of flavour for everybody!
Plus, chili powder spice combine, whereas widespread within the US, will not be simply present in Australia.

No uncommon gamers right here. All pantry necessities (right here’s my important spices checklist, in case you missed it!), the identical spices I exploit in my chilli con carne. Nonetheless, I exploit barely extra spices to offer the sauce a stronger flavour as a result of much less sauce has to go additional when it’s utilized in a scorching canine bun in comparison with serving an enormous bowl of chili. Am I making sense?? Unsure I’m explaining that effectively!
Spiciness – There’s an honest quantity of cayenne pepper on this to offer the chili sauce a spicy kick, as is conventional. Be at liberty to dial it again. You possibly can simply add it proper on the finish, little by little, tasting as you go.
Chili canine
For the very best scorching canine of your life, skip the on a regular basis low-cost scorching canines and go for an excellent German or different European smoked sausage (Austrian, Polish). You’re welcome!

Smoked sausages – higher than scorching canines! Chili canines are sometimes made with economical skinny scorching canines. Assume – uniform pink color which are 30 – 40% fillers. Tasty sufficient, when smothered in a selfmade chili sauce. However you’ll be able to actually dial-up your scorching canine recreation by utilizing good European smoked sausages – like kranksy’s, bockwurst, bratwurst, “continental franks”. Simply ask Ben’s Chili Bowl. Their well-known chili canines use sausages referred to as “half-smokes” that are a kind of smoked sausage.
Why European smoked sausages are higher – Extra meat, much less fillers, they’re seasoned with flavour, and fatter so that you get extra sausage! They’re smoked so they’re technically cooked however most are often grilled or pan fried earlier than serving. Makes them even tastier.
Discover them simply as of late:
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Kranksy’s – a deli staple at giant supermarkets (Coles, Woolies – see right here on-line, Harris Farms). Get the smoked ones, when you can, however even un-smoked are 20x higher than the “footy franks”
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Sausages in packets labelled “Continental Franks” or “Weiners”.
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German deli – If you’re fortunate sufficient to have a German deli in your space, it’s price a go to since you’ll have a good higher choice – and it’s laborious to go flawed! Additionally, different European delis. The Polish and Austrians do wickedly good smoked sausages too.
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The place I’m going – Brot & Wurst in Narrabeen, Sydney, which is close to my house. My favorite for chili canines are Bockwurst (pictured above). However all of the smoked sausages of theirs I’ve tried (in all probability most) are nice!

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Sizzling canine buns – Search for mushy, pillowy buns for the recent canines to nestle in.
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Yellow mustard – Elective, I suppose! For me, a chili canine isn’t a chili canine with no squirt of mustard. I exploit American mustard – 100% synthetic yellow color, 100% scorching canine genuine.
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White onion – Elective! This can be a direct copycat of the way in which the chili canines are served at Ben’s Chili Bowl. A bit of sprinkle of finely chopped white onion brings a touch of freshness in amongst all that moorish, spicy, saucy goodness. I like to make use of white onion as a result of it’s not as sharp as brown onion. Crimson onion can even work from a flavour perspective.
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Cheese – A sprinkle of shredded cheese on a chili canine is pretty widespread follow however melting will not be. However, like good ole’ crispy shell beef tacos, melted cheese wins over un-melted cheese any day. So when you’ve got the choice to soften, why would you not?? (Bonus: Cheese melting oven time warms up the bun so that you don’t must do it beforehand plus offers all of the flavours an opportunity to meld collectively into one cohesive chili-dog-of-your-dreams!)
How you can make chili canines
As I discussed earlier, the one factor that’s a little bit distinctive concerning the chili sauce I make for chili canines is that it’s thicker, smoother and extra “molten” than the same old recipes you see which have bigger, chunkier beef bits in a runnier sauce. It is because mine is designed to be just like the well-known Ben’s Chili Bowl chili sauce which is sort of a thick sauce that stays in the recent canine slightly than slopping out in every single place once I take a (massive!) chunk!
The trick to realize this? A bit of blitz. Releases flavour and thickens the sauce.
1. The chili sauce

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Cook dinner chili sauce – The chili sauce begins off like your on a regular basis chili con carne. Sauté onion, garlic and capsicum. Cook dinner the meat till it’s browned, then stir the tomato paste for a minute to cook dinner out the bitter uncooked flavour.
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Add every little thing else – Add all of the spices, canned tomato, beef inventory cubes (bouillon cubes), salt and water and provides it an excellent stir then convey it to a simmer.
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Sluggish cook dinner 3 hours – Simmer on a extremely low warmth with the lid partially on. A cracked lid permits the sauce to cut back and thicken. Be sure the warmth is actually low and provides it a stir every so often to make sure the bottom doesn’t catch. Bear in mind – we’re making a sauce that’s thicker than typical chili con carne.
It can be cooked within the oven (160°C / 325°F for 3 hours) or sluggish cooker (low for six to eight hours) – instructions included within the recipe.
After 3 hours of sluggish cooking, the meat ought to be very tender. Yep, you’ll have to have a spoonful to test!
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Blitz to thicken and {smooth} – Take away 1 1/2 cups of the chili right into a container so the pinnacle of a stick blender shall be submerged below the chili. Then blitz till {smooth} – it ought to solely take round 15 seconds on excessive. It will launch flavour and likewise thicken the sauce.
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Stir in – Return the pureed chili sauce into the pot and stir effectively. As you stir, you need to discover that the slow-cooked beef bits begin to fall-apart into actually nice items of beef to make a smooth-ish, nearly molten-like sauce.
In case your beef doesn’t do that, it’ll simply want a little bit of assist from a potato masher. Simply mash the meat straight within the pot till it turns into a reasonably nice texture, like pictured.
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Thick sauce – That is what your sauce ought to appear to be! Dollop-able but it surely mounds. Now you get to heap it in your scorching canine!
2. Assembling chili canines
Grill, stuff, smother, bake!

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Pan fry or grill your scorching canines / smoked sausages till browned and warmed by means of. Don’t fear if the pores and skin splits! Visually it doesn’t matter as a result of it will likely be fully hidden by sauce.
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Mustard & onion – Add a squiggle of mustard then sprinkle with onion.
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Chili sauce – Smother with an excellent quantity of chili sauce. Recognize the way it’s thick and stays on/within the scorching canine as a substitute of working in every single place!
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Bake for 10 minutes – High with cheese then bake for 10 minutes simply to soften the cheese. Pull out of oven and begin getting enthusiastic about sinking your tooth into these chili canines!!!


When to make chili canines
A yard grill out, a gathering with mates. Sport day, dinner tonight, and, effectively, simply anytime as a result of you’ll be able to’t get darn-good chili canines in your space. That may be ME!!
In all seriousness although. A superb smoked sausage, pan fried or grilled then tucked right into a mushy bun is scrumptious as is.
Smother it with a thick layer of big-flavoured beef chili sauce, and also you’re effectively in your technique to meals heaven.
Add a blanket of molten, gooey cheese and that, my mates, THAT is what meals desires are fabricated from.
I actually hope you strive these chili canines sooner or later. For us Aussies, chili canines are laborious to come back by and once we do discover them, all too usually they’re terribly disappointing. I promise this received’t disappoint! – Nagi x
PS So long as you give a budget footy franks a miss!
Watch the best way to make it
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Chili canines
BBQ, Most important
American, Tex-Mex
Servings6 – 8 scorching canines
Faucet or hover to scale
Elements
Selfmade chili powder (Notice 1):
Directions
Chili sauce:
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Sauté aromatics – Warmth oil over medium excessive in a heavy based mostly pot. Cook dinner the onion, garlic and capsicum for 3 minutes.
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Brown beef – Add beef and cook dinner, breaking it up as you go, till you now not see uncooked meat. Add tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.
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Sauce – Add the spices, tomato, water, crumbled beef dice and salt. Stir effectively.
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Sluggish cook dinner 3 hours – Carry the chili to a simmer then flip right down to low, on a small burner. Put the lid partially on (to permit for sauce discount). Simmer for 3 hours on low (objective: small bubble every so often), stirring simply to make sure the bottom doesn’t catch. OR put it in a 160°C/325°F oven for 3 hours (lid partially cracked).
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Sluggish cooker (Notice 4) – Scale back water to three/4 cup. After chili involves a simmer on the range, switch every little thing to a sluggish cooker then cook dinner on low for six to eight hours on low.
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Thicken sauce – Take away 1 1/2 cups of the chili right into a container so the pinnacle of a stick blender shall be submerged below the chili. Then blitz till {smooth} (~ 15 seconds). Add the pureed sauce again within the pot and stir effectively.
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Sauce objective – As you stir, the remaining beef bits ought to grow to be fairly nice (slightly than bolognese kind chunks) as a result of the meat is so tender. If the meat bits aren’t as small as desired, use a potato masher within the pot – it will not take lengthy. The chili sauce ought to be a thick sauce that mounds up a bit while you scoop it, not runny. (Notice 5) Hold sauce heat.
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Elective relaxation in a single day – Enable the sauce to chill then refrigerate in a single day. As with most slow-cooked stewy issues, the flavour improves! Reheat on the range earlier than continuing.
Chili canines:
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Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
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Grill/pan-fry – Preheat a pan with 1/2 tbsp oil (or the BBQ) on medium / medium excessive. Brown the levels throughout till they’re heated by means of (they’re already cooked inside, it is nearly heating/color).
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Assemble – Place scorching canine buns on a tray. Stuff with a sausage, prime with a squiggle of mustard and a sprinkle of onion. Spoon over a beneficiant quantity of heat chili sauce, prime with cheese.
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Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or till the cheese is melted. Serve instantly. Historically with a mound of plain crinkle reduce potato chips and an ice chilly beer!
Recipe Notes:
1. Spice notes:
- This mix of spices features a selfmade chili powder which I choose to do as a result of the flavour of store-bought chili powder mixes (within the US) fluctuate from model to model.
- Garlic powder and onion powder may be substituted with extra of the opposite.
- Cayenne pepper gives the spiciness (chili sauce is SUPPOSED to be a bit spicy!). This quantity received’t blow your head off however when you’re involved, maintain some (or all) of it again and add proper on the finish, little by little.
- Mustard powder – sub 1 tsp dijon mustard
2. Beef bouillon cubes / inventory cubes have extra flavour than plain salt.
3. Smoked sausages are my desire over economical scorching canines / “footy franks” – excessive proportion of fillers! Concept swiped from Ben’s Chili Bowl, they use half-smokes (well-known Washington smoked sausages).
I exploit: smoked kransky’s, bratwurst, bockwurst, “smoked wiener” or “continental franks”. Obtainable at German and different European retailers, and enormous supermarkets (Australia). Even the widespread un-smoked kransky offered at most grocery store deli’s is method higher than a budget scorching canines! Love my native German small-goods store, Brot & Wurst (Narrabeen, Sydney), their Bockwurst is my favorite for chili canines.
4. Sluggish cooker notice – Whereas this recipe will work nice in a sluggish cooker, you simply don’t get the identical caramelisation across the edges on the floor of the chili such as you do with range and oven cooking, which provides to flavour. I’d say it’s 95% pretty much as good in a sluggish cooker! Oven and range are simply pretty much as good.
5. Sauce – In case your sauce isn’t as thick as mine, simply depart it on the range on low, stirring usually, till it reduces and thickens.
Diet Data:
Energy: 761cal (38%)Carbohydrates: 34g (11%)Protein: 39g (78%)Fats: 52g (80%)Saturated Fats: 21g (131%)Polyunsaturated Fats: 4gMonounsaturated Fats: 23gTrans Fats: 1gLdl cholesterol: 142mg (47%)Sodium: 1458mg (63%)Potassium: 883mg (25%)Fiber: 4g (17%)Sugar: 8g (9%)Vitamin A: 1442IU (29%)Vitamin C: 22mg (27%)Calcium: 432mg (43%)Iron: 6mg (33%)
Lifetime of Dozer
I discover it fairly amusing that he can spend hours within the pool or on the seaside and his furry golden head stays fluffy and dry whereas the remainder of him is saturated.
Then I realised I do the identical factor. Typically a lady simply doesn’t wish to spoil her hair, y’a know? 😂

