How to make the perfect Chili Dog

The Hot Dogger Blogger is all about coming up with the newest and most exotic (and delicious) hot dog creations. But sometimes, the classics are okay. Throwing a little ketchup and mustard on your pup at the family BBQ is fine; as an old high school English teacher once said to me, you must learn the rules before you can break them.

But today we’re going to dive into another classic – the Chili Dog. A good chili dog is as good as or better than any creation I can invent in my kitchen. But a bad chili dog will leave you wondering what went wrong. Here’s some tips to creating the perfect chili dog.

Look messy? That’s half the fun of a well-made chili dog.

Step 1: You can’t make a good chili dog with bad chili.

Ever had a pizza with bad sauce? A sandwich with sub-par peanut butter? Then why would you put so-so chili on a hot dog? A good chili can stand alone as a delicious meal, isn’t too spicy (or you won’t get the other flavors), isn’t too thin or runny, and coats the hot dog instead of falling to the sides of the bun and making it soggy.

And NEVER put the chili in before the bun. We’ve gone over this before, but it’s important in this instance. Dog in bun first. Always with a chili dog.

Step 2: Heat up your chili.

I’ve had chili dogs with chilly chili. It completely throws you off, and since some of you may add another cold element (I put sour cream on my chili dogs), it doesn’t really work. Balancing flavors works on a hot dog. Balancing hot and cold usually does not.

Step 3: Don’t slap chili on a hot dog and call it a chili dog.

You need all sorts of toppings. I mentioned sour cream earlier. Hot sauce that adds flavor, not just heat, is important. Throw in some diced onions for a more complex flavor. And cheese. Lots of cheese. I added a bit of queso to the hot dogs shown above. DELICIOUS.

Step 4: Embrace the mess.

See those hot dogs above? Looks like a disaster waiting to happen, doesn’t it? Well it is. And that’s part of the fun. Nobody serves chili dogs at a formal function. You’d ruin your expensive suit or dress (and also rich people have terrible taste). As you’re inhaling all of the flavors into your gullet, that little piece of shredded beef and bean that stained your shirt is a battle scar that reminds you exactly how excellent your lunch or dinner (or heck, even breakfast) really was.

Got any suggestions for your perfect chili dog? Let us know in the comments. Happy hot dogging!

From the Archives – the Buffalo Chicken Dog

Many apologies for the absence in posting. This blog started partly as a way to combat the dullness of everyday unemployment. Now that those days are over (thank goodness) my time isn’t as free. But thanks to overwhelming verbal support of the blog, I’ve decided to continue it whenever possible. Less frequent, but more delicious. That’s the goal. Special thanks to one person in particular who said, “The hot dog blog is my favorite thing to read when I get to work in the morning.” That was awesome to hear.

One more quick shoutout – thanks so much to Eleni Ceven, whose generous Secret Santa gift of Hero, The Hot Dog Steamer will hopefully add a whole new dimension to our hot dogging options. I’ve already got several ideas, most of which include steaming the hot dogs in beer.

OK, enough with the announcements. Let’s dissect the Buffalo Chicken Dog.

Easily the most photogenic hot dog of the bunch.

Here’s what you need:

Hot Dog (and side-split bun)
Chicken, sliced (personal preference; I went with a mixture of light and dark meat)
Buffalo Sauce (hot sauce can but substituted in a pinch)
Bleu Cheese Dressing

If you’re anything like me, you know that buffalo chicken EVERYTHING is great. Burgers, calzones, chicken sandwiches, wraps, pizza … and now hot dogs.

One final note, only because I know there has been some confusion here. Buffalo sauce is not made from buffaloes, and buffaloes are most certainly not extinct. (It’s an inside joke; just roll with it.)

On our 1-5 hot dog grading system…

  

Oh, it was excellent. I just decided I need to be a little tougher in my grading scale.

Thanks for reading the Hot Dog Blogger, and Happy Hot Dogging!

Hot Dogger Blogger – FAQ

Every once in a while, we get a few questions about the blog, and more importantly, about hot dogs. So I decided to dedicate one blog post to answering some of them for you. And away we go…

Q) What kind of hot dogs do you use?

A) My preferred hot dogs are Nature’s Promise Uncured Beef Hot Dogs, but I recently purchased some Nathan’s hot dogs, which were pretty good (and The Huffington Post apparently agrees). At the end of the day, it’s important to use a hot dog that tastes good by itself; then it will only accentuate what other flavors you add.

Q) You only use side-split buns; why?

A) New England style buns are fine, but there are two problems. The first is that they don’t hold much. The second problem is the bites aren’t even. Here’s a picture of a top-split bun. All of the meat is on the top half of the bun; all of the bread is on the bottom.

Q) How do you cook your hot dogs?

A) It’s nothing special. A grilled hot dog is great, but boiled or even microwaved hot dogs are fine. If you microwave a hot dog, make sure you poke holes in it first, or it’ll explode. Then nuke it for one minute. It’s not ideal, but it’s quick, and you won’t see a difference in taste if you don’t have cheap hot dogs.

Q) Are there any rules to creating a good specialty hot dog?

A) There are no real rules, but there are definitely a few things I always try to remember. First, with a couple of rare exceptions, the hot dog should always go in the bun first. If you put the condiments in the bun first, you run into two problems; either the bun gets soggy (if the condiments are wet) or the hot dog slides easily out of the bun (if the condiments are dry). Second, balance the ingredients, or one tends to overrule the others.

Q) Do you have a favorite?

A) The triple-spice dog is still my favorite. It sounds so basic, but all the ingredients work so well together.

Dog of the Day (11/26/12) – The Thanksgiving Dog

Oh sure, it’s an obvious creation, but does it make it any more or less delicious? I didn’t think so. And besides, what else are you going to do with all of those holiday leftovers?

It’s time we introduced you to…The Thanksgiving Dog.

I’d like to think this is exactly what the pilgrims had in mind.

Why I thought I needed to make two of these is beyond me. That’s a lot of food. Anyway, here’s the concoction…

Hot Dogs (with side-split bun)
Carved Turkey Meat
Cranberry Sauce
Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Squash

You can add or subtract your own favorite Thanksgiving food items as you please, of course. Personally, I think this could have really used a little gravy, but I’m not picky.

Here’s the rating, per our 1-5 hot dog grading system…

   

Obvious? Yes. Delicious? OF COURSE. This hot dog has everything – an extra meaty Thanksgiving feast, with the creamy mashed potatoes and the sweetness of the squash and the cranberry sauce, the starch from the stuffing and some delicious turkey meat, plus the added salt of the hot dog itself. In my family it was always tradition to have a late-night turkey sandwich with a little bit of everything on it following the big meal. This is exactly like that, only with a hot dog.

I’ll be taking suggestions soon for a Christmas dog. In the meantime, check back later this week for our Hot Dogger Blogger FAQ, complete with all the best instructions for creating the world’s tastiest (and most creative) hot dog creations.

Happy holidays, and Happy Hot Dogging!

Dog of the Day (11/20/12) – The Laredo Sunburn

First, per a vote of Facebook fanatics, I’d like to congratulate Cynthia Pesantez for naming this Dog of the Day, and thanks to everyone who suggested a name for this creation.

Today’s specialty hot dog is The Laredo Sunburn.

The Laredo Sunburn, because everything’s bigger in Texas, including the bold flavors.

And here’s how you make it…

Hot Dog (with side-split bun)
Thousand Island Dressing
BBQ Sauce
Cholula Hot Sauce

It’s an interesting combination – a mish-mash of smoky, sweet and spicy all rolled into one. I used a new BBQ Sauce – Jack Daniels No. 7 Original – which has a great smoky flavor but needed a bit more zing. The sweetness of the thousand island dressing tends to be a bit overpowering, and the hot sauce goes almost unnoticed until the end. Still, it was a solid creation, and you certainly can’t beat the name!

On a scale of 1-5 dogs…

  

With a little tweaking, this could be a four-dog creation in no time.

Congrats again to Cynthia and all of our contest participants, and Happy Hot Dogging!

Dog of the Day (11/5/12) – The Pizza Dog

Hello and happy Election Day Eve. Today I’ve got a hot dog that isn’t the world’s most creative concoction, but it’s certainly a delicious blend of toppings. I present…The Pizza Dog.

I’m the Hot Dogger Blogger, and I approved this message.

This one’s pretty simple…

Hot Dogs (in side-sliced buns)
Marinara Sauce
Mozzarella Cheese
Pepperoni Slices
Oregano (optional, but delicious)

As a general rule, the hot dog should usually go in the bun first (I swear, you sick-minded perverts, that’s not a euphemism for anything) but in this instance, the pepperoni lined the bun before the dog, followed by the mozzarella (to melt it more easily) and then the marinara sauce and oregano.

The verdict, in our 1-5 dog rating system…

  

It was pretty good, all told, but at the end of the day, would you put hot dog on a pepperoni pizza? Probably not.

Happy end of election season (which is really a celebration of the end of ads), and happy Hot Dogging!

Dog of the Day (11/3/12) – The League of Nations Dog

You can’t make good hot dogs without taking a few risks. That’s how I like to describe today’s featured dog. It was born from humble beginnings, it took on a life of its own, and it made me a little nervous. But it turned out pretty darn good.

I present to you…the League of Nations Dog.

Bringing the world together, one hot dog at a time.

What’s on the League of Nations dog, you ask? Get ready…

Hot Dogs (on side-split buns)
Russian Dressing (Russia)
Mexican Shredded Cheese (Mexico)
Mozzarella (Italy)
Sriracha Hot Sauce (Thailand)
Curry Powder (India)
Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (USA! USA!)

What made me nervous was the curry powder. How would that mix with all of the other ingredients? Well I’m here to tell you that it was excellent. It gave the dog such a more complex flavor. It was a risky addition, but it absolutely worked out.

Here’s the grade, on our 1-5 hot dog scale…

   

What other countries can we incorporate into a new League of Nations dog? Let me know in the comments. Happy hot dogging!

From the Archives – the Taco Dog

I wasn’t in a hot dog mood today. Contrary to popular belief, you can’t eat hot dogs EVERY day. But I was pretty proud of my creation this afternoon. If you’re a tuna fish fan, you may enjoy this…

It’s not a hot dog, but it’s still delicious.

For this delicious hot dog alternative, you simply need to make your tuna fish to taste – I use one can of canned tuna, mayonnaise, celery salt, and then I add about a teaspoon or so of horseradish to give it a kick. Then top it with your favorite cheese (it’s tremendous with a sharp cheddar), and add any optional toppings like hot sauce or banana peppers, both of which I added here. VERDICT: Outstanding.

But you’re not here for tuna boats. You’re here for hot dogs. Fortunately, I dipped into the archives to bring out one of my favorite creations…the TACO DOG.

No tortilla needed. And it’s certainly not a Doritos Locos dog.

For this hot dog, you need…

1 hot dog (with side-split bun)
Ground beef (spicy ground beef if possible)
Salsa
Sour Cream
Shredded cheese
Guacamole (optional, if you don’t like guacamole, which might make you a terrorist)
Hot sauce (optional – see above)

This one’s pretty self-explanatory. And it is delicious. By all means, feel free to customize this hot dog like you would your favorite taco. That’s the beauty of a good taco – you can add or subtract your favorite toppings as you wish, and the same goes for the Taco Dog.

On our 1-5 hot dog grading system…

   

Currently tied with the triple spice dog for the highest score so far, the taco dog incorporates so many bold flavors, and they all go well with a good hot dog. Definitely give this one a try.

Happy hot dogging!

Dog of the Day (10/31/12) – The Big Mac Dog

Happy Halloween, everyone. Hope you’re enjoying the countdown to the inevitable candy splurge. The Hot Dogger Blogger isn’t a huge Halloween fan, based solely on some poorly thought-out and/or un-creative costumes (nobody likes black jelly beans) but there’s no reason we can’t dress up a hot dog like, say…a famous hamburger!

Two all beef hot dogs, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions…you get the picture.

Here’s what you need for this creative concoction…

1 hot dog (with side-split bun)
Thousand Island Dressing
Cheese (I used shredded cheese but American is preferable)
Diced Onion (you don’t need much)
Dill pickles, either sandwich toppers or diced dill spears
Lettuce (optional; see below)
Sesame Seeds (also optional)

A few notes…

*The Big Mac has “special sauce” but it’s basically Thousand Island Dressing. In the absence of actual special sauce, go with it. It works just fine.

*Lettuce only gets in the way in a Big Mac. And I didn’t have any, so I skipped it.

*Not everyone has sesame seeds lying around. I happened to have some, but it’s purely for show and ultimately unnecessary.

The verdict, in our 1-5 grading system…

  

Not bad. Not the best dog I’ve created, but it’s a tasty creation, and it definitely gets creativity points.

And to answer your question, no, I will not be putting candy corn on a hot dog of any kind.

Happy hot dogging!

From the Archives – The Triple Spice Dog

The Dog so nice, we spiced it thrice!

I’ve made a lot of specialty hot dogs, but this one is probably my favorite so far. It’s the triple spice dog, for those who enjoy a good kick with their hot dog and enjoy all things spicy (but not too spicy).

Let’s get right to it – here’s the list of ingredients.

1 hot dog (and side-sliced bun)
4-5 hot banana pepper rings
Spicy brown or dijon mustard (I use a horseradish brown mustard)
Hot sauce, applied liberally (I prefer Cholula for this particular dog)

What makes this work is that all three spices are so different. The heat from a banana pepper and the heat from a spicy brown mustard are very different, and neither provide the same heat as a hot sauce, really. The three work in concert together to bring a wide variety of flavors that are so good, you don’t even fully realize they’re hot (until you wipe those first beads of sweat from your brow).

I’ve made this hot dog a few times now and I plan on making it a few more before this blog is through. On the hot dog rating scale…

   

 

A fan of spice? How would you tweak the triple spice dog to make it better? We’re always looking for suggestions – new hot sauces, different mustards, you name it. Should there be a quad spice dog? We’re listening…let us know in the comments.

Happy hot dogging!