Chili cheese dogs
This Smokey version of the chili cheese dogs definitely has more smoke than its Yankee cousin
When you think of a free summer day in New York, you can’t help but conjure up that iconic image of a day at the beach with a hotdog in hand, ambling over the Coney Island boardwalk. That association is mostly thanks to Nathan’s hotdogs, which has been selling hotdogs here since 1916, and has become famous the world over for their chili loaded version.
This Smokey version of the chili cheese dogs definitely has more smoke than its Yankee cousin, but packs the same punch. If you want to bring the kids in on this fun, leave off the chili powder. And the beer, obviously.
The ingredients:
(serves 4)
Chili
- 18 oz (500gr) minced beef
- 1 red chili pepper, chopped with seeds removed
- 1 white onion, diced
- 2 tsp granulated onion
- 2 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp BBQ sauce
- 1⅔ fl oz (50ml) beer + extra
Hotdogs
- 4 large, thick, hotdogs
- 4 hotdog buns
- 3½ oz (100gr) grated cheddar
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 tbsp green jalapeñorelish (Santa Maria)
- 2 tbsp cilantro leaves, finely chopped
Gear:
- BBQ with cover for indirect grilling
- cast iron skillet or baking dish
- handful of soaked wood chips
How to make:
Duration: prep 10 minutes
Cooking: about 1 ½ hour
Prepare a BBQ with cover for indirect grilling and heat until 180 °C (356 °F). Combine all the ingredients for the chili in a cast iron skillet or baking dish and mix well. Add the soaked wood chips to the hot coals and place the chili in the smoker. Smoke the chili for 1½ hours, stirring frequently. If the chili gets too dry, add some more beer. After the chili has cooked for 1 hour and 15 minutes, place the hotdogs in the smoker, add a few more wood chips and bring the hotdogs up to temperature.
Add the smoked hotdogs to a sliced bun. Ladle smoked chili over the hotdogs and generously sprinkle with grated cheddar. Put the bun in the smoker briefly until the cheese has melted. Remove your chili cheese dogs from the BBQ and garnish with diced red onion, green jalapeñorelish and coriander leaves.
Open wide…
GJ
Love this one! End up making this every once in a while on Friday afternoon to kickoff the weekend. Be gentil with the chili powder if you’re not used to spicy food. You can always add a bit next time… because there will be a next time, when you had these dogs once.