Paula Deen Chili Dogs

Paula Deen Chili Dogs are loaded hot dogs buried under a thick, meaty chili made with ground chuck, hot sausage, kidney beans, and tomatoes. Ready in about 75 minutes, this recipe feeds 4 and belongs at every cookout, tailgate, or Friday night at home.

The chili is where this recipe stands or falls. Paula browns the meat with onions and garlic first, then simmers it low with her own spice blend. Skipping that 30-minute simmer turns it into sloppy joe meat.

Make the chili a day ahead and let the flavors settle overnight in the fridge. When you reheat it, the spices pull together and the whole thing thickens up. Butterfly the hot dogs before grilling so they lay flat in the bun and hold more chili.

Paula Deen Chili Dogs

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

5

minutes

Calories

685

kcal

Grilled butterflied hot dogs loaded with a slow-simmered, chunky chili built from ground chuck, hot sausage, kidney beans, and tomatoes, then finished with a pile of grated cheddar.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  

• 1/4 cup Paula Deen's Southern Chili Spice or other chili spice
  

• 4 cloves minced garlic
  

• 3 chopped onions
  

• 1 lb hot bulk sausage
  

• 3 lbs ground chuck
  

• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  

• 4 hot dog buns
  

• 4 hot dogs
  

• 1 tablespoon sugar
  

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  

• 1 teaspoon salt
  

• 2 (28 oz) cans chopped whole tomatoes
  

• 3 (16 oz) cans kidney beans

Directions

• Make the chili: Using a Dutch oven, combine the ground chuck, sausage, onions, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the meat is browned, stirring the meat to break it up as it cooks. Drain the pan drippings. Stir in the chili powder, flour, sugar, oregano, salt, and stir well. Cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and beans, and simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes.
• Grill and assemble: Preheat a grill. Butterfly, or gently slice hot dogs lengthwise, making sure not to cut all the way through. Grill hot dogs until done, approximately 5 minutes. Place the buns on the grill to warm them. Place hot dogs in the bun. Put the hot dog on the plate with split side facing up. Ladle chili over and top with cheese.

Tools for this recipe

• Kirecoo 12-quart stainless steel stock pot, OXO 12-inch locking tongs, OXO wooden spoon set. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use regular chili powder instead of Paula Deen's Southern Chili Spice?

Yes, 1/4 cup of any good chili powder blend works fine. Her spice mix has a little more garlic and onion built in, so you may want to bump the fresh garlic up by a clove or two.

How long does the leftover chili keep?

It keeps 4 to 5 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. The batch is big enough to get several meals out of, not just 4 dogs.

Do I have to grill the hot dogs, or can I cook them another way?

You can pan-fry them in a skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. The butterfly cut still matters either way because it gives more surface area for browning and holds the chili better in the bun.

Why does the recipe call for flour in the chili?

The flour thickens the chili as it simmers so it coats the hot dog instead of running off the bun. Two tablespoons is enough to hold it together without making it gummy.

Should I drain the kidney beans before adding them?

Paula does not say to drain them, so add them with their liquid. The bean liquid adds body and helps the chili sauce come together during that second simmer.