A Hot Dog Blog · 1:00am Feb 5th, 2016
So this week, I decided I wanted chili dogs.
I only really do hot dogs two, maybe three times a year. I almost never do chili dogs. I usually tend to take a very basic approach to hot dogs: the sausage, the bun, some cheese, done. MAYBE some ketchup. All that other stuff is too much effort and I make hot dogs when I want something quick, tasty, and unhealthy that I can do in a couple of minutes (microwave, never boiled).
But suddenly, earlier this week, I decided I wanted to do chili dogs. With some extra toppings. I'm not a big fan of pickles or relish or any of that crazy shit people put on hot dogs, and I despise mustard. But what to put on them besides chili and cheese...?
Well, I figured it out with like, two minutes of thought, put the stuff on my grocery list. In typical Moth fashion, when I actually got to the store, I bought hot dog stuff for a minute (as the city kids say). It's a good thing this turned out as well as I thought, because I'll be having chili dogs until the end of the month if I have them every two or three days...
To start: Johnsonville cheddar brats. The hot dog kind, not the "grill this bitch" kind. Because they only take a minute to heat up in the microwave or a frying pan. I fried them on the stove instead of microwaving them this time.
Next: the chili. Wolf brand chili, of course, because I'm a Texan. I might need to consider switching chili brands, though. Wolf is starting to get too thin and watery and doesn't really do it for me these days. Hormel is slightly better than Wolf and that's sad.
Cheese. Kraft sharp cheddar, natch.
Now, for the rest...
Daisy sour cream, spread on the bun before putting in the brats. Because sour cream and chili are good friends.
And the final, special ingredient...
French fried onions. You know, the onions you put on green bean casserole? A generous sprinkle of those on top of each hot dog made these the best chili dogs I've ever had.
The only way they would've been better is if I'd bought pretzel bread buns instead of generic Walmart buns.
Needless to say, I know what I'm having Sunday night whether I bother to watch the Super Blow or not.
Okay, folks! Discuss HOT DOGS. Because you know you want to.
Damn. You made me hungry with one of my most favorite foods of all time.
Now I want Wiener-schnitzel.
For me, it's just a plain hot dog with nothing on it. I like quite a few of my foods plain, including pancakes and waffles.
Generally, if hot dogs are involved, so is a grill. And by "hot dog," I mean either "bratwurst" or "knockwurst," because piddly little finger-thick things just aren't as satisfying as something thicker.
Yes, this got sexually suggestive. We're discussing hot dogs, that sort of thing is virtually unavoidable.
Anyway, what do I put on them? What don't I put on them? Relish. Relish is what I don't put on them. Aside from that, I'll do pretty much any condiment available: ketchup, mustard, barbeque sauce, salsa verde... I've even had successful experiments with black bean dip. Also, sauerkraut is delicious.
Another reason why I prefer the thicker sausages; I can still taste the meat after I'm through dressing them.
I'm a Burger man myself, still though: Grilled Cheese Hamburger
3733611 I only burger when I go out somewhere because beef is too expensive.
My preference for hot dogs i to put on caramelized red onions, sauted red and green bell pepper strips, and a little mustar on the bun. Makes for a rather balanced meal.
I generally only have either Hebrew National or this one variety of Bison hot dog that Mom orders online.
3733611 I know what you mean.
I use wheat bread for everything, sandwiches, burgers, so I get wheat buns. Then I put on some black pepper, ketchup, and just a little bit of mustard (spicy brown, that yellow crap is gross). I tried putting ranch on instead of my usual spread one time. Don't ever do that, it's not as good as it may sound.
By my bristling beard! (for only $29.95)... Microwave? MICROWAVE?!?! GAHHH!
At least this batched was spared!
Okay first... first right, you take your hot dog buns and get them nice and toasted. Then you sprinkle a good quality cheddar onto them. Then you take your hot dogs (personal favorite Hebrew Nation), and put them in a frying pan at, or about, 6000 degrees or medium high, whatever comes first on your stove's setting. Point is you want to get the outside all nice and charred. Blackened like the heart of Ciel Phantomhive. Then you drop it sizzling hot into the nice bed of shredded cheese making it all melty and gooey. Then apply chili to the top.
I'd be willing to try the french fried onions.Hmmm or better yet, the cheddar flavored french fried onions. But I'll take a big pass on the sour cream (shudder).
Personally, I'll take the toasted bun, charred dog, add a decent yellow mustard, and top with Bavarian sauerkraut. Mmmm, good eatin!
... That's it; I'm having chillidogs and beer this weekend. Reminds me when I did a contest with my eldest bro about 3 years ago. We bought 8 jalapeño dogs each and chili ketchup. Poor guy stopped at 5 before he started to hyperventilate. I ate them all but my poor ass... Sorry for that image.
Sonic approves!
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Bratwurst, pan fried.
Homemade chili.
Velveeta (any flavor, according to personal preference).
Pan fried onions and jalapenos (using the bratwurst juice for extra flavor).
Sourdough buns with a light spread of butter and heated in the oven.
God, I love hot dogs...unfortunately, I can't eat them or any other solid foods because I just got some teeth ripped out of my face by an oral surgeon.
3734454 Ouchies!
A lot of people like raw white onion (or red onion in the case of chili dogs) diced and sprinkled on top. Relish and chili do not pair for me. Sharp to extra sharp cheddar. Ketchup I like... I have this balsamic ketchup from Heinz I bought on a whim and it ended up being a pretty good decision.
Mustard is touchy for me: I never liked it when I was growing up, but when I was 18 or so I learned that I only find yellow mustard repulsive - tastelessly acrid. It's hard to invest in a high-quality mustard when you don't think you'll like it, but I've since found some nice honey and dijon mustards (I also tried a horseradish mustard, but seeing as I don't much care for brown/deli mustard it's not surprising I didn't really like it).
I've personally never put mayo on my hot dog, but it's a thing and apparently they do it a lot in Mexico. Bacon-wrapped demands good, fatty bacon to properly wrap by rendering the fat out.
Hmm, I just realized if I don't have a bun to put my dog in, I don't want any damn things on it... but I can chop up hot dogs and put it near-indiscriminately into other things. (Meaning I wouldn't pour chili over my breadless hot dog, but would dice it in my bowl of chili. It's inane, I know.) Bun needs to be just stiff enough to hold it all, maybe lightly toast the inside with a teeny bit of butter.
3734672 When I have hot dogs with more than just ketchup and cheese, I always use a fork to eat it anyway.
As for chopping hot dogs up in stuff...have you tried the Spaghetti-Os that have that? I love 'em.
3734721 I'm so fucking stubborn for no good reason: I have it in my head that hot dogs are hand-foods and will try
and make a complete mess ofeating a fully loaded hot dog dressed to the nines with chili and cheese and onions with nothing but a plate underneath.God, it's been so long since I've had Spaghetti-Os with hot dog. Now I know what I'm doing next time I buy 'em. Used to do it with mac 'n' cheese, but not so much since I got into Velveeta.
3734750 There's so many other fun things to do with mac & cheese anyway. Thousand Island dressing, cream of mushroom soup, chili and sour cream, tomato soup sauce...
I've been doing brats lately while staying at my dad's. Baked in the oven and then in a bun and mustard. But now I wanna do a classic chili dog. Could do cheese or diced onions on top of that chili.