A homemade chili cheese dog is just the treat you were looking for for your next game night. It’s easy, delicious and the perfect comfort food.
Chili dogs are the ultimate comfort food and although we don’t make them often it is a key reason our G&K Ground Beef Chili serves six. I like to freeze any extra chili for this very special meal.
If you are reading this and thinking that you would never make a chili dog at home I am here to convince you that it’s one of the easiest meals you can make. But, if you don’t want to make your own chili just use the canned variety, no big deal!
I first tried a chili cheese dog at Dairy Queen of all places. It is still the best chili dog I have ever had. Once in a while I pop in and get one for old-time sakes.
But, we can’t always just pop out to DQ for a treat. So, when that day comes just make your own. It’s probably slightly healthier as well. And if you’re vegetarian, just make veggies chili and top your veggie dog with it.
Preparing Chili Cheese Dogs
Ingredients
Wieners: Originally called frankfurters, this long sausage-like meat originated in Germany. It was a type of sausage that was brought to the United States and Canada by immigrants and made a popular street food often associated with baseball. These sausages are highly processed and can be made from one type of meat (i.e. all beef hot dog) or a mixture of meats. There are also many non-meat varieties as well.
Hot dog buns: Hot dog buns are long buns that come pre-cut specifically for the easy placement of a wiener to make a hot dog. They are a yeast-based fluffy bun that is essentially a smaller version of a submarine bun.
G&K Ground Beef Chili: This delicious stew is made out of ground beef and vegetables with a tomato base.
Havarti cheese: Havarti cheese is a semi-hard cheese made of cow’s milk. It’s almost creamy in texture despite looking like a hard cheese. It has a mild but distinct flavour, a soft yellow-cream colour and small eyes throughout.
This recipe is very simple especially if you already have chili on hand. I like to make extra and freeze it but if you want it to be extra easy, just buy chili in a can.
Step 1: Prep the Chili
Let’s face it, it’s unlikely that you’re making a batch of chili just to make chili dogs. So, we are assuming that you have some leftovers. Whether it be in the fridge or as part of your freezer stash makes no difference.
Heat it up in a pot or the microwave until it begins to steam.
If you really want to make chili then by all means:
Step 2: Steam the Dogs
Next, you need to cook the hot dogs. They need to reach a temperature of about 150˚F.
Steam the hot dogs in a vegetable steamer. If you don’t have one you can get creative like I do and place a wire rack in the bottom of a large pan. Add ¾-inch of water to the bottom, making sure it’s not touching the rack.
Then, place the hot dogs on the wire rack, cover them with a lid and steam for 5 minutes, if the hot dogs were from the fridge.
I freeze hot dogs so am always starting from frozen. The steaming takes about 10 minutes from frozen.
Step 3: Assemble the Chili Cheese Dogs
Now you need to put all the pieces together. Place the cooked hot dogs in buns, ladle in ½ cup of chili per chili dog then place the cheese on top. I usually cut the cheese slices in half because they are quite wide. Then I place them side by side length-wise on top of the chili.
Place the chili dogs in the preheated oven for 5 minutes or so. Or until the cheese is melted.
Substitutions
Havarti Cheese: You can use any melty cheese that you have on hand. We always have Havarti which is why we use it. It’s one of our favourites. Try topping your chili dog with provolone or mozzarella. They melt great and have a relatively mild flavour.
G&K Ground Beef Chili: We are of course biased toward our delicious chili but it doesn’t mean that it’s your only option. You can use whatever chili you like best. You can even try using premade canned chili from the grocery store.
Weiners: If you can’t find footlong hot dogs like we usually use, or maybe you just aren’t a fan, feel free to use the regular-sized dogs that are easily accessible in most grocery stores. Just make sure to buy the right size buns and prepare the right amount for your party. Also, you will probably only need ¼ to 1/3 cup of chili per hot dog for the smaller ones so adjust the recipe accordingly. Lastly, I haven’t forgotten about our vegetarian friends. Use a veggie dog and vegetarian chili to have this delicious treat.
Serving Chili Dogs
You can choose to serve the chili dogs plain. The chili and cheese are just perfect already. However, if you’re a fan of toppings then go for it. We like to add ketchup and mustard as the basic condiments and then might deviate with some hot peppers, pickles or sauerkraut. But don’t let us limit you. Whatever toppings you like will be just perfect.
Chili dogs are definitely a comfort food so you don’t have to serve them with a side. If you do however choose to dress them up a little, a nice fresh salad is a great pairing. Try it with our simple spinach salad or butter lettuce salad. Both have fresh and delicious dressings that will be a great compliment to the chili and hot dogs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are hot dogs healthy?
Though I don’t like labelling food as healthy or unhealthy, hot dogs, or specifically weiners, are not a food I recommend eating often. They are a processed meat which are known carcinogens and contain high amounts of saturated fat and sodium which you want to eat in moderation.
With that said, they are a delicious comfort food that you can easily and happily squeeze into an otherwise healthy diet.
Let us know in the comments if you have any other questions. And if you like this recipe be sure to leave us a five-star rating below.
Are you looking for dinner ideas? Check out our recipes:
Chili Cheese Dogs Recipe
Equipment
- Small pot
- Medium pan and wire rack (or steamer)
Ingredients
- 4 footlong wieners
- 4 large hot dog buns
- 2 cups G&K Ground Beef Chili see substitutions
- 4 slices Havarti cheese see substitutions
Optional Additions:
- Mustard
- Ketchup
- Hot Peppers
- Sauerkraut
- Pickles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Heat up the chili or defrost it if it’s frozen until it’s steaming.2 cups G&K Ground Beef Chili
- Steam the hot dogs in a vegetable steamer. If you don’t have one you can get creative like I did and place a wire rack in the bottom of a large pan. Add ¾-inch of water to the bottom, making sure it’s not touching the rack. Place the hot dogs on the wire rack, cover them with a lid and steam for 10 minutes, if using frozen hot dogs, or 5 if thawed. The internal temperature of the hot dog should be at least 150˚F.4 footlong wieners
- Once the hot dogs are cooked and the chili is warm, place a hot dog in a bun, top it with ½ cup of chili then place a slice of cheese on top. I usually break a slice in half and put them side by side length-wise. Repeat for the remaining hot dogs.4 large hot dog buns, 4 slices Havarti cheese
- Place the chili dogs on a line cookie sheet, ensuring they’re standing up straight. Place in the oven just until the cheese is melted. Roughly 5 minutes.
- Remove the chili dogs from the oven and serve with your favourite toppings.Mustard, Ketchup, Hot Peppers, Sauerkraut, Pickles
