Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lbs lean ground beef
16 oz canned tomato sauce*
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

to serve:
8 cooked hot dogs
8 hot dog buns

toppings:
chopped raw onions
shredded extra sharp cheddar
dark red kidney beans (heated through)

Directions:
In a large skillet saute onion, garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is fully cooked and the mixture is thick. Take care to break the meat into small bits. Serve over hot dogs in buns. Top with desired toppings. Serve immediately.

*Not chunky pasta sauce. Look for it in the canned tomato aisle.

Pro tip: Make this one day before you want to serve it. The flavor will be deeper and all you have to is warm it up while you cook the hot dogs. Bonus: if you are grilling your hot dogs you won’t have to run back and forth from the grill to the stove.

My thoughts:

I can’t believe it has been over four years since I last posted a chili dog recipe. It was probably the last time I had a chili dog! Obviously, I needed to fix that! Cincinnati chili is one of my favorites so I thought why not try it on a hot dog? I’m glad I did. I don’t have room on my bun for beans but if you do, it would make an authentic addition.

Can’t get enough? Make traditional Cincinnati Chili, this slow cooker version, and even Cincinnati Chili Mac and Cincinnati Chili-Inspired Sloppy Joes.