Description
Deliciously bold chili dogs featuring a smoky, spicy chili sauce made with ground beef and a blend of paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Served on toasted buns with smoked sausages, cheese, mustard, and onions, this recipe replicates the classic famous Ben’s Chili Bowl style, perfect for BBQs, game days, and friendly gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Spices & Seasonings
- 3 tsp smoked paprika (substitute plain paprika if needed)
- 3 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt (plus more to taste)
Chili Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 red capsicum / bell pepper, finely chopped
- 500 g / 1 lb ground beef / beef mince
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 400 g / 14 oz canned crushed tomato
- 2 beef cubes (e.g. Oxo, easy to crumble)
- 1 1/2 cups water
Sausages & Serving
- 6 smoked sausages (kransky, bratwurst, half-smoke) or hot dogs of choice
- 6 hot dog buns
- 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
- Yellow mustard (e.g. Heinz American mustard)
- 2 cups Colby or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (or cheese of choice)
- Plain crinkle-cut potato chips (optional side for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare the chili sauce base: Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the finely minced garlic, chopped onion, and red capsicum. Sauté until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Cook the ground beef: Add the ground beef to the pan, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook until browned and no longer pink, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking.
- Add spices and tomato paste: Stir in smoked paprika, cumin powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, mustard powder, black pepper, and cooking salt. Mix well to coat the beef. Then add the tomato paste and sauté for another minute to deepen the flavor.
- Simmer the chili sauce: Add the crushed tomato, crumbled beef cubes, and water to the pan. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and let it simmer gently for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken and develop rich flavor.
- Blend the chili sauce: Use an immersion blender or transfer the chili sauce in batches to a blender. Blitz the sauce briefly to achieve a slightly smooth but thick texture that clings well to the sausages.
- Prepare the sausages: While the chili simmers, cook the smoked sausages by pan-frying or grilling them until nicely browned and heated through.
- Assemble the chili dogs: Warm the hot dog buns. Place one cooked sausage into each bun. Spoon a generous amount of the chili sauce over each sausage. Top with chopped white onion, a drizzle of yellow mustard, and a sprinkle of shredded cheese.
- Serve with sides: Optionally serve chili dogs with plain crinkle-cut potato chips for a traditional accompaniment. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- This recipe replicates the famous Ben’s Chili Bowl half-smoke chili dogs known for their boldly spiced and thick yet smooth chili sauce.
- Blending the chili sauce slightly helps the flavors meld and improves the sauce’s ability to adhere to the sausage inside the bun.
- Use good quality smoked sausages like kransky, bratwurst, or half-smokes rather than cheap hot dog franks for best results.
- The recipe video above demonstrates the entire process visually for easy following.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chili dog
- Calories: 761 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 1458 mg
- Fat: 52 g
- Saturated Fat: 21 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 27 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 39 g
- Cholesterol: 142 mg
