What is the Best Hot Dog Chili?

Chili is becoming an increasingly popular hot dog topping. A standard hot dog is great, but when you cover it in chili sauce, it elevates it to a new level!

You can make your own chili or purchase canned chili sauce when making a chili dog. There are plenty of options available.

In this post, we’ll discuss the options available, revealing the best chili for hot dogs.

What is a chili dog?

A chili dog is simply a hot dog, in a bun, with a helping of chili con carne on top. As is the case with most food items, though, there is a lot of debate about what sort of chili con carne should go on top.

Should it be saucy or meaty?

Beans or no beans?

This hot dog snack has become so popular that there is even a National Chili Dog Day!

What’s the difference between regular chili and hot dog chili?

Before we reveal more about the best chili for hot dogs, it’s important to understand the difference between hot dog chili and regular chili. Traditional chili tends to have a chunkier texture and is very spicy.

Hot dog chili is often made with ketchup and has a sweeter taste. 

Of course, if you’re making your own chili dogs from home, you can make a chili sauce that’s just right for your taste buds.

What makes the best chili for your hot dog?

If you’re a big fan of chili con carne, which you may usually consume with rice, you may think that this type of chili is the best for your hot dog. However, that’s not always the case.

You need to make sure that the chili you choose has a thick texture while not being too difficult to eat at the same time. It should taste fresh and have a bit of a kick to it. 

What to look for when choosing the best canned chili for your hot dogs

Before you choose the perfect canned chili for your hot dog meal, it’s important to consider your purchase carefully. Here are some of the things you should look at to ensure the best possible taste experience:

The ingredients 

There is only one place to begin, and this is with the ingredients. It’s imperative to recognize the flavor and quality of the ingredients. Furthermore, if there is a specific kind of meat you’re partial to, be sure to look for information on this.

Nowadays, you can get items that are made specifically for those with certain health and diet concerns. For example, you can purchase chili with reduced sodium. So, you should have no trouble finding the canned chili for you, even if you don’t get along with certain foods. 

Whenever possible, try to avoid unnecessary ingredients. Search for premium ingredients that’ll have a positive impact on the flavor. 

Mess

While chili hot dogs taste amazing, they can also be rather messy. This is why we recommend considering the consistency and texture of the chili.

How well will it sit on the hot dog? 

If the hot dog chili is too runny, you’ll have chili dripping everywhere. 

The level of spice

Last but not least, all chilis have different spice levels. When shopping, you’ll typically find that the label gives you a good indication of the level of spice a product has. You can also spend some time reading reviews that have been left by people who’ve already tried this type of chili before. 

Ultimately, this is something that comes down to your personal taste buds.

If you like a little bit of spice, go for something hotter than the norm! If you’re cooking for others, we’d recommend playing it safe, so don’t go for something too spicy. 

What is the best chili for hot dogs?

Hopefully, you now have a much better understanding of what you need to consider when shopping for chili for hot dogs. To give you a helping hand, we’re going to look at some of the best canned chili options for hot dogs. 

1. Amy’s Organic Chili

There is only one place to begin, and this is with Amy’s Organic chili for your hot dog. Not only is this a tasty, organic hot dog, but it’s also vegan. 

It has good flavor, and you don’t need to worry about too many calories. However, you may want to add some extra seasoning for spice and flavor.

2. Stagg Silverado Beef Chilli with beans

We’re sure you may have seen the Stagg Silverado brand in adverts or for sale in your local area. This is because this brand of chili has been around since 1956.

Out of all the canned chili sauces on the market nowadays, we’re pretty sure Stagg Silverado’s version has the shortest ingredient list. Plus, the chili is made entirely from natural ingredients.

There are a number of different types of chili sauce available. The one we recommend here is labeled as two-bean, beef tomato chili. It is a good, consistent, thick chili – perfect for hot dog use! 

In just one serving of these hot dogs, you’ll consume 16g of protein. 

3. Armour Hot Dog Chili Sauce

Next, we highly recommend Armor’s original hot dog chili sauce. This has long been highly regarded as one of the best chilis for hot dogs. Plus, you can choose whether you want to go for traditional chili with or without beans. 

Whether you want to warm this sauce in a pan or microwave, we’re sure you won’t be disappointed. It’s easy to heat up and use and filled with flavor. 

You’ll find that all of the chili sauces mentioned in this post have a few drawbacks worth considering. This is because everyone has their own individual taste buds. With this hot dog chili sauce from Armour, you could have added some more flavor to the dish to ensure it went down as a real treat. 

4. Chilli Man Canned Chili with beans

If you’re looking for chunky chili for your hot dog that comes complete with beans, Chili Man Canned Chili with beans is the perfect choice for you. The quality and flavor of the ingredients used in this canned chili are impressive, to say the least. Plus, there are no artificial ingredients, 

Ultimately, this is a robust chili, which certainly has the right level of savory flavors and a little hint of spice. Delicious!

5. Hormel Chili with no beans

Last but not least, we cannot talk about the best chili for hot dogs without mentioning Hormel Chili. This is a great option if you don’t want any beans in your chili. Hormel Chili doesn’t have any artificial ingredients, which is always a positive. 

This classic beef chili is made using a slow simmer and a savory mixture of spices, which bring the very best flavors to light. Every serving of this hot dog also contains 14g of protein, with the perfect blend of spice and flavor.

There are a few drawbacks to consider, as is the case with any food item nowadays. In terms of Hormel Chili, we’ve noticed that the amount of salt is rather high when compared with other spices. Also, you may feel that you want to add a little bit more seasoning to suit your own taste buds.  

How can you make canned chili better for your hot dog?

If you’re planning on using canned chili for your hot dog, there are a few things you can do to make it better. For example, we’d recommend adding some green peppers and onions to give the chili more flavor.

You may also want to make the topping more filling by adding some beans. If you’re still unsatisfied, a little bit of chili powder and garlic will go a long way, giving the chili a bit of a kick. 

Different hot dog chili sauce recipe variations you can try when cooking from home

One of the best things about making your own hot dog chili from scratch is that you can tailor it to suit your taste buds. Below, we’re going to take a look at some of the most common hot dog chili sauce recipe variations people make so you can get some ideas and inspiration. 

• Consider substituting three-quarters of garlic powder for fresh garlic cloves. 
• If you’re a big fan of space, you may want to add some cayenne pepper to the chili to give it a bit of a kick.
• If you’re someone who prefers meatier, richer flavor, you can use beef broth rather than using water.
• It’s a good idea to add some diced bell peppers to your chili. Simply add the peppers to the skillet, and then add the garlic, onion, and ground beef.
• A healthier yet delicious take on hot dog chili is to remove the ground beef and use a different meat instead. Some good examples include ground pork, ground turkey, and ground chicken. You can even use a unique combination, such as ground chorizo or ground pork sausage. 
• Finally, as you may have already gathered, you don’t have to have beans in your hot dog chili. If you want to, you can add some, though. The choice is yours. Some of the best beans to add to hot dog chili include kidney beans, pink beans, or pinto beans.

Time for a chili hot dog 

If you’ve made it to the end of this blog post, there’s only one thing to do; reward yourself with a chili hot dog.

After all, we’re sure your mouth is watering by this stage! Whether you go for canned chili or decide to make it yourself, we’re sure you’ll be left with a satisfied tummy and a big grin.

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