Slow Cooker Hot Dog Chili
This homemade Slow Cooker Hot Dog Chili is rich, meaty, and perfectly seasoned with a smooth, fine texture that's made for topping hot dogs. It's an easy crockpot recipe that's great for cookouts, game days, family dinners, and parties.
Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
- large skillet
- Ground Meat Chopper or other utensil for breaking up and cooking the ground beed
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ⅓ cup water
- 5 ounces tomato sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, combine the ground beef and water.1 pound ground beef, ⅓ cup water
- Break up the ground beef constantly as it cooks until the meat is in very fine crumbles.
- Drain off any remaining water and grease.
- Transfer the cooked beef to the slow cooker.
- Add the tomato sauce, ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, salt, black pepper, granulated sugar, and onion powder. Stir well to combine.5 ounces tomato sauce, ½ cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Cover and cook on LOW for 2 to 2½ hours.
- Stir before serving.
- Serve over hot dogs, French fries, or burgers.
Notes
🥡 Storage
- Store cooled chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
♨️ Reheating
- Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through. You can also microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval.
❄️ Freezing
- Allow the chili to cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers or freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
💡 Tips for Best Results
- Break the beef into the smallest crumbles possible while browning.
- Don't skip cooking the beef with water. It creates the signature fine texture.
- Stir once or twice during slow cooking for even flavor.
- Taste before serving and adjust seasoning if needed.
- The chili tastes even better after resting overnight.
🍳 Alternate Cooking Methods
Stovetop: After browning the beef, combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.♻️ Leftovers
Use leftover chili to make:- Chili cheese fries
- Chili cheeseburgers
- Loaded baked potatoes
- Chili tater tots
- Nachos
- Chili mac
- Sloppy joe-style sandwiches
📝 Notes
- Traditional hot dog chili is intentionally smoother than regular chili and does not contain beans.
- For an even finer texture, lightly mash the cooked beef with a potato masher before serving.
- This recipe is mild. Add cayenne pepper or hot sauce if you'd like more heat.
Nutrition
Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 460mg | Potassium: 280mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 306IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 2mg
