These chili con carne hot dogs pile smoky, slow-cooked shredded beef chili onto grilled hot dogs and toasted buns for a hearty meal with tender beef, rich tomato flavor, beans, cheese, and creamy sour cream.
When you want hot dogs that feel substantial enough for dinner, this version delivers. Instead of relying on a quick ground-beef topping, the chili starts with chunks of chuck roast that are seasoned, seared, and slowly cooked until they practically fall apart.
The long cooking time does most of the work for you. Searing the beef first creates a deeper savory base, while onions, bell pepper, garlic, tomatoes, kidney beans, and beef broth gradually turn into a thick, flavorful chili around the meat.
Once the beef is tender, you simply shred it back into the sauce, grill the hot dogs, lightly toast the buns, and add your toppings. The combination of smoky beef chili, charred hot dogs, melted cheddar, and cool sour cream makes these especially good for casual gatherings, weekend dinners, or game-day meals.
Ingredients
Beef chuck roast: A well-marbled cut that becomes exceptionally tender during the long slow-cooking time and can be easily pulled into bite-sized shreds.
Barbecue spice rub: Builds the main smoky, savory seasoning layer on the beef before searing.
Smoked paprika and cumin: Give the chili warmth, earthiness, and a deeper smoky character.
Onion and garlic powders: Reinforce the savory seasoning surrounding the beef.
Dried oregano: Adds an herbal note that works especially well with the tomato and beef flavors.
Sweet yellow onions: Cook down into the chili base, bringing mild sweetness and extra depth.
Bell pepper: Adds texture and a subtle fresh sweetness without overpowering the beef.
Fresh garlic: Goes into the sautéed vegetables for a stronger aromatic flavor.
Diced tomatoes: Form much of the sauce and provide the tomato-rich base needed for a hearty chili.
Kidney beans: Add classic chili texture and help make the topping substantial enough to stand up to the hot dogs.
Beef broth: Provides moisture for slow cooking while strengthening the savory beef flavor.
Hot dogs and buns: Grilling the hot dogs and lightly toasting the buns gives the finished dish better texture than simply warming them.
Sour cream and cheddar cheese: Cool, creamy sour cream and savory shredded cheese balance the rich, smoky chili.
Fresh cilantro: An optional finishing garnish that adds freshness to each serving.
Cooking Steps
STEP 1: Cut the chuck roast into roughly 1-inch pieces and pat the beef thoroughly dry. Mix the barbecue spice rub with smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and oregano, then generously coat the meat. Let it stand for about 30 minutes while you chop the vegetables.
STEP 2: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in several batches, sear the seasoned beef without crowding the pan. Give each side enough time to develop a dark brown crust before turning. Transfer the browned pieces to a plate as you work.
STEP 3: Lower the heat slightly and add the chopped onions and bell pepper to the same skillet. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, scraping up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the freshly minced garlic during the final minute so it becomes fragrant without burning.
STEP 4: Transfer the cooked vegetables to your slow cooker. Add the drained kidney beans, diced tomatoes and their juices, beef broth, salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together, then nestle the browned beef into the mixture so most of the pieces are surrounded by liquid.
STEP 5: Cover and cook on LOW for about 8 hours. The chuck roast is ready when it separates with very little resistance. Remove the pieces of beef, shred them with two forks, and return the shredded meat to the slow cooker. Stir well so the beef absorbs plenty of the chili sauce.
STEP 6: Shortly before serving, heat your grill to medium-high. Cook the hot dogs for about 3 to 4 minutes, turning them so several sides develop light charring. Place the buns cut-side down on the grill for 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully because they can toast quickly.
STEP 7: Place a grilled hot dog inside each toasted bun and spoon the warm shredded-beef chili generously over the top. Finish with sour cream and shredded cheddar, adding cilantro if you enjoy its fresh flavor. Serve while everything is still hot.
Helpful Tips
- Brown the beef in batches. Crowding the skillet traps steam around the meat, which makes it harder to develop the deeply browned crust that gives the finished chili more flavor.
- Keep the chili fairly thick for serving. Hot dog chili should be saucy enough to spoon but not so thin that it immediately soaks through the buns. If yours seems loose after shredding the beef, leave the slow cooker uncovered briefly before serving.
- Toast the buns right before assembling. A lightly crisped interior holds up much better under the generous chili topping than a completely soft bun.
Can I prepare the chili ahead of time?
Yes. The chili portion is an excellent make-ahead component because the flavors have time to settle together as it rests. Prepare the slow-cooked beef chili in advance, refrigerate it, and reheat it gently before grilling your hot dogs and toasting the buns.
How do I know when the chuck roast is tender enough?
After about 8 hours on LOW, the beef should pull apart easily when pressed or tugged with a fork. If the meat still feels firm or resists shredding, continue slow cooking until the connective tissue has softened and the pieces separate without much effort.
Can I make these without a grill?
You can. Cook the hot dogs in a skillet, grill pan, or according to your preferred stovetop method until thoroughly heated. The buns can be lightly toasted cut-side down in a dry skillet or warmed briefly in the oven before assembly.
How can I keep the buns from becoming soggy?
Toast the cut surfaces until lightly golden and avoid assembling the hot dogs too far ahead of serving. It also helps to lift the thicker portions of chili from the slow cooker rather than adding excessive liquid to each bun.
What toppings work especially well?
Shredded cheddar and sour cream are particularly good because the cheese complements the rich beef while the sour cream adds cool creaminess. Fresh cilantro can bring a lighter finishing note, but it is completely optional if you prefer a more classic chili dog.
Serving Ideas for Chili Dogs
Crispy oven fries: Potatoes make a natural side for loaded hot dogs, especially when you want something simple enough for a casual dinner.
Crunchy coleslaw: A cool cabbage slaw adds freshness and crisp texture beside the warm, rich beef chili.
Grilled corn: Sweet, lightly charred corn works especially well when the hot dogs are already being prepared outdoors on the grill.
You can also set the toppings out separately when serving a group. Keeping sour cream, cheese, and cilantro in individual bowls allows everyone to finish their own hot dog exactly how they like it.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh
Store leftover chili separately from the hot dogs and buns whenever possible. Once assembled, the sauce will gradually soften the bread, so separate storage preserves the best texture.
Transfer cooled chili to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 to 4 days. The cooked hot dogs can also be refrigerated separately for about 3 to 4 days. Keep unused buns tightly wrapped at room temperature according to their freshness, or freeze them if you will not use them soon.
For longer storage, freeze the cooled beef chili in an airtight freezer container or freezer-safe bag for up to about 3 months. Leave a little room for expansion and freeze it without the sour cream, cheese, or other fresh toppings.
Thaw frozen chili overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat it gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, or warm individual servings in the microwave until completely hot. If the sauce has thickened considerably during storage, add a small splash of beef broth while reheating.
For the best leftovers, warm the hot dogs separately and toast fresh or reheated buns just before serving. Spoon the hot chili over them only when you are ready to eat, then add the sour cream, shredded cheddar, and optional cilantro at the table.
Chili Con Carne Hot Dogs
Ingredients
For the Chili Con Carne
- 3 lb beef chuck roast trimmed as needed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 bell pepper seeds removed and finely diced into roughly 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 cans kidney beans thoroughly rinsed and drained
- 8 garlic cloves freshly minced, about 2 generously filled tablespoons
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 can 28 oz diced tomatoes with their juices, preferably San Marzano
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 1/2 sweet yellow onions chopped into approximately 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 –5 tbsp Stubb’s Bar-B-Q spice rub
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp onion powder
For the Hot Dogs
- 10 –12 hot dog buns
- 10 –12 hot dogs
For Serving
- 1 pint sour cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese for topping
- Fresh cilantro for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Cut the chuck roast into 1-inch cubes. Blot the pieces thoroughly with paper towels so the exterior is dry enough to brown effectively.
- Combine the Stubb’s Bar-B-Q spice rub, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and dried oregano in a small bowl.
- Coat the beef pieces evenly and generously with the seasoning mixture, ensuring that the spices cover all sides.
- Allow the seasoned beef to remain at room temperature for 30 minutes while the vegetables are prepared.
- While the beef rests, mince the garlic, cut the sweet yellow onions into approximately 1/2-inch pieces, and finely chop the seeded bell pepper into roughly 1/4-inch pieces.
- Pour the vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat it over medium-high heat until the oil begins to shimmer.
- Sear the seasoned beef in batches, leaving sufficient space between the pieces. Cook for approximately 3 minutes on each side, or until a deeply browned crust forms.
- Avoid overcrowding the skillet, as cooking the meat in smaller batches encourages stronger browning and develops a richer savory flavor.
- Transfer each batch of browned beef to a plate and reserve.
- Using the same skillet and the flavorful fat remaining from the beef, add the chopped onions and bell pepper.
- Cook over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring periodically, until the vegetables have softened and the onions appear slightly translucent.
- During the final minute, add the minced garlic. Stir continuously so the garlic releases its aroma without scorching.
- Cooking the vegetables in the same skillet builds the chili’s flavor base while incorporating the browned beef drippings.
- Transfer the sautéed onion, pepper, and garlic mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add the drained kidney beans, the diced tomatoes together with their juices, and the beef broth.
- Season the mixture with the salt and freshly ground black pepper, then stir until evenly combined.
- Arrange the seared beef pieces in the chili mixture, gently pressing them beneath the liquid as much as possible.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook the chili on the LOW setting for 8 hours.
- When finished, the chuck roast should be extremely tender and separate easily when pulled with a fork.
- Carefully lift the beef pieces from the slow cooker with tongs or a slotted spoon and transfer them to a cutting board.
- Using two forks, pull the tender beef apart into bite-sized shreds.
- Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker and stir it thoroughly into the chili so it can absorb the surrounding sauce.
- Approximately 10 minutes before serving, grill the hot dogs over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes. Turn them periodically until they are heated completely through and have developed light charring on the exterior.
- Place the buns on the grill and toast them for approximately 1–2 minutes, just until warmed and lightly golden.
- Keep the finished chili hot in the slow cooker while the hot dogs and buns are prepared.
- Set one grilled hot dog inside each toasted bun.
- Spoon a generous portion of the hot shredded-beef chili over each hot dog, allowing some of the flavorful sauce to settle into the bun.
- Finish each serving with a spoonful of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and fresh cilantro if desired.
- Serve immediately while the hot dogs, buns, and chili are warm.