Chef Jill’s Hot Dog Chili Sauce

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The Carolina Panthers play at home this weekend against the Bears. You might be looking for something to cook up for *home-gaiting. QC@3′s Jordan Sawyers recently visited Chef Jill Aker-Ray to find out how we can elevate our hot dogs.

Hot Dog Chili Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef (85/15 or 90/10)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• Water-enough to cover meat
• 1 medium Vidalia onion or sweet onion, finely diced or grated
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
• 1 TBSO olive oil
• 1-1/2 cups ketchup
• 2 TBSP tomato paste
• 1 TBSP prepared yellow mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

• Place lean ground beef in a bowl, mix baking soda and salt into and cover with water. Use a wooden spoon or your hands to break up the beef.
• Set aside for about 20 minutes.*
• Over medium heat, sauté diced onion and garlic in olive oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven.
• Once the onion and garlic are soft, add the ground beef and water to the pan. Cook about 5 minutes, until the beef is no longer pink on the outside.
• Add ketchup, tomato paste, mustard, salt, pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, and Worcestershire sauce
• Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture has thickened and reduced and the beef is cooked through.

*3/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt to treat 2 pounds. The beef is mixed with these dry ingredients, plus 2 tablespoons of water, before being used in your chili recipe. Allow the mixture to sit for about 20 minutes before proceeding. This hack should work for any chili recipe, as long as you adjust for proportion.

This creates tender and smooth chili sauce that is not watery.

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