Recipe: Really Good Hotdog Chili

the story behind Tricia's really good hotdog chili

I didn't eat hotdogs or sausage for years because of an unfortunate brains and eggs experience when I was about 7. But a little place in Asheville called Sunny Point Cafe made me reconsider. My friend ordered sausage with her breakfast and once I found out it was made in house, I just had to try it. It was delicious and made me wonder if it wasn't about time to reconsider my stand against most pork products, excpet bacon. I've always loved bacon. So I tried regular ole grocery store sausage. No where close to as good as Sunny Point's but I liked it so I decided to try hotdogs, Kosher all beef hotdogs. Pretty tasty but I then I remembered CHILI! and went on quest to make the world's greatest hotdog chili. Experimented a little and I think this is it.

Oh. One more thing. Do yourself a favor and use good all beef hotdogs. It's also really good on burgers. OK. So that was two things. On to the recipe.

Really Good Hotdog Chili

4 lbs. 80/20 ground beef
1/3 medium onion, chopped as small as humanly possible
2 - 15 oz cans tomato sauce + ½ can water
2 cups ketchup
1 Tbs. mustard
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
3 dashes hot sauce
1 tsp. sugar

In a large pot, cook ground beef and onion over medium heat. Drain off grease. Add remaining ingredients and simmer over low until thickened, stirring occasionally for 20-25 minutes until thick.

Can be frozen for several weeks