A Michigan hot dog features a meaty, beanless chili that is ladled on top of an all-beef hot dog.
We eat hot dogs fairly often and tested recipes like these Memphis and bacon-wrapped hot dogs are always on weekend dinner rotation. But recently I’ve been looking for a new type of hot dog to make.
So while researching recipes, I came across the most perfect dish……the Michigan hot dog. A hot dog with beanless chili that is named after my beloved home state? Yes, please!
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But I’ll be honest…I didn’t even know what a Michigan hot dog was! However, I found this fabulous article, Hot Dog of the Week: Decoding the “Michigan Dog” of New York State by Serious Eats. It set me straight. Real straight.
Do you see the title? That’s right, the Michigan hot dog is a staple of NEW YORK!?! However, it originated in Michigan, be it almost 100 years ago, so I am staking a claim and feel safe to celebrate this chili dog as one of Michigan’s own.
Now you’ll say ‘Erin. You didn’t even know what a Michigan hot dog was. How are you going to even know if you did it right?’ For this, I trusted my husband’s taste buds since he has had them, so he was my guide as to whether they were close or not. {PS. They were!}
I decided to go with a slight vinegar-based sauce. I LOVE vinegar (my favorite BBQ sauce is vinegar-based too) and in doing my research, it said that the sauce could be vinegar-based. Or may contain cabbage. Maybe water from the cleanest Lake in Michigan? Or secret saliva from a wolverine. You get the fact that I’m joking but finding a truly original recipe was very hard, so I improvised!
Ingredients
This hot dog and Michigan hot dog sauce has-
- All beef hot dogs. Michigan Koegel hot dogs are our favorite, but use whatever brand is your family’s favorite.
- Browned ground beef. Use a low-fat content ground beef like 80/20 or 90/10 since the grease is not drained from the pan before adding the sauce ingredients.
- Sauce for the chili ingredients like tomato sauce, ketchup, white vinegar, and seasonings.
- Soft white hot dog buns. Split-top buns are the ones I use for this recipe.
- Chopped onions and mustard for topping.
How to make Michigan hot dogs step-by-step
Prepare your hot dogs the usual way you would. I steam mine in the rice cooker.
For the chili, add the beef, onions, and all the spices right on top. I do this because when the burger cooks, it sets the spices right into the meat. It’s my favorite way to cook beef.
Once the beef is cooked, add the tomato sauce, vinegar, and ketchup to the pan. Do not drain the beef. Stir to combine.
When do you drain fat from ground beef?
For this chili recipe, I use a low-fat mixture of 90/10 so that I still have a little fat left to mix with the seasoning that I add at the beginning of the cooking process. But as a rule, I ALWAYS drain the grease from beef if I use any ground beef less than that.
Put on a medium simmer for around 5 minutes. It does not take long to thicken up.
Now assemble your Michigan hot dog and add chili to the top along with mustard and the rest of your raw onion to the top.
Tips & Variations
- Swap out the ground beef and beef hot dogs for ground turkey and turkey hot dogs.
- My favorite way to cook hot dogs is by adding water to the bottom of a medium sautee pan, adding the hot dogs, covering them with a lid then cooking for 5 minutes. Use tongs to flip them, then cook for 2 minutes more.
Storage
Add the hot dogs and chili in separate covered containers. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, hot dogs in a sautee pan with water and a saucepan to reheat the chili.
Hot dogs can be frozen for up to 2 months on their own and ground beef can be frozen for up to 3 months, so you can keep this item on hand in the freezer but I do not recommend freezing the chili once it has been made.
Side dishes to serve with hot dogs
And here you are….
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
Michigan Hot Dogs
Equipment
- large sautee pan
- tongs
Ingredients
- 1 package hot dog buns
- 1 package All Beef Hot Dogs
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 small onion chopped-1/2 for chili & 1/2 to top hot dogs
- 1/2-1 pound ground hamburger use a low fat mixture because you don't want to drain the grease
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Mustard to garnish
Instructions
- Prepare your hot dogs the usual way you would.1 package All Beef Hot Dogs
- In a large saucepan, add the beef, onions, and all the spices right on the top.15 ounces tomato sauce, 1 small onion, 1/2-1 pound ground hamburger, 1/2 cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Once the beef is cooked, add the tomato sauce, vinegar, and ketchup to the pan. Do not drain the beef. Stir to combine. Put a medium simmer for around 5 minutes.
- Assemble hot dogs and add chili to the top along with mustard and the rest of your raw onion to the top.1 package hot dog buns, Mustard to garnish, 1 small onion
Video
Notes
Tips for making this recipe:
- When cooking the ground beef add the spices before cooking beef. I do this because when the burger cooks, it sets the spices right into the meat. It’s my favorite way to cook beef.
- To store: add the hot dogs and chili to separate covered containers. Reheat in separate containers in the microwave or on the stovetop. Eat within 3 days.
Originally published in July 2016. Updated photos in September of 2020. Post updated June of 2021.
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Last Updated on March 19, 2023 by Erin@BottomLeftoftheMitten
These bring back memories. My Dad was famous for his chili dogs. His chili was always requested at family gatherings. I always trust your opinion so I’m going to make your version but Shhh…don’t tell my dad I’m cheating on him!
:’) Secret is safe with me!
We just got back from a vacation up in Traverse City and I brought back so many Michigan cherries it’s crazy, but they are so darn good!!! I’ve never heard of a Michigan Dog before, but i bet it goes perfect with cherry pie!
I’m sure it does! Traverse City is just beautiful. My husband and I spent a weekend at Spider Lake last year for our anniversary. Glad you had a great time.
Great sauce but if you come to Plattsburgh NY you’ll get the best Michigan’s at Clair & Carl’s.
Great travel tip! Always looking for new foodie adventues. Thank you.
absolutely delicious
Thank you so very much!