Chili Dogs (With The BEST Boiled Hot Dogs)

I'm sitting here typing this up and I just watched the Chicago Cubs win the World Series. I don't watch baseball usually. Unless it's live. But either way this would have went it would have been historical. So we watched and it was stressful at times! What a game! Appropriate that this post is about hot dogs, a great ball park food.
I made about 40 of these for a Halloween party, they are a huge hit. My kids hardly ever eat hot dogs and they loved them. I knew that for a crowd I wanted to put them in the slow cooker like I did for DD's Big Hero Six party. As I was putting them in the slow cooker (my Instant Pot was busy with the chili) I thought, I should flavor this water. I choose whole spices like garlic, bay, and celery seeds. It was PERFECT. Usually hot dogs can be salty for us, so I didn't add any salt. I didn't use stock or anything like that. Even my DH, who doesn't really eat hot dogs said they were good. My kids requested them for lunch the next day. I kept the chili hot in a thermos, and cut hot dogs up in there. I sent buns and toppings separate.

Serve the hot dogs in my homemade bun recipe, just shape them to fit the hot dogs bake them up and you're good to go. You can toast them if you'd like also with a little butter in the pan. SO good. Pour the chili on top and add your favorite toppings. I like cheese and jalapenos.

Boiled Hot Dogs

12-24 Hot dogs, more or less as needed
3-4 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1-2 teaspoons celery seed
2 teaspoons peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns

1. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker. Hot dogs can be set horizontally or vertically. Vertically will fit more if you have a taller slow cooker.
2. Cover hot dogs with hot water.
3. Set on high until heated through, then turn the slow cooker down to keep warm mode.
4. These can be tossed on a grill or griddle before serving, but this isn't needed, we like them as is.

Instant Pot instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in the pot standing hot dogs vertically to fit more in at a time.
2. Cover with water.
3. Use slow cooker function as directed above OR
4. Manual HIGH pressure for 4-5 minutes.
5. Let the pot naturally pressure release and switch to warming mode to keep warm for serving.
6. These can be tossed on a grill or griddle before serving, but this isn't needed, we like them as is.

Chili (Instant Pot)

1 pound ground turkey, or lean ground beef
1/2 onion chopped, about 1 cup
1 carrot diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 teaspoons mushroom seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can (15 ounces) no salt tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon Taco seasoning
1 bay leaf
1 cup black beans, soaked rinsed and drained (Optional)
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
Unsalted broth, stock or water
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Brown the meat, drain fat if needed.
2. Add onions, carrots, and garlic, cook until onions are just translucent.
3. Add remaining ingredients, scraping off any food stuck on the bottom of the liner.
4. Use enough stock or water to cover the beans by one inch.
5. Press stew button for 35 minutes.
6. Let the post naturally release pressure.
7. Season to taste with salt, pepper, soy sauce.
8. Serve over hot dogs along with cheese, onions, pickled jalapenos, mustard, and other toppings.

*If using dry, un soaked black beans, cooking time may increase.

Chili (Slow Cooker)

1 pound ground turkey, or lean ground beef
1/2 onion chopped, about 1 cup
1 carrot diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 teaspoons mushroom seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can (15 ounces) no salt tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon Taco seasoning
1 bay leaf
15 can black beans drained, or about 2 cups cooked (Optional)
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
Unsalted broth, stock or water
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Brown the meat, drain fat if needed. 
2. Place meat in slow cooker.
3. Add onions, carrots, and garlic, cook until onions are just translucent, transfer to slow cooker.
4. Add one cup water to the pan and de glaze it, scraping off any bits of food, transfer this to the slow cooker.
5. Add remaining ingredients.
6. Use enough stock or water to cover the ingredients.
7. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or longer.
8. Season to taste with salt, pepper, soy sauce.
9. Serve over hot dogs along with cheese, onions, pickled jalapenos, mustard, and other toppings.

Serve the chili over the hot dogs in buns. Add any toppings you like, cheese, onions, jalapenos, etc.

FREEZER TIP: Chili freezes well in an air tight container.

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