Chilliest Hot Dog Chili

I live in Atlanta, where the world's best chili dogs are never more than a few miles away.  Still...sometimes a few miles is a few miles too many.

This chili recipe is the direct result of a rainy Sunday when a trip to The Varsity meant changing out of my flannel pajama pants and that, no matter what the enticement, was not going to happen.   The result was a meaty chili with just the right amount of bite that is great served on hotdogs (Nathan's only, of course). Or, add a little more V-8 and your favorite bean and eat it with a spoon.  But, don't forget the napkins!  This could get messy!

What's In It:


1 lb. lean ground beef, ground fine (80-20 is best. I like sirloin.  You may have to ask the butcher to do a special grind.  If, like me, you find the butcher too busy to worry with your minor little request, put in your chopper at home and chop it real fine.  It works.)
1/2 c. sweet onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced (Since I can't seem to cook without them, I keep a container of these in my refrigerator.)
2 tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 tbs. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 pkg. Chili-O chili seasoning (I never use ANY other kind)
1 tbs. yellow mustard (I NEVER actually measure yellow mustard.  I squirt it until I think it's enough, and usually I end up adding more later.)
1 tbs. apple cider vinegar (Trust me...)
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. red pepper sauce (The recipe actually calls for Tabasco which I find sacrifices actual taste for heat.  I just use red pepper sauce.)
1/4 c. ketchup
V-8 juice

How To Make It:


Saute' garlic and onion in oil in large skillet over moderate heat, until onion is translucent.
Add beef and cook, stirring and breaking up any lumps with potato masher, until cooked through.  Meat should be VERY fine with NO lumps.   Drain off excess fat, if any.
Add remaining ingredients, adding just enough juice to mix.
Simmer one hour, stirring occasionally, and adding enough juice when necessary, to maintain a loosely bound texture.(I usually end up using about 1/2 a bottle of juice.)

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