-Chili Dogs

By Wes Mickel

Serves 8

-Chili Powder

8 ancho chiles

8 pasilla chiles

8 guajillo chiles

4 puya chiles (for a little heat - omit for a less spicy take)

-Chili con Carne-ish

1 lb. ground beef

4 fl oz. lard, pork fat or butter

1 lg yellow onion, minced

¼ cup chile powder

2T garlic powder

2T onion powder

1T cumin, ground

1 oz. can tomato paste

2 ancho chiles

1 12oz. stout or porter (nothing hoppy, you want a malty beer)

Salt, brown sugar and malt vinegar to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

-Chili Dogs

4 oz. butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 hot dogs

8 buns (partial to a soft potato bun, but whatever you like)

Shredded cheese

Minced yellow onion

Minced jalapenos

Any condiments or fixins you want to throw on a bun

Prepare grill for indirect heat and shift all coals to one half of the grill.

For chili powder:

Place chiles directly over heat, rotating as they crisp up and inflate. Once toasted and puffy, remove from heat and allow to cool.

Once cooled, remove stems and seeds. Place remaining chiles in blender or spice grinder and grind into a powder. Place in a sealed container and use for all kinds of additions (salts, butters, rubs, in place of chile flakes, etc…)

For the Chili con Carne-ish:

Over a high heat (on the PK or stovetop) in a saucepot, heat fat until just about to smoke. Add ground beef and cook until brown and crispy. While cooking beef, toast the 2 anchos as per the chili powder recipe and set aside for later. Once the beef is brown and crispy add onions cooking until translucent. Follow with chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and tomato paste. Cook for about 2 minutes to caramelize some of the tomato paste and cook out the raw tomato flavor. Add beer, and allow to cook over low heat for about 15 minutes. While simmering, stem and seed the anchos and add directly to the chili.

Season to taste with salt, brown sugar, malt vinegar and minced garlic cloves.

Tip: If you want a more liquid consistency, add more beer or a little water.

To Assemble the Chili Dogs:

Melt butter in a small saucepot over direct heat and add minced garlic. Allow garlic to sizzle a little, then remove from heat.

Toast buns directly over heat until warm and toasty. Place on a platter. Drizzle with garlic butter.

Grill hot dogs over direct heat to the desired doneness. Once cooked to your liking, place in buns on a platter.

Top all hot dogs with enough chili to cover. Then go to town with all the toppings to your liking.