Chili & Coleslaw Hot Dog - Recipe

One of L.A.'s most popular sandwiches is the #19 from Langer's Deli,  which is stacked with pastrami, Swiss cheese, and coleslaw. If they can put coleslaw on a Pastrami Sandwich, then I'm going to put it on a Hot Dog...with Chili, too! My Chili & Coleslaw Hot Dog is outrageously scrumptious. In these Dog Days of Summer, cool it down with crunchy Coleslaw.

Also called a Slaw Dog, they are popular in West Virginia and North Carolina. And they're made with two types of coleslaw dressing: either mayo or a more sour vinegar version. My version is the creamy mayo Coleslaw.

I like greasy Chili on my wieners, and a pile of cool Coleslaw brings it over the top. In my video, I finish it up with a squeeze of mustard. 

I use Chili from the can, no beans, and it's not too expensive. A typical can has 4 to 6 servings on typical hot dogs, depending on how loaded you make them. I have a Homemade Beef Chili Recipe a click away here.

I'm not particular about brands of canned chili. Sometimes they are watery and sometimes thick. Just add water or simmer to thicken. The beef canned chili I've tried is made with ground meat. I've tasted poultry and vegan chili, and they're pretty good. 

I make batches of Coleslaw and usually have leftovers, so it was natural to use it up on my hot dogs. If the addition of Chili is too much for you, then leave it out.

Coleslaw is easy to make if you have Packaged Coleslaw that's raw, shredded, and ready to use. The typical package includes green and purple cabbage, plus shredded carrots. 

     

Add mayonnaise, and you have a creamy  Easy Coleslaw. I usually leave out salt, but add plenty of ground black pepper. It's okay to use your favorite Coleslaw Recipe.

My Easy Coleslaw Recipe is at the end of the video, or you can click here to see my blog post with photo illustrations and recipe text. 

Most Hot Dog ingredients are still a decent deal. Even chain supermarket grocers have sales on tube steaks. Since I usually steam or grill the hot dog buns, even discount "day-old buns" are tasty -  when done my way.

I like to steam my wieners, but you can grill or fry them. I also steam the hot dog buns for a minute, but do watch carefully as the bun can get soggy really fast. (Because I often buy day-old buns, they can be dry, so a little steaming brings them back, softly.)

To assemble, just top a bun and cooked hot dog with a pile of warm Chili and cool Coleslaw. You can add any additional toppings like mustard and pickle relish.

These days it's easy to make vegan versions using tofu dogs and vegan chili, so everyone can join in. 

The whiplash from meaty hot Chili, and cool Coleslaw, makes this hot dog recipe a tasty winner. Any time you make Coleslaw, save a bit for my latest hot dog recipe. 

Try serving  Chili & Coleslaw Hot Dogs some sports game day and see if your guests give you a high five - I think the odds are in your favor!

Hot Dog with Chili & Coleslaw - Video             Play it here. The video runs for 3 minutes and 6 seconds. 

To view or embed from YouTube, click here.

Ingredients

• Hot Dog - Any type, like beef, pork, poultry, or vegan. 
• Hot Dog Bun - I like to steam mine. Okay to grill or serve right from the bag.
• Chili - I use chili from the can, no beans. My Homemade Beef Chili Recipe is here. I've also tried tasty vegan chili.
• Coleslaw - About 2 heaping tablespoons per hot dog, or enough to top a hot dog.

Directions

I place a steamer basket in a pot with an inch or so of water. Add the wiener(s) and bring the water to a low simmer, then cover the pot. I like to steam mine until plump, about 5 minutes. If you are steaming a lot, then check the water level to refill as needed. 

A rice cooker, with water added, works quite well. The normal rice cooking cycle lasts about 25 minutes - for hot dogs in the rice steamer basket, reduce time to 10 minutes, or until the weiners are plump.

Heat the canned chili in a pot until hot. Depending on the brand of chili, sometimes it's too watery, so I simmer the chili to a gravy consistency, and sometimes the chili is too thick, so I add a little water to thin the thick, meaty, gravy.

I like Coleslaw with mayo, but you can make it your way. Some recipes call for a vinegar-based coleslaw. Keep Coleslaw chilled in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

I also steam hot dog buns until pillowy and soft. I put a bun or two right on top of my steamed hot dogs, cover the pot, and steam the bun for a minute or so. A quick toasting softens them quite nicely, too.

Assemble the Hot Dog, and top it with a couple of tablespoons of Chili and Coleslaw. I added Mustard, too.

Easy Coleslaw Recipe

Ingredients

1 Package Cabbage & Carrot - shredded. About 14 ounces or 6 cups (loosely packed.)

Mayonnaise - 1/4 cup. Regular, lite, or vegan. Okay to add a tablespoon at a time to reach desired creaminess.

Black Pepper - about a teaspoon of black pepper. I like an extra pepper taste. Okay to add some salt, too. I find mayo is salty enough

.

*Recipes with real mayo should be kept refrigerated until ready to serve. Do not leave Coleslaw in direct sunlight.

Directions

Add a 14-ounce package of shredded cabbage and carrot to a large bowl. Okay to make a 1/2 recipe, since the average Coleslaw Package has a lot of shredded cabbage and carrot. 

I start with a quarter cup of mayo and mix well. Okay to add a tablespoon of mayo at a time to reach desired creaminess. 

Finally, season with pepper. Add a little at a time and taste the Coleslaw. A  tablespoon of pepper is about right. I do like extra fresh ground black pepper. Okay to add or leave out salt -- mayo is salty enough for me.

Finally, mix well. Taste and add more pepper or mayo if needed.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. If you make it a day ahead, you may need to add a tablespoon or two of fresh mayo, to bring Coleslaw back to normal creaminess. Once mayo is mixed into Coleslaw, it will break down a bit overnight and may sweat out some water; do drain if needed.

Best Cheap$kate Food Finds of 2022

It's back to basics in this roundup of my Best Cheap$kate Food Finds of 2022. That doesn't mean you won't find a few outrageously one-of-a-kind cheap deals that I crow about. It's just this year prices have reached record heights for my regular finds. So go ahead and read 'em and reap (the savings, that is!).

My goto 99c only Store and Dollar Tree have raised prices all around. Dollar Tree prices are now at $1.25 for rock bottom. And the 99c only Store has fewer 99-cent deals that I've grown to depend on -- good luck finding small containers of mushrooms or fresh berries for one dollar, they are now in the $1.99 range. 

Click on any photo to see larger.

But I shouldn't complain as there are still plenty of deals to be had, just not as many. So read on and check out what I came across in 2022. 

My neighborhood Latin market, Superior Grocers, is where I get most of my veggies for less than a dollar per pound, and still a great deal. 

My chain grocer, Ralphs, sells Collard Greens for 99 cents per bunch. And that includes mustard and turnip. I have been adding greens to more of my recipes including Gumbo, Jambalaya, and Black-eyed Peas. 

I go to Dollar Tree for frozen bags of vegetables in a Stir Fry. I like the frozen Peas & Carrots combo.

My Latin market has dried beans and so does Dollar Tree. I get Pinto Beans for a Mexican-style Beans recipe and Great Northern White Beans for a chicken and sausage French Cassoulet.

The 99c only Store has small boxes of cooked organic beans and they are low in sodium. I would add some to fill out a fresh salad or mash them for my famous Huevos Rancheros recipe. Don't know how much longer they will be carried. As I've said many times, you should shop impulsively there as these deals do not hang around very long.

I can still get Deli Meat for a buck every once in a while. I've found you can freeze deli meat and cheese, so get plenty of it when you see it on sale. With these finds, I can make Deli Sandwiches cheaper than Subway.

I prefer Almond or Oat Milk in my breakfast cereal and regular Milk in my coffee. 

I haven't seen eggs at Dollar Tree lately, maybe they will come back? I do find 4-slice packages of Bacon and small packages of Breakfast Sausage, though. That's enough for Country Gravy with Sausage.

Meat is expensive these days, but I still can get Chicken legs for 99 cents per pound. Just this past Thanksgiving and Christmas whole Turkey was still on sale for way less than a buck a pound. I always get a Turkey to semi-defrost and break down (like in my animated GIF below) for later use in Gumbo, Jambalaya, Soup, or roasted Turkey Breast. I hardly ever finish a whole Turkey so I have leftover recipes you can look up here.

I get small tins and packs of Fish for around a buck apiece. Just add the fish to cooked pasta for a quick entree. Frozen small packs of Shrimp are enough for a Stir Fry with veggies and rice. I make a cheap$kate Salmon Spread (schmear) with packs of Salmon.

I often have a can of Fish or Smoked Oysters with crackers and Olives while parked in front of the TV. 

Pasta and cans and jars of Pasta Sauce are plentiful and still cheap. Check out some of my Pasta Entrees here.

Corn and flour Tortillas for Tacos and Burritos are still good deals.

Can't get Hamburger cheaply like I used to, but individual 5.3-ounce Beef Patties with Buns make appearances at my local Dollar Tree. You can still get Hot Dogs and Buns, along with Condiments, too. Here is a link to my favorite Hot Dog Recipes. 

Well, let's get to the wild finds of the year. I couldn't believe it when I saw such good quality Turkey Bacon. I bought enough to freeze for later, too. And I made a yummy Turkey BLT.

I like a bar of chocolate so I was all over this organic Hershey Bar. There are always plenty of desserts and sweets that show up for the right price.

A Beer Cheese Dip? Sounds good to me.

Organics...you bet!

Meatballs are always welcome in my freezer.

Cauliflower is the new rice.

Keep checking back for my great cheap$kate finds in the new year.

Happy hunting in 2023!