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 Sandwhich, 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 town 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 serving on typical hot dogs, depending 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 last about 25 minuts - 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 consistancy, 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 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.

National Catfish Day - Recipe

When I visit my Cajun family in Louisiana, I have Fried Fish as often as possible. And the preferred fish to fry is Catfish. Read on to see my video on how my Mom does it, and most Southern cooks, too. 

There is not a lot to this recipe, just coat raw fish with cornmeal, then fry it in hot oil. The extras are Cajun Seasoning and Garlic Powder. You could make my Southern Fried Fish with simply seasoned Cornmeal using salt and pepper.

I lived on the Gulf Coast of Texas, and everyone fried seafood coated with cornmeal. When we moved to Louisiana, when I started High School, they did the same.

Cornbread Muffin Mix is a cheap, tasty substitute for Cornmeal.

Go to any restaurant, gas station, or grocery with a kitchen in the back, and you will often find Fried Catfish on the menu (especially on Fridays). The crispy, crunchy fried fish comes as part of a plate lunch with slow-cooked veggies.

The second-best way to have Fried Catfish is in a Louisiana sandwich called a Po-Boy. The sandwich is simply dressed in mayo, lettuce, and tomato and served on French bread (or any crunchy crust and soft interior bread roll). You definitely want to try one if you are driving through Louisiana. Of course, use my Fried Catfish recipe for this Po-Boy.

Freshwater Catfish are plentiful in Louisiana rivers and bayous. They are fierce fighters and thick-skinned, so they are not easy to prepare for cooking, so locals just buy them at seafood markets and grocers.

The catfish fillets are deboned and skinless and come ready to fry. The pieces are anywhere from three to six inches long and an inch or so thick.  They are usually farm-raised and mild in taste. When cooked, the flesh is firm but flaky and very moist. 

Catfish is generally a cheaper fish. I can still get it on sale for $3 to $4 per pound.

My recipe is the way my Mom orders it on Fish Fridays from her fave local eatery, Cajun Catch. It's piping hot out of the deep fryer with Tartar and Cocktail Sauce on the side and served with Green Beans and Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with a Dinner Roll. By the way, Tarter Sauce is just mayo mixed with pickle relish.

The Swamp Chef casting for catfish.

While Fried Chicken is coated with flour, most Southern Fried Fish is coated with cornmeal. Sometimes it's a combination of half flour and half cornmeal. 

You'll want to spice up the coating by mixing in salt, pepper, and a favorite Cajun Seasonings or Old Bay, and pungent Garlic Powder. If you can't get these season mixes, then make your own with a bit of garlic powder, cayenne, paprika, or red chili powder.

Typically, dried spices for cornmeal or flour when frying.

I've made a simple mix with just salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cornmeal - that's enough for a lot of flavor.

I've met some who do not like cornmeal because it's a bit crumbly, and the flavor's just not for them. Try a half mix of flour and cornmeal if that is the case; you might get away with it. 

You do need an inch or so of oil to fry the coated fish in. I use generic vegetable oil, but you can use any favorite oil. Just make sure the oil is hot when you add the fish, so there is less oil absorption --  it's easy enough to drain the fish once it's fried. I place mine on a wire rack, or you can pat dry with paper napkins.

Just fry until the cornmeal coating is slightly browned. It may be hard to tell as cornmeal is usually yellow, so it doesn't brown as much as white flour. It's easy enough to break off a piece of frying catfish to test - the flesh should be firm and flaky when done.

With medium/hot oil, it should take about 5 minutes to fry cornmeal-coated fish, depending on the size of the fillets. 

Here are some of the best types of seafood to fry: Catfish, Tilapia, Alaskan Cod, Halibut, Striped Bass, Trout, Perch, Shrimp, and Oysters. Try out any local fish you prefer.

My easy Southern Fried Fish recipe is quick to do and so good, you will want to invite the neighbors over for a Fish Fry patio party. Best to serve with a simple Coleslaw or Potato Salad (click on names for my recipes) and a cold brew.

Fried Fish - VIDEO                Play it here, video runs 3 minutes, 29 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients

• Catfish fillets - 10 to 16 ounces. Skin removed and deboned. The fillets are cut into about 3 to 6-inch pieces.
• Cornmeal - 1 cup. Okay to make the mix of half cornmeal and half flour.
• Creole Seasoning - 1 tablespoon. Old Bay seasoning is easy to find as well. A homemade seasoning is a tablespoon each of garlic powder and paprika or red chili powder.
• Garlic Powder - 1 teaspoon.
• Black Pepper to taste - about a teaspoon.  Salt is optional.
• Vegetable Oil - enough to fill the frying pan to an inch deep. About a cup.

Directions

Catfish fillets should be thawed and ready to cook. Add oil to a frying pan over medium/high heat.

Prepare the coating. Add cornmeal to a wide plate. Mix in garlic powder and Creole Seasoning. I like a teaspoon of black pepper too. Salt is optional, as Cajun Seasoning has plenty.

When the oil is hot, it's time to coat the fish in the cornmeal mixture. Add a few pieces of catfish and coat all sides with cornmeal mix. The cornmeal mix should stick to the fish fillets. Press fillets into the mixture if necessary.

Add cornmeal-coated fish fillets to the hot oil. Be careful, as the oil may splatter at first. The typical temperature of oil is around 350 degrees. I just go by looks, if the fish bubbles when it hits the oil, then that's hot enough.  

Allow fish to brown on one side for two to three minutes before turning to cook the other side. Don't move the fish when first added to hot oil or the coating will pull off. If you use a deep fryer, this is not a problem.

Total frying time should not be much more than 5 minutes if the oil is hot enough. It's okay to pull out a piece of fish to check for doneness. The fried fish should be firm and flaky when pulled apart. It should still be moist as well. 

You might not be able to fry all the fish at once, so don't overcrowd the frying pan. As a batch of fish finishes frying, remove and place on a paper towel or a wire rack to drain excess oil.

That's it. Allow to cool for a minute, then dig in. I make a simple Tarter Sauce to go with Fried Fish. Just mix a quarter cup of mayo with a tablespoon of pickle relish.

I like to serve it with Coleslaw or Potato Salad, just click on the names to be directed to my recipes. 

For National Catfish Day, try it fried, just the way this Cheap$kate Internet Chef likes it.

The Best St. Patrick's Day Recipes

St. Patrick's Day is the time to dress in green and put on your yarmulke? That's if you're combining the cuisines of the Emerald Isle and the Promised Land. And you'll feel like you've found that leprechaun pot o'gold at the end of the Western Wall when you try my luscious Jewish recipes using Irish Corned Beef, that's now on sale this week, just like the loaded deli classic Corned Beef Sandwich pictured below.

I like traditional Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage, and it's easy enough to make, but for the money, I like my Corned Beef between 2 slices of rye and topped with a cabbage Coleslaw, Jewish deli-style. So just keep on reading to see my tasty recipes below for Easy Deli Corned Beef and  Easy Homemade Pastrami.

Easy Corned Beef Recipe - VIDEO

If you didn't notice, this week offers up cheap hunks of Corned Beef at half the normal price! I usually clear out my freezer for this St. Patrick's Day beef celebration and stock up on a few Corned Beef briskets. They freeze well, and I like to smoke them during my patio summer cookouts.

The day after St. Patrick's Day, the price dropped to $1.99 per pound!

Cabbage for Corned Beef and Cabbage is normally cheap, but during St. Patrick's week, it is even cheaper.

Traditional Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage is easy to make. Boil the whole Corned Beef brisket for about 3 to 4 hours until the meat is tender. Next, remove the corned beef and cook chopped cabbage, carrot, and potatoes in the salty broth. 

I like to dump half the brine/broth as it's very salty and replace it with regular water. When the veggies are tender, return the corned beef to the pot to reheat. That's it, just pile on your plate a thick slice of Corned Beef with tender veggies. Check out my video below.

Easy Homemade Corned Beef with Cabbage - VIDEO

You'll want a batch of Coleslaw to go along with my Homemade Deli-Style Corned Beef Sandwich. Especially when cabbage is selling for pennies a pound this week. Just click here to get a cheap$kate Deli Coleslaw recipe.

Our most famous deli in Los Angeles is Canter's Deli on Fairfax Boulevard. They are especially known for Pastrami and Corned Beef Sandwiches.

For their 60th Anniversary at this location, they served Corned Beef on Rye Sandwiches for 60 cents! If you don't believe me, then just watch the video below as proof positive.

Canter's 60c Corned Beef Sandwich- VIDEO

Every summer, I throw a Pastrami Sandwich Party that features a Reuben and Rachel Sandwich. What takes these sammies over the top is that they are grilled in butter on rye bread grilled with melty Swiss Cheese...sooo gooood.

A Reuben Sandwich is stacked with Pastrami or Corned Beef, Swiss Cheese, Sauerkraut, and Russian Dressing (of course, you can substitute with mustard). Sour to the nth degree, Sauerkraut ignites smoky Pastrami and pungent Swiss Cheese on Rye Bread into an explosive flavor bomb.

Reuben Sandwich- VIDEO

A Rachel Sandwich is toasted the same as a Reuben but substitutes Sauerkraut with Coleslaw. Both sandwiches share Russian Dressing, which is easy enough to make - just a mix of mayo and ketchup.

Rachel Sandwich- VIDEO

And if you have any meaty leftovers, then add them to a caloric breakfast scramble of Eggs and Pastrami or Corned Beef (my recipe is a click away here).

My mashup between a Mexican burrito and a Jewish Deli classic sandwich is a delicious mouthful. 

A Pastrami & Coleslaw Burrito is a 99 Cent Chef recipe you'll only find here in the Cheap$take cocina (kitchen).

Now, if you really want the wildest use of leftover pastrami, then go no further than the next video, on the making of an Oki Dog.

It is basically a Burrito with hot dogs, cheese, chili, and pastrami. Yes, it's a cholesterol-clogging tortilla-wrapped depth charge that will literally take your breath away. Just watch the video below to see it being assembled (and click here to read its Japanese origin story).

Oki Dog with Pastrami - VIDEO

In my  Homemade Pastrami Recipe Video link here, I show you how to brine a beef brisket in the refrigerator for a week. But if you buy a package of Corned Beef, you can skip that stage and go right to cooking it like in the video below.

So keep scrolling down to see my Corned Beef and Pastrami recipes (you can also click here to see more Pastrami Recipe photos and text).

Keep an eye out for that yarmulke-wearing leprechaun with a tzitzit under his green jacket. If you catch him, make sure one of your 3 wishes is one of my delish dishes.

This St. Patty's Day post is all about the beef. So stock up on Corned Beef and get to cooking. You can be sure that the Blarney Chef is not full of it this time - these are some of my best and favorite recipes.

Easy Homemade Deli Pastrami - VIDEO

Play it here. Video runs 2 minutes 42 seconds.

Ingredients for Corned Beef and Cabbage

• 1 corned beef - I use cheap point-cut corned beef on sale. They usually weigh 3 to 5 pounds. You can follow the package directions for cooking corned beef. 
• 1 whole cabbage - chopped. It has a tough root stem you can remove, but it will tenderize. I only remove if it's discolored brown and extra tough. 
• 1 carrot chopped - You can add another carrot or two, depending on the size. Sometimes I like more veggies.
• 2 red potatoes chopped - You can boil the red potatoes whole, but they will take an extra half hour to cook. Okay to use white or russet potatoes. Also, add more potatoes if you like.
• Water to cover corned beef - When corned beef is cooked, taste the broth for saltiness; if too much then replace half the broth with freshwater and taste again.  

Directions for Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned Beef is a thick and tough piece of meat, so you need to low-boil it for about 3 to 4 hours until tender. Time will vary depending on the size of the whole Corned Beef. Mine was about 4 pounds. Cheaper cuts of Corned Beef can be fatty, is so it's okay to trim off some of the fat.

You can follow the Corned Beef package cooking directions. Usually, you cover Corned Beef with water, about 5 cups worth. Most times, you have a small packet of spices and herbs included, so open and empty the contents into the water.

In a large pot, bring the Corned Beef in water to a boil, lower to a low simmer or low boil, and cover the pot. Cook for about 3 to 4 hours. Check on the pot every hour or so to make sure the liquid does not cookout, and add more water if needed. It's okay if the liquid cooks out by half; this will make an intense broth for the veggies.

After about 3 hours, you can chop the cabbage, carrot, and potatoes.

When the Corned Beef is done, remove it and set it aside. Taste the broth to see how salty it is. More than likely it's too salty, so pour out half the broth and add an equal amount of freshwater. Now taste to see if the broth is milder. Repeat this step if necessary to reach your desired flavor.

Once the broth meets your tastes, then add the chopped veggies. Bring to a low simmer, cover the pot, and cookthe  veggies for about 20 minutes.

If you like crunchy cabbage, then cook the carrot and potato first, about 15 minutes, then add chopped cabbage. Cook until cabbage reaches desired crunchiness, usually 10 minutes or so.

Finally, return the cooked Corned Beef to the pot with the veggies and let it reheat for about 5 minutes.

This is a one-pot meal, so just slice off hunks of Corned Beef and serve with the cooked veggies.

When slicing the Corned Beef for sandwiches, make sure to cut across the grain of the meat. Of course, you'll want to try out a slice to see how yummy it is. Notice the lean meat and its rosy color inside.

For a Deli-style Corned Beef Sandwich just add mustard to rye bread. Layer on your favorite cheese, corned beef, and coleslaw. From 2.67 pounds of corned beef brisket, I made 3 sandwiches. I served it to my ex-NYC neighbor, Deb, and she raved about how delicious it was. I hope you will like it too!

Directions for Cooking  Easy Homemade Pastrami

Remove corned beef from the package and follow the cooking directions.

Typically you add corned beef to a large pot with a cover and fill it with water to just above the meat. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover and simmer for at least 3 hours. Check on it from time to time to make sure the water doesn't cook out (the water can cook out by a third, and that's okay, as the meat will continue to steam).

When finished boiling, remove the meat and set it to drain. Make a dry rub to coat the meat for smoking. Mix the pepper and coriander and coat all sides of the brisket.

Dry Rub Ingredients for Smoking

• 1 tablespoon ground coriander - they are the tan brown seeds in the herb package that normally comes with corned beef. You can sometimes find ground coriander in grocery spice racks, too.
• 2 tablespoons of ground black pepper - okay to use less. Sometimes black pepper can overpower everything, but I like my pastrami that way.
• Wood chips for smoking the pastrami on a BBQ grill -- about 4 cups.

Now time to smoke it. You mainly need an outdoor grill with a cover. I have a 2-burner gas grill. The object is to smoke the meat with indirect heat. That is, place the meat as far away from the flame as possible. The meat is already cooked, so you just want to smoke it at this stage. If you have a simple outdoor charcoal BBQ grill, then build a fire way off to one side.

The flame is under a pan of wood chips. You could even loosely wrap a large handful of chips in aluminum foil and place them over hot coals or a gas flame.

Depending on how large and hot the flame source is, the wood chips should start smoking in a couple of minutes. When the smoke starts, place the boiled brisket as far away from the flame as possible and cover the grill tightly.

Check every 10 minutes or so and replace the wood chips with fresh ones as they cook away if needed. I smoked my pastrami for an hour. Even a half-hour of smoking will give the Corned Beef great flavor and create a crunchy, crusted Pastrami.

In the hour of smoking, I had to replace the blackened wood chips a couple of times. The meat will still heat up and brown, even away from the heat.

If you are using a coal-burning grill, your smoking time may be shorter, as they often burn hotter than a more controllable gas grill (about half an hour of smoking?). The length of time it takes for the wood chips to stop smoking is all the time you really need.

After the pastrami is smoked, place it on a cutting board, slice across the grain, and make a big fat Pastrami Sandwich - your way!

I'll leave you with a pot o'gold at the end-of-the-rainbow video humor. It's time to wake up and smell the Shamrocks, I mean, coffee!