Dixie Dog

Dixie Dog (Western NC Red Dog)

A bright-red all-beef hot dog split and griddled, tucked into a soft steamed bun and topped with a thin beanless beef chili, yellow mustard, and chopped white onion — the signature hot dog of Asheville and the Western North Carolina mountains.

Prep

15 min

Cook

30 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •4 whole red-dyed all-beef hot dogs, Jesse Jones or Carolina Hot Dog brand; no substitution recommended if you want an authentic Dixie dog
• •4 whole soft white hot dog buns, potato or plain enriched buns, not brioche or crusty
• •1 tbsp neutral oil, for griddling the dogs
• •2 tbsp unsalted butter, for steaming the buns
• •225 g (8 oz) ground beef (80/20), for the chili
• •120 ml (½ cup) water
• •15 g (2 tbsp) chili powder, an American blend, not chipotle-only
• •4 g (1 tsp) smoked paprika
• •2 g (1 tsp) ground cumin
• •2 g (1 tsp) onion powder
• •1 g (½ tsp) garlic powder
• •1 g (½ tsp) salt, plus more to taste
• •1 g (¼ tsp) black pepper
• •5 g (1 tsp) distilled white vinegar, sharpens the chili flavor
• •1 g (¼ tsp) cayenne, optional, for a hotter chili
• •1 g (¼ tsp) dry mustard powder
• •120 ml (½ cup) warm water, to adjust chili consistency
• •70 g (½ cup) yellow mustard, classic American yellow, not Dijon
• •80 g (⅔ cup) white onion, finely chopped, finely diced, not sliced
• •2 g (½ tsp) cornstarch, optional, to thicken chili if needed

Steps

1. 1 Make the chili: Crumble the ground beef into a cold skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, breaking it up, until the meat is finely textured and no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes. Drain off all but about 1 tbsp of fat.
2. 2 Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt, pepper, and cayenne (if using). Stir into the beef and toast the spices for 60 seconds, until fragrant.
3. 3 Pour in 120 ml (½ cup) water and the vinegar. Stir, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili is thick, loose, and sauce-like — looser than a Texas chili, looser still than a Cincinnati coney. If it tightens up too much, stir in extra warm water a tablespoon at a time; if it is too thin, dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tsp cold water and stir in, simmering 1 minute more. Taste and adjust salt.
4. 4 Keep the chili on low heat while you cook the dogs. It should stay pourable and hot (at least 74 °C / 165 °F internal, as it contains beef).
5. 5 Heat a flat griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat and brush with the neutral oil. Split each hot dog lengthwise down the middle, just deep enough to open like a book (do not cut all the way through).
6. 6 Lay the dogs cut-side down on the griddle. Press gently with a spatula for 10 seconds to flatten and sear. Cook 2–3 minutes per side, until the cut sides are deeply browned and crisp and the interior reaches 74 °C / 165 °F on an instant-read thermometer.
7. 7 Steam the buns: melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Place the buns cut-side down in the butter, then add about 60 ml (¼ cup) water to the pan and immediately cover with a lid. Steam 45–60 seconds, until the buns are soft, warm, and just barely toasted on the cut sides. Do not let them brown and crisp.
8. 8 Assemble: Place a hot dog in each steamed bun. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the hot chili in a line down the center of the dog, letting it pool onto the bun. Squeeze a generous stripe of yellow mustard over the chili, then top with a tablespoon of finely chopped white onion.
9. 9 Serve immediately, with extra chili on the side. Hold the coleslaw — that is the South Carolina red slaw dog, not the Appalachian Dixie dog.