Carolina Style Hot Dogs
A Carolina tradition! Carolina Style Hot Dogs are covered in a beefy chili, creamy homemade cole slaw, and onions. Ketchup and mustard are optional. Serve these at your next backyard BBQ for a crowd-pleasing win!
Let me start by saying that I am not really a hot dog person. Or a cole slaw person. I'm usually happy to stuff my face with veggie burgers or Grilled Chimichurri Chicken.
But something happens in the summer where the occasional urge for a really grilled, nearly charred hot dog has to be satisfied.
I mean... hot dogs just don't taste as good in December when my brain is all wrapped up in soup and cookies and pie. Hot dogs to me scream of July heat and ice cream parties, picnic tables and Sweet Tea Sangria.
So with hot dogs (and most things) I sort of feel like you have to go big or go home. And that's where Carolina Style Hot Dogs come in.
Every part of the country has their own style of hot dog, and this one here is North Carolina through and through.
First thing you need is a QUALITY hot dog. I'm voting all beef.
The Carolina Dog is grilled and topped with hearty beef chili - no beans! - creamy cole slaw, and chopped onions.
You can do your own ketchup and mustard thing, but those 3 ingredients are crucial, and for a Carolina Dog to live up to all the hype I'm giving it here, you need really good toppings.
Put down the canned chili, ya'll.
This slaw needs to be creamy with some tang. You are looking for the right combo of mayo to cider vinegar, with just a hint of sweetness from the sugar. It's gotta be a teensy bit sweet on top of the chili because chili has a little spice. Onions are like a little bonus on top.
I was skeptical the first time I went down the Carolina Hot Dog road. I'd never had one until a few years ago, long after I'd moved out here to the land without Target and saw them on every menu everywhere.
They taste like summer and are worth every single bite.
A few notes.
There's some debate in the comments over the authenticity of the slaw and the chili on these hot dogs. Men who felt so passionate about my wrongness that they felt the need to chime in at 2 am on a Wednesday. Ahhh the internet. Such a fun place.
I grew up here in North Carolina, and this is how I make my slaw. So it's North Carolina Slaw.
You can cut your cabbage any way you like.
Also ... chili doesn't have to cook all day to be good chili, especially if you are putting it on hot dogs. In this case it's a condiment, not the main staple of the meal.
Carolina Style Hot Dogs
Yummy Carolina Style Hot Dogs are grilled and covered in beefy homemade chili and creamy cole slaw, and then sprinkles with finely diced onions. A Carolina summer tradition!
Ingredients
For the Chili:
- cayenne or red chili flakes to taste
- 1 cup broth (I used low sodium chicken broth)
- 1 (15 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons chili powder (see note for chili seasoning)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Slaw:
- 1 ¼ cup cabbage, very finely chopped (see note)
- ¼ cup red cabbage, very finely chopped
- ¼ cup carrots, shredded
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
- ¼ cup mayo
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon canola oil
- 8 all beef hot dogs (see note)
- 8 hot dog buns
- ¼ cup finely chopped onions
- ketchup & mustard to taste
Instructions
- Heat the grill for the hot dogs. You can cook these to your liking -- I love mine charred.
- While the grill is heating, brown the ground beef in a large pan. Add all the seasonings to the ground beef and pour in the broth. Turn it over in the skillet a few times to coat the meat. You also want to break the beef up as much as possible. Add the tomatoes, reduce the heat to medium, and let is simmer while you make everything else, stirring occasionally.
- In a large bowl toss together the cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, and 1 tablespoon of finely chopped onion.
- In a smaller bowl whisk together the mayo, cider vinegar, canola oil, and sugar until smooth. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to combine.
- To assemble the hot dogs place each grilled hot dog in a bun, top with chili, then slaw, and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup chopped onions. Add ketchup and mustard as you like.
Notes
If I'm gonna eat a hot dog, I spring for the good ones. They cost a little more but better quality equals better taste!
You can use a package of chili seasoning in place of all the seasonings and spices listed here. I always have everything on hand to make my own, but if you have to go out and buy the items listed, it will be much more cost effective to grab a chili packet and go.
Short cut!!! You can use a prepared bag of slaw mix (the cabbage and carrot mixture) to save time
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Cholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
You also need this Carolina Burger situation
If you love hot dogs you should also try these
If you're from North Carolina, nothing can start a friendly argument faster than the topic of barbecue and/or hot dogs.The best way to eat a hot dog, or barbecue aaboutfor that matter, is the way you like best. But that doesn't mean you still can't argue about it. 🙂
I born and raised in NC and we are raised on Carolina Red Hot dogs with chili and cole slaw that is definitely more finely chopped with a hint of carrots if any and sweet pickle relish. My dad ran a grill and every grill around I know cooks makes their hot dogs this way. But I will agree that it is different in different areas of NC. So I suppose to each his own. There really is not right or wrong but they are all good it's just what you grow up on is always the best. Just like NC BBque is the best with vinegar and texas pete sauce with other yummy additives is the best but some people add this or that! in their sauce but I think what I grew up on is the best!!
@Melanie Walters, you are right,born in NC 78 yrs ago.
These dogs look delicious, and so pretty too! I love coleslaw of all kinds, and I love chili, and hot dogs, I've got to try this combo! I also like how inexpensive it is, and easy to put together. Looks like a great weeknight meal to me! We grill all year round, but if it's totally nasty outside, I can always do the hot dogs indoors. YUM! I can't wait. This is on my menu!
Thank you Christine!! Hope you enjoy!
hi, my name is roy shaw , and i now live in texas i am from north carolina and have not had a slaw dog in along time , looking forward to trying your stly.
You must also try Seattle hot dog style. It's perfect.
Tell me more!
Came here because someone recently talked about "hot dog slaw" and I'd never heard of such a thing (I moved to Charlotte two years ago). Anyway I have to say the idea of chili and slaw on a hot dog doesn't really appeal to me but some of the comments on here are just downright nasty and rude. I've read a lot of recipe comments over the years and I've never come across such a thing. Make your slaw however you want people. It doesn't mean someone else is doing it wrong. If your party was "ruined" just because of one recipe I'm guessing there was something more wrong than the recipe. While I probably won't be making these myself, I'll have to try one someday. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Nice idea, but I was very disappointed with the outcome. Ruined my superbowl party...
something more specific would probably help me help you. And if your cooking ruined your Superbowl party... that's on you.
@Heather Tullos, I stumbled across this when a craving for a hot dog I had once ten years ago in NC in vacay hit. The recipe looks amazing, but YOUR sauce means I’m coming back for more. Love all what you’re doing here!
Thank you! Hope you enjoy! Lots of sauce here ??
The pictures look great. But THAT is not Carolina hot dog slaw. Carolina style slaw for hot dogs and burgers is very finely chopped. It is not chunky.
Hi Mike. Thanks for the compliment on the photos! To be clear though, I have lived in North Carolina for my entire life and so yes, IT IS Carolina Hot Dog Slaw. Here's a novel idea: you can cut your cabbage however you like.
And then just like that! Problem solved.
Well of course you can cut cabbage any way you choose. I'm nearly 60 yrs old, and I spent the first 45 in my hometown in NC. My family has owned a cafe for 30 years. Maybe you're in coastal Carolina, where they don't know how to make hot dogs in the first place.
I'm actually not in coastal NC, Mike. I have had damn good hot dogs at the beach though. It sounds like you need a hobby. You should probably write your own food blog since you know every thing 🙂
Yea I know.
@Mike, Sorry Heather Mike IS right. NEVER eaten a hot dog with big pieces of cabbage. It must be finely chopped.
Thanks for mansplaining cole slaw, William! Whatever would I do without you? ?
Depends on the location in the Carolina's you're in. Zack's in Burlington doesn't use all beef wieners and the slaw is finely chopped. Chili, onions, slaw and their hot sauce is the bomb. Personally, I don't like the additional veggies in my slaw so, I get the angel hair (or a cabbage) and process it fine. That said, one type of slaw versus another is like the difference in 'Que sauce from one end of the state to the other. Just enjoy the dogs!
Cook the chili and make the coleslaw WHILE the grill is heating up?! That can't be very good chili OR coleslaw. I'm just sayin'...
I'm just saying your comment is pretty rude.
Born and raised in North Carolina......I LOVE a good grilled hot dog.....covered in delicious cole slaw, onion and chili with a little mustard. These look so good I could eat the computer screen!! What made hot dogs so good when I was growing up was my mother's cole slaw!! She made the very best!! And, she took the time to butter the edges of the buns and brown them in a pan! It was all that LOVE she added!! Pinned!! Thanks!!
Oh Kim!!! Buttering the hot dog buns is crucial!!! I love to get a little soft butter on my hands -- like as if I were going to butter a pan for baking -- and then I rub the buns all over on the outside and spread just a tiny bit inside. Then I bake them for just a minute. Gah now I'm hungry for hot dogs. Enjoy!!!
Oh me! I cannot wait to try these suh-weet dogs! Thanks for sharing! I can't remember how I found your site, but I love it. 🙂
Aw thanks so much Christy! I hope you love these! Let me know!
Holy YUM! who needs ketchup
I'm sayin'!
Thanks Heather!
Yum. Yum. I could eat three of these and not feel guilty. 🙂
Oh this makes me so excited! Now I can make this for Jason any time! I usually avoid Miracle Whip like the plague, BUT I trust you so I'll try it!
No miracle whip in the recipe . Cuz
DUKE'S MAYO.