Summertime, and the grillin’s easy.
Happy happy Tuesday, folks! I’ll tell you what, last year me probably wouldn’t have touched the concept of a hot dog on FMG. I fell into a trap of safety: I kept to concepts that felt familiar, and while I didn’t sacrifice taste in the slightest, I maintained themes that I knew I couldn’t fuck up.
Now, though, I feel some adventure tickling my bones. In many respects, the payoff has proven golden. I’m having fun in my playground of a kitchen, instead of taking the game too seriously.
In observance of National Chili Dog Day on Thursday, we’re grilling up some late summer Jalapeño Street Corn Dip Chili Dogs. A small batch of homemade chili, supple grilled corn tossed with a lime-infused cotija spread, both spooned atop charred hot dogs and stuffed in soft brioche buns.
The version I offer you here is fully vegetarian, but with a few mods, you can create a dish that’s either omnivore- or vegan-friendly. Stay tuned and I’ll tell you how!
What’s Up, Dog?
You’ll need a couple pans on hand for this recipe: you skillet or a medium saucepot, and a grill pan. Or a full-blown grill, if you’re willing to hop back and forth from the kitchen to the porch.
I start with the chili. You can let the chili hang out on the stove while you make the rest of the dish’s components, with just a few checks here and there for moisture level.
First, saute some vegetarian or regular beef with diced onion until nicely browned, then stir in smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, garlic and onion powders, cumin, and some salt and pepper. Dump in a can of tomato sauce and a little water or broth to thin it out. Cover, lower the heat, and simmer.
As I said, give the pan a looksie every 5 minutes or so to ensure nothing burns or dries out. It’s called chili, not burni, after all.
Tip: Impossible ground is my favorite beef alternative!
Next, your corn. I use my grill pan to char them up. Remove the husk and all those goddamn hairs from your cobs, then heat your grill pan over medium. Plop those babies down and grill, turning every couple minutes or so, for about 8-10 minutes.
Tip: I like yellow corn the best, but for some reason I’m attracting only bicolor corn lately. Any variety is fine, but yellow is the sweetest.
Pull the blackened corn off the pan and place onto a cutting board to cool. While they hang out there, use the already-hot grates to cook your hot dogs. Most brands, vegetarian or not require only 5 minutes or so to properly heat through.
Tip: Field Roast Stadium Dogs are the best properly-sized veggie dogs I’ve found yet.
Now, your street corn dip. When the cobs are cooled, set upright on your cutting board and use a sharp serrated knife to slice off the kernels. If the cobs are too hot when you try this, not only will you scorch your digits, but the kernels will smoosh up and turn to starchy mush. Not great.
Throw the kernels into a bowl with mayonnaise, cotija cheese, lime juice, a sliced jalapeño, and a little salt and pepper. Stir and taste for seasonings, adding a little more here and there if needed.
Tip: For a vegan street corn, use a plant-based mayonnaise (I buy Hellmann’s) and find a vegan cotija or feta alternative. I’m not versed on brands here but if you’re familiar with one, try that!
Assemble your dogs! You can toast your hot dog buns if you wish, but I kept mine soft. Mostly out of laziness. Add a dog to your bun, then spoon some of the chili on top, and finish with a good heap of street corn. For a finishing touch, some crumbled tofu or regular bacon and extra pepper slices always taste great.
Leftovers? All components can be stored, separately, in the fridge for up to 5 days. You may need to add a little broth or water to the chili when you reheat it to thin out the components. I zap mine in the microwave for 60-90 seconds with about 1/4 cup of broth to start.
Side suggestions? Well, a BIG glass of Peach Arnold Palmer is a must for all summer grill-outs. If you want to get extra corny, the Chipotle Street Corn Dip Pasta Salad is on-theme, or a nice fruit salad like my Tomato, Peach, and Cucumber Feta Salad (tip: use any leftover cotija on this one instead of feta to minimize leftovers!)
Enjoy!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Hit the streets:
Fiesta Street Corn Dip Caesar Salad
White Street Corn Chili Chowder
Jerk Salmon with Creamy Corn Risotto
jalapeño street corn dip chili dogs
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb vegetarian or regular beef
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water, to thin as needed
- 2 ears corn, husks removed
- 1/3 cup vegan or regular mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 jalapeño pepper, sliced
- 6 vegetarian or regular beef hot dogs
- 6 hot dog buns
- crumbled tofu or regular bacon, to serve
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet or medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add the beef and onion; brown for 8-10 minutes. Stir in the smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, garlic and onion powders, cumin, and a pinch of salt and pepper, then pour in the tomato sauce and broth/water. Cover and simmer gently while you work on the rest of the recipe, checking liquid level and stirring every so often.
- In the meantime, preheat your grill or grill pan to medium heat. Add the corn cobs and grill 8-10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes or so until each side is charred. Remove to a cutting board and let cool while you grill the dogs.
- On the same grill pan, cook your hot dogs according to package directions. You shouldn't need more than 5 minutes or so total to properly cook them.
- Shred the kernels off the cobs with a serrated knife. Add to a bowl along with the mayonnaise, cotija, lime juice, jalapeño, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Place a hot dog into a bun. Spoon over some of the chili, then a couple dollops of the street corn. Top with extra pepper slices and crumbled tofu or regular bacon, as desired.
Notes
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Drain and press a block of extra firm tofu to remove excess water for about 5-10 minutes. I make a homemade press by placing paper towels on a large plate, then the tofu, then more towels, another plate, and a skillet.
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees and lightly grease a large baking sheet. Slice the tofu very thin (as thin as you can without breaking it) and place onto the baking sheet.
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In a small bowl, whisk 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp chili powder, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Pour over the tofu and, using a basting brush, coat each slice. Flip, and brush the sauce over the opposite side. Let sit while the oven heats.
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Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping once halfway through baking time. Let cool on the baking sheet: the tofu will continue to crisp up.
