The Tangy Ingredient For Hot Dog Chili Sauce You Already Have On Hand

It's game day, the beers are flowing, and there's hope your favorite team might make it (this time). While the winner is undecided, the food is sure never to disappoint. On a flimsy paper plate, wrapped in a white paper napkin, is a hot dog smothered in chili. It's sloppy, hearty, and iconically delicious. This time, instead of following the usual recipe, why not turn up the tang and elevate that chili sauce with a bit of mustard?

Mustard has that undeniably tart tang that's simultaneously warm and earthy. When mixed into chili sauce, it injects a level of acidity, which adds brightness to the rich flavor of the tomatoes and melds well into the spicy taste of the chilies. It's common to see mustard powder or ground mustard used in chili dog recipes, but why not use mustard spread instead? It's a match made in tangy heaven, especially when it's then layered atop hot dogs.

Different varieties of mustard will impart different flavor nuances, so it's essential to consider which you use and why. Do your hot dogs a favor and feature chili sauce. It's a sure bet to win game day, regardless of the match results.

From honey sweet to fiery and tangy, there's a beautiful range of mustard varieties that you could use to pump up your chili dog's flavor. The most popular when it comes to hot dogs is, of course, yellow mustard. It's got that classic bright yellow color and mellow vinegary taste. Since this mustard is made from yellow mustard seeds, it has a much softer heat than other varieties. Yellow mustard is an excellent addition if you want to add tanginess to your chili sauce.

Dijon mustard is an ideal choice if you're looking for a spicy tang. It's made from brown and black mustard seeds, which gives it a sharper flavor that's more distinct and spicy than the yellow variety. While there are smooth varieties of Dijon available, it's traditionally grainy in texture — which you should factor in if you plan to add it to your chili sauce. If you have a fondness for mustard, you might lean toward the yellow or Dijon varieties.

Now that you've chosen your mustard, it's time to prepare your chili to get the most out of that mustard flavor. For best results, it's best to add the mustard when you begin making the chili. This allows all those tangy or fiery flavors to blend and develop with the rest of the chili ingredients. Mustard also works as a great thickening agent — a more flavorful option than the usual flour or cornstarch.

If you're short on time but still want to try this combination, add a colorful layer of French's mustard over your chili dogs once assembled. This is similar to the legendary Detroit-style coney dogs, which use a squeeze of yellow mustard and fresh onions as a garnish on chili-topped hot dogs. With sour onions and tart yellow mustard, this medley doubles down on the tang. It also creates a wonderful contrast between the meatiness of the chili sauce.

Mustard-topped dogs are an excellent gateway to cooking chili in mustard, but if you don't need any convincing, add that mustard to the chili sauce first and create those complex flavors.