Episode: Trail of the Missing Tails (And a lot of other episodes)
Chili Dog

I’ve been a fan of Sonic the Hedgehog since before I could properly hold a controller. I would watch my brother play over and over until I was deemed worthy enough to give it a whirl. After spending countless hours with The Blue Blur, I became a fanatic. And just when I thought Sonic couldn’t get any cooler, he started showing up on my television! My brother and I were very Sonic and Tails as kids, so the show fit us to a T. We also got a kick out of the game references, like music, or areas, or the stupid hench-bots. We loved those guys. Except Coconuts. We hated those Badniks before the show and we still hate them. My parents didn’t have much of an opinion either way on the show, but they probably rue the day that “I’m waiting.” became a permanent part of our vocabulary.

Besides the memorable quotes and characters, this show also introduced us to Sonic’s favorite food: chili dogs. I don’t know if I ever had a chili dog before watching the show, but afterward, I wanted them A LOT. That’s probably because Sonic and Tails were eating them all the time! Sonic can pull out an entire kitchen and whip one up in seconds. He’s also quite the chili dog connoisseur and can tell what’s in one just by taking a whiff. He’s a real fan of Dr. Robotnik’s chili and loves his dogs well-spiced with danger. As for myself, I’m not too picky, but this is the chili I grew up on. Well, a chili dog isn’t going to make itself, is it? “Gotta speed, keed!”

Recipe makes 8 chili dogs

Ingredients

Chili:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 pounds ground beef

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon chili seasoning

1 teaspoon sugar

3 (15-ounce) cans dark red kidney beans

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (29-ounce) can tomato purée

1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce

 

Hot Dog Buns Or

Homemade Buns:

1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F)

1 tablespoon yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons instant non-fat dry milk powder

1 ½ teaspoons salt

¼ cup olive oil

3 cups bread flour

2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing

 

Hot Dogs or Polish Sausages

Chopped Onions and Shredded Cheese (Optional)

 

Directions

Chili:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef, salt, and pepper and cook until ground beef is brown and cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Drain the grease from the pot and return to the heat. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, chili seasoning, and sugar. Add the contents of the kidney bean cans, liquid and all. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato purée, and tomato sauce and increase the heat to high. Once the chili begins to boil, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for one hour.

Hot Dog Buns:

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let rest for 5 minutes or until foamy. Combine flour, dry milk powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add olive oil and yeast mixture to flour. Stir to combine and form into a ball with your hands. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball again and place in a large bowl. Lightly coat dough with oil and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. Turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and roll out the balls into 4 ½ inch long cylinders. Slightly flatten the cylinders and place on a baking sheet. For soft-sided buns, place the buns close enough together on the baking sheet so they will touch as they rise. Cover the baking sheet with a towel and allow the dough to rise for another hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake the buns for 25 minutes. Remove the buns and brush the tops with melted butter. Cover with a towel and let cool completely.

Hot Dog or Polish Sausage:

Sonic has been seen boiling what he calls sausages, but I usually just pan fry them. It’s just a matter of preference.

Boiling:
Bring enough water to submerge hotdogs to a boil in a pot or saucepan on high heat. Add hotdogs and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 3 to 6 minutes, depending on the doneness you want. Remove the hot dogs and drain.

Pan Frying:
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add hotdogs to the pan and cook until browned and cooked through, turning occasionally.

Putting It All Together:

Split a hotdog bun open and place a hotdog inside. Garnish with chopped onions and shredded cheese. Smother the whole thing with chili. Serve and chow down!

There’s no need to journey all the way to Wienerville for a great chili dog. You don’t even have to set foot on Mobius. We’ve got all the succulent sausages, sauce, onions, and cheese we need right here and no Dr. Robotnik or relations to spoil our fun. Man, all this chili dog talk sure is making me hungry. I think I’ll go have 1 or 2 or 147. I am up, over, and gone!

 

Tune in next week for more Cartoon Cravings!