You need a different chili to put on hot dogs than the chili you eat in October for dinner. From the Charlotte Observer, here is Fred Thompson’s recipe for hot dog chili. He calls it Kyle’s Mom’s Chili:
Kyle Wilkerson, a colleague on many cooking projects, and now the chef/owner of Heirloom restaurant in Roxboro (it’s worth the drive) got me started with this chili. To him, it’s his mom’s chili, but Gina, his mother, confesses that the recipe came from Durham’s Rose of Sharon Baptist Church’s community cookbook. It’s classic North Carolina chili. This recipe makes enough for a serious crowd, but freezes perfectly, so you can always have some at the ready.
2 pounds ground beef
2 tablespoons sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
13 ounces ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and then barely cover with water. Add all other ingredients. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes.