Frank and Bean Chili

This frank and bean chili is pure comfort food! Plus it cheap and is super easy to make, especially if you have everything cut and ready to go a la mise en place, you will have this delicious chili cooked with little effort in no time.

The recipe grew out of a craving – for hot dogs and chili. Together. And while this might be a very American thing, I am not sure I have ever even had a chili dog! But, I have had franks and beans and the kind of SpaghettiOs with sliced hot dogs in it from way back in the day. Both of these nostalgic foods and the classic chili dog combo inspired this recipe. While this chili has the same comfort factor as those classic foods, it has a lot of more going on in the flavor department thanks to a generous amount of chili powder, cumin, and the sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (which I think makes this chili). There is also a jalapeño thrown in for good measure.

If you ask me, the only way to hot dog is to grill that sucker up until it is good and blackened on the outside. That is where the flavor is at. This chili mimics that classic grilled dog flavor by searing the hot dogs in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, which is then used to make the rest of the chili so all the browned bits can add flavor to the broth. Be sure to use your favorite kind of hot dogs – aside from the creamy pinto beans, they are the star of this chili.

Something like chili keeps well and freezes well, so this is a dream to meal prep. When reheating, you may need to add some broth to loosen it depending on how you like your chili, as it will thicken as it sits. Like all stews and soups, this recipe tastes even better the next day!

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Frank and Bean Chili

Servings: 4

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of broth (I used beef bone broth)
• 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 3 cups of cooked pinto beans (from 2 15.5 oz. cans, rinsed/from 1 cup of dried pinto beans, cooked until tender)
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo
• 1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
• 3 of your favorite hot dogs, sliced about 1/3 an inch thick
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 large jalapeño, diced (deseed if you want a more mild chili)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated on a microplane
• salt, to taste (I used smoked sea salt)
• cooking oil

How-to:

1. Heat a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium. Choose a large enough pan to finish the chili in, as you will use this pan for the entire cooking process. Add sliced hot dogs in one layer and let them brown on each side. You may need to brown them in batches, depending on the size of your pan.
2. Once your hot dogs are browned (return them all to the pan if you cooked them in batches), add the onion and jalapeño to the pan, add a pinch of salt, and stir. Let the onion and jalapeño soften for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
3. Add the spices, adobo sauce, and tomato paste to the pan and stir for 1 minute.
4. Add the broth and diced tomatoes and stir, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add another pinch of salt.
5. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until thickened to your liking. Taste and adjust seasoning.
6. Serve with your favorite chili toppings! I love green onion, sliced raw jalapeño, and cheese (lots of it). Sour cream, corn chips, onion, and hot sauce are other tasty options.

Notes:

• This chili will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge and freezes well. To reheat, add broth or water to thin as desired and bring to a simmer. Cook until warmed through and serve.
• The can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce will last a long time in the fridge, even after you open it to use in this recipe! I like to transfer them into a clean glass jar with a lid to store in the fridge. In my experience they will last a couple of months stored this way thanks to the high acid and sodium content. The internet agrees – and also suggests freezing for longer-term storage.