Ree Drummond's Tip For Chili Dogs: Leave This Common Ingredient In The Pantry

Ree Drummond has gathered quite a following on Food Network in the years since her blog-turned-show aired in 2011. Even more than her given name, she's probably best known as The Pioneer Woman, the title of said blog. She's beloved for her unpretentious, down-home cooking. And there's certainly no pretension to be found in a classic chili dog. But, when making her chili dog recipe, Ree Drummond prefers to leave out one common ingredient: beans (per The Pioneer Woman).

We agree with Drummond that it's best to make a homemade chili because you have more control over the recipe and you can get it dialed in exactly to your taste. Want it extra spicy? Add your favorite pepper — habanero is a great choice. Extra smoky? Add a little chipotle. Drummond leaves out the beans because she likes her chili more finely textured when on a frank. She wants it to cook down into something that's closer to a velvety, spiced ground beef sauce than a thick and chunky stew of sorts. Excluding the beans will let the other ingredients shine. It makes it more tomato-forward, with nice tangy and spicy undertones. When you put beans in your chili, they can dominate it with flavor and texture (and thicken it with starch). Omitting them allows diners to focus on a condiment to complement the hot dog, letting it be the star of the show. Plus, a thinner sauce is easier to put on the dog, spreading a bit into both sides of the bun, instead of a tall heap sitting on top that can easily fall off.

While Drummond's recipe follows the basic template of a classic beef chili (without the beans, of course), she also suggested tomato sauce, rather than whole canned or diced tomatoes, which, again, helps keep this from being too chunky and falling off your dog. Beyond the standard ingredients, you may even want to consider a dash or two of Worcestershire for a punch of umami.

Any hot dog cooking preparation will work here, but a nice char on the grill is perfect for a firm, snappy bite and semi-crunchy chew to go along with the beefy chili sauce. Shredded sharp cheddar is the classic choice for cheese, but Monterrey Jack will melt beautifully on top and pepper jack can add a little zing. You can even try some homemade nacho cheese sauce for a true county fair type of feel.

After you have the basics down, there are a number of extra accouterments to consider that are pretty simple and can be fun to play with. Diced onions and a squirt of mustard are easy. A layer of coleslaw on top will drive it in the direction of a Southern barbecue joint. Crushed tortilla chips, Fritos, or French-fried onions add a delicious crunch. And for more heat try fresh sliced or pickled jalapeños. You can even pour a bit of the jalapeño juice into the chili as it's cooking to fully incorporate the flavor. Once constructed, a well-made chili dog is a full meal in your hand — each bite a complex but wonderfully unpretentious fusion of flavors.