Savory Sundays: Rhode Island style hot weiners

Disclaimer: I have never been to Rhode Island. Thus, I have no idea what a true Rhode Island chili dog tastes like. But if they taste anything like these, well, I've been missing out. I got this recipe from Guy Fieri and when I saw the episode where he makes these, right away I wanted to try them. That was more than a year ago, and they've since become a staple around here.

Here's what you'll need:

* 4 tablespoons margarine
* 2 yellow onions, minced, divided
* 2 tablespoons chili powder
* 2 tablespoons paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon allspice
* 1/2 teaspoon curry
* 1 teaspoon dry mustard
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 pound ground beef, 80/20
* 1/4 cup water

* 2 tablespoons celery salt

Mandatory ingredient shot:


First, you have to cut up an onion. Put the four tablespoons (1/4 cup) of margarine in a skillet, melt them and then toss in the onion.


The onion just needs a few minutes to get ready, no more than five. While that is sauteing, mix the spices together. Now, I don't use the curry since my and I aren't big fans of curry. We might be missing out but we enjoy it just fine without. Of course, I didn't take a picture of the next step which is to toss the spices into the skillet when the onions are ready, but you get a nice rich red color. Stir that up a bit and then add the ground beef. You can see some of that color here on the side of the ground beef.


Work the ground beef until all of it has gotten a chance to touch the bottom of the pan and have the spice flavor infused into it. You may or may not need an entire quarter-cup of water. Usually I just eyeball it and I usually don't get a quarter-cup inside, but that's just how we roll here.


Now, the meat flavor is intense and rich as is. Typically for leftovers we make nachos out of this and... well, that's just fantastic. I'm not that creative so I don't know what else you could do with this. For now, chili dogs and nachos work out great.

The last and most important step, however, is this: CELERY SALT. You need celery salt to make this work, plain and simple. Don't know what it is about celery salt but it really brings the flavors together. Another reason we like this style of chili dogs is this: the chili is not runny. At all.


Seriously, go out and get the spices you don't have (if you don't have any that is) and try this. You won't be disappointed.