West Virginia Hot Dogs

My Mother's family came from West Virgina. As a kid I loved get togethers with the Casdorph's, (my mom's family). I used to love to listen to my aunts and uncles tell stories with their West Virgina southern accent. For some reason I have always thought funny things sounded funnier and stories are more interesting when told with a southern accent.

Two foods that were family regulars when I was growing up were, Barbeque Pulled Pork sandwiches with coleslaw on the sandwich not on the side and "West Virgina Hot Dogs" with beanless chile and cole slaw on the dog not on the side. Pulled pork is still a family favorite, my mom still fixes it for just about ever family get together as does my sister and Nery and I. I have created my own version by putting a rub on the pork and letting it sit overnight or for at least 3 hours and then I slow cook it in a Dutch Oven. It is wonderful and if you have never put cole slaw on your pulled pork or sloppy joes you are really missing a treat, so let your western inhabitions go and put the slaw on the sandwich, you will be glad you did.

After all these years we still have pulled pork several times a year, it has become a favorite even 4 generations after my grand parents have gone to watch over us. But for some reason West virgina Hot Dogs have kind of been forgotten. Well last week I was visiting my parents and my mom was telling me how she had been trying to get some of their friends together to have West Virgina Hot Dogs but could not get them excited enough about it to commit. I said why don't we get all of our extended family together and have a family home evening and have West Virgina Hot Dogs. That was Friday, on Monday evening we all met at our house, and for the first time since I was a kid the whole family got together and the first time in 15 years for me we had West Virgina Hot Dogs.

Some of our western raised relatives were quite leary of putting cole slaw on a chili dog but we were able to convince most to try it. They were all surprised at how good they were. It was great for me and brought back memories of a simpler time as a child being amused by my West Virgina relatives accent and stories and eating good old fashioned West Virginia Hot Dogs with chili and coleslaw.

I am grateful to Grandma and Grandpa Casdorph for making the pilgrimage to Salt Lake about 60 years ago. I am grateful for my heritage from both the Coleman's and the Casdorph's. My middle name by the way is Casdorph, something that was a source for teasing by my friends and embarasment to mewhen I was a kid but a name I am very proud to carry now.

West Virgina Hot Dogs:
Mom says the dogs should be boiled, I prefer mine grilled, I suppose it's just a matter of prefrence. Take a hot dog bun and garnish it with what you like, mustard, ketchup, relish onions. Place the dog on the bun and spoon a generous spoonful of beanless chile over the dog then a healthy spoonful of cole slaw and enjoy.

West Virginia Hotdog Chili
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup shortening
2 TBSP. onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
5 lbs. ground beef
1 1/2 TBSP. paprika
2 1/2 TBSP. chili powder
1 1/2 TBSP. black pepper
1 TBSP. cayenne pepper (can use 1/2 TBSP. - 2 TBSP.)
2 TBSP. salt
2 1/2 TBSP. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 - 1 cup cracker meal DIRECTIONS:
Saute meat, garlic and onions till browned
Add spices, stir well
Add about a quart of water and cook over low heat for 3-4 hours
Add a little water occasionally to keep from sticking
When chili is cooked, remove from heat and add 1/2 to 1 cup of cracker meal & stir well
Another trick that you can do is place the pot in the bottom of the kitchen sink and run an electric hand mixer around briefly - this makes for a finer ground meat texture & is closer to the "real thing"
After the first batch you will learn to vary (slightly) the blend of peppers and cumin...the cinnamon is critical but your chili should never have a cinnamon taste.
This chili freezes well and you may cut the recipe in half, but NO more!

My Cole Slaw Dressing:
1 cup of Miracle Whip, 1 cup of Mayonaise,
2 or 3 Tbl spoons of cider vinegar
2 or 3 Tbl spoons of sugar
a pinch of black pepper
a pinch of paprika
1 onion finely chopped.

Place the dressing over a head of chopped cabbage and 3 or 4 chopped carrots and mix well. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and serve cold.

Try it on the dogs you will love the West Virgina Hot Dogs