• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Go Cook Yummy
  • Air Fryer
  • Browse Recipes
    • Easy Dinners
    • Traybakes
    • Slow Cooker
    • Baking
    • Sauces
    • Collections
  • Cooking Tips

Old Fashioned Hot Dog Sauce

By Victoria · On: Feb 01, 23 · Last Modified: Mar 17, 23

6 shares

This recipe for old fashioned-hot dog sauce is both flavorful and hearty and it is the perfect topping for your next backyard barbecue and if you want to try a true, old, and classic hot dog recipe. Made with ground beef, broth, canned tomatoes, chipotle, Worcestershire, and a blend of spices.

Jump to Recipe • Print Recipe
Old-fashioned hot dog with ground beef and sausages in a cutting board.

Bring back memories of backyard BBQs and summer nights with this classic Old-Fashioned Hot Dog Sauce recipe.

This sauce will elevate your hot dogs to the next level.

This hot dog sauce is a nod to the traditional recipes that were popular in the early 20th century and have been passed down through generations.

The base of the sauce is a combination of ground beef and broth, which creates a hearty and satisfying flavor that is perfect for hot dogs.

To enhance the taste even more, canned tomatoes are added to the mix, creating a tangy and slightly acidic taste that complements the beef.

The chipotle pepper is the secret ingredient that gives this hot dog sauce its signature smoky flavor, while the Worcestershire sauce provides a touch of sweetness and umami.

Best Recipes to Try in The Air Fryer:

  • BBQ Chicken Breast
  • Fried Eggs in Air Fryer
  • Air Fryer Yogurt Cake
  • Stuffed Mushrooms

One of the greatest things about making your own sauces at home is that you can adjust the heat level by using more or less chipotle pepper, depending on your preference.

Also, even if the old-fashioned recipe is with ground beef, you can easily substitute it with ground turkey, pork or chicken meat to create a different flavor profile.

The mix of spices used in this recipe is carefully selected to provide a subtle balance of flavor without overpowering the beef and other ingredients.

Top view of hot dog with chopped onions on a cutting board.

When serving this hot dog sauce, you can choose your favorite type of hot dog buns and top them with your desired toppings.

Some popular options include diced onions, pickles, cheese, and mustard.

It can also be served as a dip for fries or tater tots, making it a great addition to any backyard barbecue or family gathering.

Do You Love Your Air Fryer?

Level up your experience even more with these air fryer accessories!

So, whether you’re a fan of traditional hot dogs or looking for a new twist on an old classic, this Old-Fashioned Hot Dog Sauce is the perfect addition to your next meal.

In addition to being a delicious topping for hot dogs, you can go the extra mile, and use this hot dog sauce as a base for other dishes.

For example, you can use it as a sauce for spaghetti or lasagna, or add it to your favorite chili recipe for extra flavor and depth.

In This Post: show
1 🥰 Why You Will Love This Recipe?
2 🥘 Ingredients and Substitutes
3 👩‍🍳 Step-by-step Directions
4 🏆 Expert Tips. What to Pay Attention To?
5 ♻️ Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating:
6 📋 Recipe Card:

🥰 Why You Will Love This Recipe?

  • It is a classic, old recipe that is easy to make and does not require any complicated ingredients or techniques.
  • It is a versatile sauce and it can be used as a topping beside hot dogs, also for hamburgers, and even fries, making it a versatile addition to any barbecue.
  • Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or a family gathering, this recipe is sure to be a hit with your guests.

🥘 Ingredients and Substitutes

Ground beef with tomato sauce, spices and broth on a white table.
  • Ground meat. I used ground beef but, you can replace it with a mix of pork and beef, or any other type of minced meat you prefer.
  • Broth. I used beef broth, but you can use whatever type of broth you prefer. You can even substitute it with water if you don’t have broth at hand.
  • Canned Tomatoes. If you are in season and have time, you could also use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes. In this case, the sauce could be more acidic. To balance the acidity of the tomatoes, use ½ teaspoon of cane sugar.
  • Chipotle. You can replace it with chili flakes or omit it altogether if you don’t like spicy food.
  • Worcestershire. You could replace it with soy sauce.
  • Spices. Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Cumin, Salt, and Black Pepper. You could also add other spices or sauces that you prefer to use in combination with the minced meat.
  • Olive Oil.

👩‍🍳 Step-by-step Directions

Take a pan, and pour a little oil in it. Put the ground meat in the pan.

Ground beef with oil in a frying pan.

Set the heat to medium and fry the meat for 7-10 minutes or until the liquid from the meat will evaporate.

Fried ground beef in a frying pan.

Add the spices and the broth.

Pro Tip: Don’t add salt at this stage. We will adjust the salt in the end. Read further to find out why.

Pouring broth in a frying pan with ground beef with spices.

Immediately after this, add Worcestershire sauce and other sauces you decided to use.

Pouring Worcestershire over frying ground beef.

In the end, add the canned tomatoes.

Pouring tomato sauce over fried ground beef.

Mix well. Cover with a lid and let it cook on low heat for about 45 minutes.

Ground beef sauce in a frying pan on the stove.

After it is cooked, taste the sauce and now you can adjust the salt.

Pro Tip: The sauces and the broth can be salted differently. Also during boiling, a fairly large amount of liquids will evaporate. Thus, if you salt the sauce from the beginning, you risk getting a too-salty final sauce.

The sauce is ready to be served as a hot dog topping.

Ground beef sauce in a frying pan on the stove.

For more flavor, color, and texture, I recommend you sprinkle some freshly chopped spring onions or regular onions over the hot dogs.

Close look of hot dog with ground beef and green onions.

🏆 Expert Tips. What to Pay Attention To?

  • After you have combined all the ingredients, simmer the sauce over low heat for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the flavors to meld and deepen, and will also help to thicken the sauce.
  • Browning the beef until it is well caramelized will give the sauce a deeper and more complex flavor. Be sure to break the beef into small pieces and cook it until there is no pink left.
  • Adjust the salt at the end because the spices and sauces we use can have different levels of salt. Also, as the liquids will evaporate during the cooking, the sauce will become more concentrated and you may get an over-salty sauce. Because of that, consider adjusting the salt in the end.
  • You can also adjust the consistency of the sauce by adding more broth or reducing it on the stove to reach your desired thickness.
  • The quality of the beef you use will greatly affect the taste of the sauce. Look for ground beef that has a high-fat content, as this will give the sauce a juicy and rich flavor.

♻️ Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating:

Can I Prepare It Ahead and Keep It in the Fridge?

You can prepare the old-fashioned hot dog sauce ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Thus, you will be able to serve it at any time when you will want to enjoy a classic hot dog with that ground beef topping.

Can You Freeze the Hot Dog Sauce?

If you will keep it in an air-tight container, you can keep it in the freezer for about 3 months making it a convenient option for busy weeknights or for meal prep. Simply thaw the sauce overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it on the stove until it is hot and bubbly

How to Reheat It?

The easiest method to reheat the old-fashioned hot dog sauce is on the pan on the stove or in the microwave if you’re limited on time.

📋 Recipe Card:

Close look of hot dog with ground beef and green onions.

Old Fashioned Hot Dog Sauce

Victoria
Try this delicious Old-Fashioned Hot Dog Sauce recipe, made with ground beef, broth, canned tomatoes, chipotle, Worcestershire, and spices. A perfect hot-dog topping.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Course Sauces, Toppings
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people
Calories 378 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb Ground Beef
  • 1 cup Broth
  • 1 cup Canned Tomatoes
  • ¼ teaspoon Chipotle
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
  • ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ½ teaspoon Cumin
  • ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Paprika
  • 2 tablespoon Olive Oil

Instructions

  • In a frying pan, pour a little bit of oil, and fry the ground beef for about 7-10 minutes at medium heat.
    1 lb Ground Beef, 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • Add the broth and all the spices (except salt, we will adjust the sale in the end).
    1 cup Broth, 1 cup Canned Tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon Chipotle, ½ teaspoon Onion Powder, ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder, ½ teaspoon Black Pepper, ½ teaspoon Paprika, ½ teaspoon Cumin
  • Right after that, add Worcestershire sauce or other sauces you prefer.
    1 teaspoon Worcestershire
  • Now is time to add the canned tomatoes over the rest of the ingredients.
    1 cup Canned Tomatoes
  • Mix all the ingredients well, cover the pan with a lid, and let everything simmer for about 45 minutes on low heat.
  • Adjust the salt.
    ½ teaspoon Salt
  • The sauce is ready to be served as a hot dog or burger topping.
  • For more flavor and color, you can sprinkle some freshly chopped spring onions or regular onion.

Quick Note

I highly recommend reading the entire recipe to find more tips and notes about this recipe. Read Full Recipe ⇑

Notes

  • Adjust the salt in the end because during the cooking, the liquids will evaporate and the sauce will concentrate.
  • Simmer the sauce on low heat for at least 30 minutes.
  • You can adjust the consistency of the sauce by adding more broth.

Nutrition Estimates

Sodium: 702mgCalcium: 48mgVitamin C: 7mgVitamin A: 280IUSugar: 3gFiber: 1gPotassium: 512mgCholesterol: 81mgCalories: 378kcalTrans Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 10gFat: 30gProtein: 21gCarbohydrates: 6gIron: 3mg
Keyword american, quick, sauces, toppings
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
We are participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
6 shares
Previous Post: « Salt and Pepper Belly Pork
Next Post: Sweet Homemade Waffle Sauce »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Happy to Have you there!

Hey, I'm Victoria, the blogger behind the Go Cook Yummy. I'm running this blog with my husband, Alex, where we share our family recipes that actually work. Read more about us...

Recipes to Try:

Close look of a plate with air fryer nachos loaded with cheese.

Cheesy Air Fryer Nachos

Eggplant parmesan and melted mozzarella with a tomato sauce.

Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan and Mozzarella Cheese

Close top look of air fryer zucchini chips with white sauce.

Air Fryer Parmesan Zucchini Chips with Garlic

Close look of air fried oyster mushrooms on a blue plate.

Roasted Air Fryer Oyster Mushrooms

Footer

Follow Us:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok

Copyright © 2023 GoCooYummy • Stories • Contact Us • Privacy Policy