Cast-Iron Chili Cheese Dogs Topped with Skillet Chili Mac
Brown 1 pound of ground beef in a 12-inch skillet over a medium camp stove burner or medium coals, then simmer in tomato sauce, spices and elbow macaroni for about 12 minutes until thick. Heat the hot dogs and butter-toast the buns in a second skillet, then pile on the chili mac and cheddar. Start to finish takes about 45 minutes and feeds 8.
A chili cheese dog is already a camp favorite. This version swaps the plain chili for a thick, saucy chili mac with the macaroni cooked right in the pan. It piles high on a toasted bun, and the pasta helps it stay put instead of sliding off.
You cook everything in two skillets. One makes the chili mac and one handles the dogs and buns. The chili mac holds well on the cooler edge of the fire while you toast the buns, so everyone eats it hot. Leftovers make a fine breakfast scramble topper.
Cast-Iron Chili Cheese Dogs Topped with Skillet Chili Mac
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Serves
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium coals or medium flame
- Pack weight
- 5 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- Two burners
- Some water
- A few dishes
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- 12-inch cast-iron skillet
- 10- or 12-inch skillet or griddle
- Lid for the big skillet
- Long-handled spoon
- Tongs
- Camp stove or fire grate with coals
- Empty can for fat
- Instant-read thermometer
Steps
-
Brown the beef
Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the beef and the diced yellow onion and cook, breaking it up, for 7 to 9 minutes until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Spoon off extra fat into an empty can to pack out.
-
Bloom the spices
Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
-
Simmer the macaroni
Pour in the tomato sauce and water and scrape up any browned bits. Stir in the macaroni, cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the pasta doesn't stick.
-
Thicken with beans
Stir in the pinto beans and 1 cup of the cheddar. Cook uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes until thick and spoonable. Season with salt and pepper, then slide the skillet to a cooler spot to stay warm.
-
Heat the dogs
Set a second skillet over medium heat. Cook the hot dogs, turning often, for 6 to 8 minutes until browned in spots and hot all the way through (165°F).
-
Toast the buns
Push the dogs to one side or set them on a plate. Spread butter on the cut sides of the buns and toast them cut-side down for 1 to 2 minutes until golden.
-
Build and serve
Tuck a dog in each bun. Spoon a generous heap of chili mac on top, then add the remaining cheddar, white onion, mustard and jalapeños. Serve right away with forks.
Trail Notes
Cook the chili mac at home through step 4, cool it fast and freeze it flat in a zip bag. It doubles as an ice pack. Thaw it in the cooler, then reheat in the skillet with a splash of water until it reaches 165°F.
Use ground turkey in place of beef, but cook it to 165°F. Plant-based dogs and crumbles work too. Skip the beans if you want the topping to cling more like a classic hot dog chili.
Keep raw beef and hot dogs at 40°F or below in the cooler until you cook. Use separate tongs and plates for raw and cooked food. Don't leave leftovers out longer than 2 hours, and chill them in the cooler.
Wipe the skillets with a paper towel before washing. Strain dishwater through a mesh strainer, pack out the food bits, and scatter the water well away from streams and camp. Pack out the can of fat with your trash.
Round out your camp day
Picked to work with the same kit as this recipe.
BreakfastCast-Iron Cornmeal Johnnycakes Breakfast with Crispy Bacon and Cinnamon Maple Butter
LunchCampfire Ham and Swiss Foil-Packet Sliders
Snack or treatCampfire Skillet Bacon-Wrapped Almond-Stuffed DatesMore campfire recipes →Planning a trip? Get the free 3-day meal plan →
Campers ask
Can I cook the macaroni in the chili instead of boiling it separately?
Yes, that's how this recipe works. The pasta cooks in the tomato sauce and thickens it, so you only wash one skillet.
How do I keep chili mac from sticking to the skillet over a campfire?
Use medium-low heat or coals that have burned down, and stir every few minutes. If it gets too thick, add a splash of water.
How long do hot dogs last in a camp cooler?
Unopened hot dogs keep well in a cooler held at 40°F or below for a few days, and opened packs are best used within a day or two. Keep them on ice and out of meltwater.
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