OT or not? Varsity Club chili dog sauce

RRP

This topic as well as the recipe source dates back to 16 years ago. I have never been to the Varsity Club in ATL and probably never will. BUT I love this chili dog sauce and have made it and frozen "pucks" of it ever since!

Here is one that I have worked on/with today and I started out with 3 pounds ground beef and the several spices.

Tomorrow I will package it up into 1/4 cup pucks to freeze for several no hassle amounts for terrific "chili dog" sandwiches. Now just needing GOOD hot dogs, buns or bread and diced onions.

RRP

I should have added that I stir that tasty spice filled "grease" back into the meat for a couple more hours. When I said "pucks" I really meant it.

GATraveller

The Varsity is one of the countries greatest colon cleansing institutions! Not many places left with car hops. I absolutely love the place - especially the chili. If you do make it to Atlanta let me know and I'll treat you a chili cheese steak (with pimento cheese of course) a chili dog some rings and an FO. You'll know you're alive after a meal like that!!

DoubleEgger

Hard to beat the Greasy V 

DoubleEgger

GATraveller said:

The Varsity is one of the countries greatest colon cleansing institutions! Not many places left with car hops. I absolutely love the place - especially the chili. If you do make it to Atlanta let me know and I'll treat you a chili cheese steak (with pimento cheese of course) a chili dog some rings and an FO. You'll know you're alive after a meal like that!!

You forgot about the fried pies. C’mon man! 

Fred19Flintstone

Around here it’s the Detroit style (hotdog topped with seasoned beef in a tomato based chili sauce) vs the Flint style (hotdog dog topped with seasoned beef).  I grew up near Detroit so give me 2 Detroiters, standard (with yellow mustard & diced raw onion).

Carolina Q

DoubleEgger said:

GATraveller said:

The Varsity is one of the countries greatest colon cleansing institutions! Not many places left with car hops. I absolutely love the place - especially the chili. If you do make it to Atlanta let me know and I'll treat you a chili cheese steak (with pimento cheese of course) a chili dog some rings and an FO. You'll know you're alive after a meal like that!!

You forgot about the fried pies. C’mon man! 

They still make fried pies?! I haven't seen one of those since the 60's! 

mEGG_My_Day

That looks great @RRP.  I’m a bit lazy at times, so I use this 

I wish I could get an FO in Memphis!!! 

YukonRon

I have not been to the Varsity since the 90's, but It is not because I do not want to.
I would take my son, who was very young at the time, every Saturday. He loved that place, and they loved him.
We would get the chili dogs and he would slam those down, get more, slam those. Then we would buy a couple more and take them home for him to eat later.
Great place, wish there were Varsities everywhere.

gasman79

GATraveller said:

The Varsity is one of the countries greatest colon cleansing institutions! Not many places left with car hops. I absolutely love the place - especially the chili. If you do make it to Atlanta let me know and I'll treat you a chili cheese steak (with pimento cheese of course) a chili dog some rings and an FO. You'll know you're alive after a meal like that!!

one of my first dates with my wife was to The Varsity. it's a staple and a must see in atlanta.


nothing says good times like "what'll ya have."

GATraveller

DoubleEgger said:

GATraveller said:

The Varsity is one of the countries greatest colon cleansing institutions! Not many places left with car hops. I absolutely love the place - especially the chili. If you do make it to Atlanta let me know and I'll treat you a chili cheese steak (with pimento cheese of course) a chili dog some rings and an FO. You'll know you're alive after a meal like that!!

You forgot about the fried pies. C’mon man! 

Yea buddy!! I kinda got like Farley in Tommy Boy when he calls himself "Jojo the idiot circus boy" just thinking about the V. I get 2 peach every visit.

Lit

We had their food truck at our hoods Labor Day pool party. The chilli is good for sure.

Jupiter Jim

RRP said:

This topic as well as the recipe source dates back to 16 years ago. I have never been to the Varsity Club in ATL and probably never will. BUT I love this chili dog sauce and have made it and frozen "pucks" of it ever since!

Here is one that I have worked on/with today and I started out with 3 pounds ground beef and the several spices.

Tomorrow I will package it up into 1/4 cup pucks to freeze for several no hassle amounts for terrific "chili dog" sandwiches. Now just needing GOOD hot dogs, buns or bread and diced onions.

Hey buddy, your recipe please! Looks like something I need o try. Thanks Jim

rekameohs

As an ATL native and a "hell of an engineer", I spent a lot of time at the V.  Every time I am back in town, I pick up a few cans.   You can also order on line

https://thevarsity.com/shop/home-products/varsity-chili-in-a-can.html

At almost $5.00 a can, it is pretty expensive.  I would like to try to make some.  Can you post the recipe you are using?

Webass

I remember as a kid in the 50's my Dad would always take us there whenever we came thru Atlanta.  Then, the carhops would jump on your car as you pulled in and ride it to your parking spot.   

fishlessman

how does the varsity cook the dogs.  just thinking it may make a difference with the sauce.  rhode island gaggahs are fried in butter and the chili sauce has allspice and sometimes has nutmeg, smaller dogs served 3 at a time.  further north the dogs get deepfried and the chili may contain beans, dogs are long

GATraveller

fishlessman said:

how does the varsity cook the dogs.  just thinking it may make a difference with the sauce.  rhode island gaggahs are fried in butter and the chili sauce has allspice and sometimes has nutmeg, smaller dogs served 3 at a time.  further north the dogs get deepfried and the chili may contain beans, dogs are long

Not positive but pretty sure the dogs are boiled.

DoubleEgger

I wonder how long the V will be able to stay open on North Ave. The tax man kills old mainstay establishments. Ask Dante....

fishlessman

GATraveller said:

fishlessman said:

how does the varsity cook the dogs.  just thinking it may make a difference with the sauce.  rhode island gaggahs are fried in butter and the chili sauce has allspice and sometimes has nutmeg, smaller dogs served 3 at a time.  further north the dogs get deepfried and the chili may contain beans, dogs are long

Not positive but pretty sure the dogs are boiled.

since you cant boil water in an egg maybe i can steam them my grandmother on saturdays would start boiling hotdogs at 9 in the morning for lunch, was like eating flavorless spaghetti dogs

DoubleEgger

fishlessman said:

GATraveller said:

fishlessman said:

how does the varsity cook the dogs.  just thinking it may make a difference with the sauce.  rhode island gaggahs are fried in butter and the chili sauce has allspice and sometimes has nutmeg, smaller dogs served 3 at a time.  further north the dogs get deepfried and the chili may contain beans, dogs are long

Not positive but pretty sure the dogs are boiled.

since you cant boil water in an egg maybe i can steam them my grandmother on saturdays would start boiling hotdogs at 9 in the morning for lunch, was like eating flavorless spaghetti dogs

Where does steam come from chief? Lol

fishlessman

DoubleEgger said:

fishlessman said:

GATraveller said:

fishlessman said:

how does the varsity cook the dogs.  just thinking it may make a difference with the sauce.  rhode island gaggahs are fried in butter and the chili sauce has allspice and sometimes has nutmeg, smaller dogs served 3 at a time.  further north the dogs get deepfried and the chili may contain beans, dogs are long

Not positive but pretty sure the dogs are boiled.

since you cant boil water in an egg maybe i can steam them my grandmother on saturdays would start boiling hotdogs at 9 in the morning for lunch, was like eating flavorless spaghetti dogs

Where does steam come from chief? Lol

i dont know, maybe we need a 500 page discussion on it   maybe in an egg you can steam it over some wine

fishlessman

DoubleEgger said:

I wonder how long the V will be able to stay open on North Ave. The tax man kills old mainstay establishments. Ask Dante....

we lost a cherished hot do place a few years ago.  people would line up down the street, it was built on the sidewalk, dont bump your shin on the firehydrant inside just a step away from the cash register.  deep fried dog covered in white cheese, chili, and slaw atleast  twice a week if the weather was good. the town tried everything to get rid of the place

Tim (Watkinsville)

Here is the recipe I use: 

VARSITY DRIVE-IN CHILI
> 2 garlic cloves, minced
>
> 1/2 cup onion, chopped fine
>
> 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
>
> 1 pound lean ground beef
>
> 1 teaspoon salt
>
> 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
>
> 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
>
> 1 tablespoon vinegar <-------I omit this, it was too vinegary when I added it
>
> 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
>
> 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce or to taste
>
> 1/4 cup ketchup
>
> 1/2 to l cup tomato juice
>
>
>
> In a large, heavy skillet, cook garlic and onion in oil over moderate heat, stirring until onion is softened.  Add beef and cook, stirring and breaking up any lumps with a fork, until cooked through.  Drain off any excess fat.
>
>
>
> Add remaining ingredients, adding just enough juice to create a very loose, but not soupy, mixture.  Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.


I use Flowers Bakery top loader buns and McEvers hot dogs, the kind that dye the water red. Very close to what you get at the Varsity. But more often than not, I just stop by the Athens location on Millege Avenue. 

DoubleEgger

fishlessman said:

DoubleEgger said:

I wonder how long the V will be able to stay open on North Ave. The tax man kills old mainstay establishments. Ask Dante....

we lost a cherished hot do place a few years ago.  people would line up down the street, it was built on the sidewalk, dont bump your shin on the firehydrant inside just a step away from the cash register.  deep fried dog covered in white cheese, chili, and slaw atleast  twice a week if the weather was good. the town tried everything to get rid of the place

The property for the Varsity is worth a fortune. It’s two blocks. In Buckhead, there was an old school fondue place called Dante’s Down the Hatch. The area around his restaurant is engulfed in high rises. Dante’s tax was astronomical for a restaurant. I think they valued the property at $8M or something like that.  Dante fought the tax man for years but eventually lost and there’s yet another high rise in its place. 

GATraveller

Dante's was incredibly cool inside.  One of my first dates was there.

fishlessman

DoubleEgger said:

fishlessman said:

DoubleEgger said:

I wonder how long the V will be able to stay open on North Ave. The tax man kills old mainstay establishments. Ask Dante....

we lost a cherished hot do place a few years ago.  people would line up down the street, it was built on the sidewalk, dont bump your shin on the firehydrant inside just a step away from the cash register.  deep fried dog covered in white cheese, chili, and slaw atleast  twice a week if the weather was good. the town tried everything to get rid of the place

The property for the Varsity is worth a fortune. It’s two blocks. In Buckhead, there was an old school fondue place called Dante’s Down the Hatch. The area around his restaurant is engulfed in high rises. Dante’s tax was astronomical for a restaurant. I think they valued the property at $8M or something like that.  Dante fought the tax man for years but eventually lost and there’s yet another high rise in its place. 

i see it in boston all the time, my favorite bar was called the littlest bar in boston, guiness always flowed good, standing room of maybe 12 people, financial district put up a skyscraper on it, place reopened for a few years in a different area, lost all its charm, then a giant condo building took it over

mEGG_My_Day

Dante’s down the hatch was very cool.  Originally located in underground Atlanta if I recall.  The Buckhead location had a bad fire, but Dante rebuilt.  Dante was one of the true characters in Atlanta back in the day. 

GATraveller

mEGG_My_Day said:

Dante’s down the hatch was very cool.  Originally located in underground Atlanta if I recall.  The Buckhead location had a bad fire, but Dante rebuilt.  Dante was one of the true characters in Atlanta back in the day. 

It did have a bad fire.....caused by Dante tamping out his pipe in the office trashcan.  

JRWhitee

GATraveller said:

Dante's was incredibly cool inside.  One of my first dates was there.

I used to go there often, the old location is across the street from my office. There was one at underground as well back in the 1990's

RRP

per request by @rekameohs

RRP here...I have faithfully followed this recipe until yesterday when I added gochujang at the equivalent rate of one teaspoon per pound of meat. That has been just enough added kicker and I loved it!

Posted by: Chuck Lane on 2002/11/13 21:49:17 

Here's the best I've found so far:
1 pound ground chuck
1 3/4 cups water
2 tablespoons chile powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon granulated onion
2 teaspoons salt
1 dash tobasco sauce

Put water and all ingredients except meat into saucepan and stir well. Add meat, breaking it up with your fingers as you go. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and leave uncovered until nearly all water is gone and the consistency is the way you like it. This is just about as good as the chili at the Varsity here in Atlanta. They make great chili dogs!
Regards,
Chuck Lane

RRP here again - I always stir the dry ingredients real well before adding to the water

GATraveller

Thanks for the recipe @rrp