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    Home » Recipes » Recipe for the Best Original Der Wienerschnitzel Chili Sauce

    Recipe for the Best Original Der Wienerschnitzel Chili Sauce

    Published: May 16, 2013 · Modified: Jan 24, 2022 by Linda Baker · This post may contain affiliate links

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    This recipe is a copycat recipe for the original Der Wienerschnitzel Chili Sauce. It is so close to the original you will think you are in their drive-thru!

    A hot dog dressed in chili gravy with pickles.
    Hot dog dressed in the original copycat recipe for Wienerschnitzel Chili Sauce.

    The Original Der Wienerschnitzel Chili Sauce

    If you are from or have ever been to So Cal, then you should know Der Wienerschnitzel.

    This iconic hot dog stand has been around forever - best known for its original chili cheese, mustard, and kraut dogs. As with all fast food joints, their menu has expanded, and apparently, they have also shorted their name, no more Der, but the chili sauce remains the same.

    I adapted this copycat recipe for Der Wienerschnitzel Chili Sauce, originally put out by Top Secret Recipes. That recipe was very close, but I tweaked it a bit to get it closer asI had just enjoyed a chili dog there the weekend before, so the taste was still fresh in my mouth. So strike while the iron is hot I always say!

    This chili sauce is easy to make and really tasty. If you have a hankering for a chili cheese dog, make up a batch, (even if you have never enjoyed the original sauce),  grab some hot dogs, and have yourself one!

    What you need to make this Der Wienerschnitzel Wanna Be Copy Cat Reicpe

    All of the chili sauce ingredients.
    Here is what you need to make this hot dog chili sauce
    • Ground Beef - use lean ground beef for best results.
    • Ground Pork - Again use lean if you have it. Do not use pork sausage. Just ground pork.
    • Corn Starch
    • Wondra Flour - a fine milled flour that mixes instantly with water.
    • Tomato Paste - a 6 ounce can will do it.
    • White Vinegar - Do not use white WINE vinegar. Just used distilled white vinegar.
    • Chili Powder - My preferred chili powder is Gebharts but you can use another brand if you wish.
    • Dried Onion Flakes - This is a key ingredient, do not use dried onion powder in its place.
    • Sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
    Plate with a dressed chili dog with onions and cheese being served with pickles.
    All dressed up with chili sauce, onions, and grated cheddar cheese.

    Step by Step Instructions

    • Put meat in deep pot or Dutch Oven
    • Cook over low-heat till grey
    Cook the meat(s) over low heat, until just greyed. Do not brown. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
    • In a deep bowl mix together the corn starch and Wondra
    • Blend well with 6 cups of cold water
    Blend the starches with water
    • Mix in tomato paste
    • Blend well
    Combine the tomato paste with the starch/water and mix well.
    • Place the spices in s small bowl
    • and mix well
    Mixing the spices together. Notice the onion is minced, not powder. This is a key ingredient.
    • Add the spice mixture to the starch mixture that is now in the pot
    • Add back the meats, then simmer slowly for 30 minutes
    Once the spices are added, stir in the drained meat and then simmer slowly, stirring often, for 30 minutes.
    • Chili Sauce with a ladle and showing the beautiful sauce
      A pot of delicious chili sauce
    • Ready to use on your hot dog...
    A very nice chili sauce indeed

    And the result is, a very tasty chili sauce to put on your hot dog...

    Plate with a dressed chili dog with onions and cheese being served with pickles.
    Your chili dog is ready!

    FAQ's

    Is this Der Wienerschnitzel Wanna Be Chili Sauce more sweet or savory?

    The sauce is more towards the sweet side. If you want a savory sauce, try my Chili Gravy recipe or Hormel Chili No Beans Copycat Recipe.

    Can I use onion powder in place of onion flakes?

    The onion flakes are an important taste element to the sauce, so the simple answer is no. You need to get the flakes.

    Can I make this sauce less spicy? Or spicier?

    Tasting and adjusting for seasoning is always the best way to do this. I always recommend you start with the least amount listed in the recipe, then taste and adjust until you find the right balance of heat, sweet, and acid. If you add more vinegar, then you may need to add more sugar. Or if you add more chili powder you may want to add more salt and sugar.

    Can I make this sauce smoother?

    Yes. Use an immersion blender to make the sauce a little less chunky.

    How to store Der Wienerschintzel Sauce

    You can store Der Wienerschnitzel chili sauce in the freezer. I break my servings down into usable servings, how many dogs I will be needing it for, and then put it into a freezer-safe plastic storage container.

    If I'm not planning on using it within 3 months, I transfer my serving into a seal-a-meal bag. Once sealed the sauce will stay as good as the original for a year, or more.

    Serving Tip

    LindySez: When I make a chili dog, I like to grill my dog a little, then I put it into the bun, wrap the whole thing in a paper towel, and micro it for 15 seconds to get a nice soft bun. Top it with the chili and whatever toppings you like, cheese, onions a little mustard? Hey, it's your dog, have it your way. ~ Cheers

    This gravy is a little sweet, if you want one more like a Cincinnati chili gravy, try my original attempt at creating a sauce with this recipe for Lindy's Chili Gravy.  

    Here is a video showing the Making of Lindy's Chili Gravy.

    A hot dog dressed in chili gravy with pickles.

    Der Wienerschnitzel Chili Sauce

    LindySez
    A Der Wienerschnitzel copycat recipe for their famous chili sauce.
    4.24 from 42 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Sauces, Dressings & Condiments, Soups, Stews & Chili
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10 cups
    Calories 55 kcal

    Equipment

    • Large saucepot
    • Immersion blender (optional))

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound lean ground beef
    • ⅓ pound lean ground pork
    • 6 cups water
    • ¼ cup cornstarch
    • ½ cup Wondra Flour this is a finely milled flour that mixes instantly with cold water
    • 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
    • 1 - 2 tablespoons white vinegar it is important this be white vinegar, not white wine vinegar
    • ¼ to ½ cup chili powder I used Gebharts, the recipe called for McCormick
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes the flakes are a key ingredient, don't substitute dried onion granules
    • 1 - 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
    • ½ - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • In a deep pot or Dutch oven, cook the meat over medium-low heat, taking care to get the meat well crumbled (almost like grain). You don't need to brown it, just grey it. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes.
    • Remove the meat from the pan and drain off most of the fat (if you used lean meat, there shouldn't be too much fat).
    • While the meat is steaming (simmering); put the cornstarch and Wondra into a large measuring cup or deep bowl, slowly add the water, whisking until well blended. Add the vinegar and tomato paste, blending well. Set aside.
    • In another bowl, combine the chili powder, salt, onion flakes, sugar, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix well. Set aside.
    • Add the water mixture to the now-empty pan and stir well, return the meat to the pan along with the spice mixture; bring to a simmer, stirring often. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use to top your hot dog, hamburger, or fries...it's all good.

    Notes

    LindySez- Remember to taste and adjust seasonings. I start out with the smaller amount of each ingredient, about 20 minutes into cooking, I take my first taste and add more a little more of an ingredient if I think it needs it. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Then taste again at the end. Usually, I find if I add more vinegar, I have to add the additional sugar, if it's not hot enough, add a bit more chili powder...you get the idea
    If you desire a more smooth sauce use an immersion blender to blend some of the chunkiness out of the meat turning it into smaller pieces and a more blended sauce.

    Nutrition

    Sodium: 158mgCholesterol: 11mgCalories: 55kcalPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gFat: 3gProtein: 3gCarbohydrates: 3g
    Keyword chili sauce, der wienerschnitzel copy cat sauce, hot dog sauce
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jessica

      September 02, 2013 at 11:17 am

      Can this be made in a slow cooker?

      Reply
      • LindySez

        September 02, 2013 at 12:02 pm

        Hi Jessica, my best guess is yes. I think that once you got the meat grey, you could put it all into the cooker and cook on low for 6 - 8 hours or high for 3. It should thicken just fine as it cooks. Let me know if you try this and how it worked! Cheers ~ Lindy

        Reply
        • Jessica

          September 02, 2013 at 12:49 pm

          Thank you!! Just got all the ingredients so I'm going to try it now!! Thanks again 🙂

          Reply
          • Jessica

            September 02, 2013 at 8:01 pm

            Just had this for dinner in the crock pot. Amazing!! Tastes so much like the real recipe. I did add an extra teaspoon of salt and extra table spoon of vinegar. I cooked it on low for 6hrs. So delicious and looks and tastes great. My husband loved it, this recipe is definitely a keeper!

            Reply
            • LindySez

              September 03, 2013 at 8:13 am

              So glad it worked out for you Jessica. Now I'm going to have to make it that way!

          • Geri

            February 23, 2022 at 6:05 pm

            Not to be unkind but this recipe did not work our for me.
            Could have been the cast iron I used

            Reply
            • LindySez

              February 24, 2022 at 9:13 am

              Could you be more specific? I do find that tomato bases, or any acid based dish doesn't do well in cast iron as the acid and the iron create some sort of conflict. First, is your cast iron "WELL SEASONED"? That means it is really coated and almost a non-stick pan.Since this doesn't cook all that long it should have worked in a well seasoned cast iron pot. But if it took on a "metallic" flavor, then yes, it probably didn't agree with your cooking vessel. I hope you try it again in a non-reactive pot.

        • Jim Schroeder

          February 28, 2016 at 10:53 am

          You forgot the main indigence in the instructions.....Chili powder

          Reply
          • LindySez

            February 28, 2016 at 3:53 pm

            I was all like...yes it is, it's there...but then I notice, I do not include it in the second step of the instruction, you are right. I omitted it...of course, in my head I included it. This, of course,is the beauty of a blog and the internet, I can go fix that right up right now. Thank you Jim for pointing this out. Cheers ~ Lindy

            Reply
    2. Claire

      March 25, 2014 at 10:43 pm

      I agree, a little more vinegar and salt! After that it tasted amazingly like the real thing. I had some with a hot dog and tater tots with cheese on top and was oh so satisfied! And now I have tons of leftovers! Thank you for this recipe!

      Reply
      • LindySez

        March 26, 2014 at 8:29 am

        I'm glad you enjoyed it Claire. That's what I love about cooking, you can always adjust to fit your own tastes. Add a little here, take a little from there...now YOU own it! Cheers ~ Lindy

        Reply
    3. Ken Lapham

      January 15, 2015 at 11:58 am

      Can leftovers be frozen?

      Reply
      • LindySez

        January 15, 2015 at 1:13 pm

        Oh yes Ken, the leftovers freeze beautifully. And always nice to have a batch in the freezer for when you just have to have a chili dog! (or burger) Thanks for stopping by... Cheers ~ Lindy

        Reply
    4. dshep

      December 21, 2016 at 6:09 am

      Some sites say use only 1 tbl tomato paste or it makes it too sweet.

      dshep
      south Texas

      Reply
      • LindySez

        December 21, 2016 at 9:29 am

        Well, there is always more then one way to make a recipe, personally I think that would totally lack any tomato flavor. I adjust with the sugar and vinegar and of course with the chili powder. I think the tomato portion of the program is perfect. Try it either way and see how you like it best. It's all a matter of taste, but this is more authentic and a copy-cat recipe. Cheers

        Reply
    5. Karinna M

      December 20, 2017 at 11:29 pm

      I have to try this!!!
      I was curious, i really love the chilli cheese fries by them, do you know the exact cheese they put on top??

      Reply
      • LindySez

        December 21, 2017 at 9:22 am

        Hi Karinna, Yes, chili cheese fries yum! I believe they use shredded mild cheddar cheese on their fries. Cheers ~ Lindy

        Reply
    6. Brigitte Graves

      September 23, 2018 at 2:41 pm

      I'm making this recipe right now. I needed to add more salt and white vinegar. I didn't have tomato paste so substituted with catsup and cut back on the water and sugar. I didn't have dried chopped onions so I finely minced fresh onion. I also didn't have Wondra flour so I used unbleached flour. Threw all the dry ingredients with 2 cups of the water and blended in my bullet. The sauce is very smooth and simmering slowly at the moment. It tastes very good right now and we are anticipating chili cheese dogs like we used to get at der Weinerschnitzel. There isn't one located where we live.

      Reply
    7. Bianca

      December 13, 2018 at 2:57 am

      Would it be possible to use a ground beef and ground pork blend? If so how much would be best to use?

      Reply
      • LindySez

        January 31, 2019 at 4:19 pm

        I'm sorry I didn't see your question sooner, I suppose it would be ok to mix ground beef and pork. It shouldn't be that much different in texture, only slightly in flavors. If you do I wouldn't go more than 1/2 and 1/2. Cheers, and let me know if you do! ~ Lindy

        Reply
    8. richorn

      May 22, 2019 at 8:10 pm

      OK, I just finished dinner…

      I have made a couple of “fast food style” chilis before. They were ok.

      I missed a couple of cues. I used the max of each ingredient. Then at 20 minutes, I had an “Oh Sh*&” moment… but the tasting was awesome!

      I did a couple of things "different". I used a special chili blend from Penzy's Spices mixed with Chipotle Chili powder (1/2 and 1/2 totaling a cup), and I deep fried the Hot Dogs after the fries were done. Penzy's special Chili 3000 was an awesome "oops"!!

      The result was AMAZING! It really was Der Wein, but with a kick!

      Thank you for this! I am freezing a jar and sending it to my friend in Oregon. He is really missing our Der Wein outings and the arrival of a frozen jar of this Chili will make his year!

      Reply
    9. Patrice

      April 18, 2021 at 11:05 am

      I’ve made this before (used the copycat recipe) but I just don’t like the ground pork anymore. So I bought one of their cans (yes, they sell it now!) and per the ingredients list it just has beef and soy protein. Anyway, I have a bag of those soy bits and I just used about a half cup of them reconstituted in hot water instead of the pork. It came out great!

      Reply
      • LindySez

        April 18, 2021 at 1:20 pm

        Interesting, when I worked in fast food we often used soy bits to extend our meat, mostly in taco meat. But it makes sense that it would work. Recipes change over time, perhaps in commercial production they found soy protein to be not only cheaper but now might appeal to those who don't eat pork. Always willing to experiment! Cheers ~ Lindy

        Reply
    10. M A

      January 15, 2023 at 12:50 pm

      5 stars
      I followed recipe, using the larger amount of chili powder (1/2 cup!).

      (Actually I substituted a can of tomato sauce for tomato paste as it was on hand. So I reduced the water a bit too.)

      The chili is great! I want to comment that the starch mixture is good and gets the thickness I was looking for, so thank you for those proportions. (I used regular flour and sifted it into my bowl then whisked with the corn starch and water and I think it worked just fine. I didn’t have Wondra flour)

      Also, I wanted the meat to be like you said, almost grains, but I couldn’t get it fine enough with my spatula. So I let my cooked ground beef cool, put on gloves, and went through and crumbled the pieces by hand. It took me a few minutes to do this, but got the fine texture I wanted.

      Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Linda Baker

        January 15, 2023 at 12:58 pm

        So glad you enjoyed the recipe. I love adapting my spices to my taste, sounds like you do too! Interesting using your gloved hands, but yes, that would totally work. I'll add that to my FAQ's. Thanks for the feedback. Cheers ~Lindy

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Lindy.

    I am a home-trained chef who loves to cook and eat delicious food. As I like to say, "Life is too short to eat mediocre food". And I find too much food out there is mediocre. I don't think good food needs to be fussy, or difficult to prepare. Most of my recipes are fresh, quick, easy, and tasty while keeping both calories and fats in check. 

    More about me →

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