Below is managing editor Niki Kourofsky’s never-fail recipe for this North Country staple, which can be made ahead and packed along for next-level campfire hot dogs. For a real treat, try her Michigan Mac recipe—a combination of meat sauce and homemade mac-n-cheese. To learn more about the roots of this iconic topping, see "Michigans," from our August 2012 issue.
Michigan Sauce
2 pounds ground beef
16 ounces tomato sauce
10-ounce can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 medium onion
8–10 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/4 bottle hot sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon horseradish mustard
Ketchup, to taste (makes it sweeter)
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients at once and cook over low heat for 2–3 hours.
