The dish to eat in Washington, D.C. · United States
Half-smoke
Photo: Kim, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · source
A coarse, smoky sausage of pork and beef, split and grilled, in a steamed bun under chili, mustard and raw onion.
D.C.'s own sausage, coarser and spicier than a hot dog, and eaten all over town since the 1950s. Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street made it famous; ask for it all the way.
Where to eat it: the best three in Washington, D.C.
Ben's Chili Bowl
U StreetOrder: The original chili half-smoke, all the way
On U Street since 1958, and the version every other half-smoke gets measured against.
Meats & Foods
Florida Avenue NW, BloomingdaleOrder: The house half-smoke with beef chili and cheese
A small sausage shop that makes its own half-smokes; a Washington Parent 2025 pick.
Weenie Beenie
Shirlington, Arlington, Va.Order: The char-grilled half-smoke
A roadside stand across the river, open since the 1950s, with a smokier, grilled version.
All three are on Chef Amazing’s list The best half-smoke in Washington, D.C., which you can save and take with you.
Cook it at home: D.C. half-smokes with chili
A half-smoke is a coarse pork and beef sausage with heat and smoke. You can make skinless links at home with no stuffer: roll the mix in plastic wrap, poach it, then char it on a hot grill or pan.
Pans and tools
- Large bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Wide pot and instant-read thermometer
- Grill or cast-iron pan
- Small saucepan
You’ll need
- 1 lb (450 g) ground pork, 20 to 25% fat
- 1/2 lb (225 g) ground beef chuck, 80/20
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground black pepper, coarse
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp ground mustard
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
- 3 tbsp ice water
- For the chili: 1 tbsp oil
- 1/2 lb (225 g) ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 cup (240 ml) tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 soft hot dog buns
- Yellow mustard
- 1 small onion, finely chopped, for topping
Steps
- Keep the meat cold. Mix the pork, beef, salt, paprika, black pepper, red pepper, coriander, garlic powder, mustard powder, liquid smoke and ice water with your hands for about 1 minute, until the mix turns sticky.
- Split into 6 pieces. Lay each on plastic wrap, roll into a log about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick and 6 inches (15 cm) long, and twist the ends tight like a candy wrapper. Chill 1 hour.
- Make the chili while the links chill. Brown the beef in the oil with the onion, breaking it up fine, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in chili powder and cumin for 1 minute, then the tomato sauce, water and salt. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes, until thick. Add a splash of water if it gets dry.
- Bring a wide pot of water to a bare simmer, about 170°F (77°C). Poach the wrapped links 12 to 14 minutes, until the center reads 155°F (68°C). Lift out, cool 5 minutes and unwrap.
- Heat a grill or cast-iron pan to high. Split each link lengthwise without cutting through, open it flat and char 2 minutes a side, until browned and 160°F (71°C) inside.
- Steam or warm the buns. Add a half-smoke, a stripe of mustard, a big spoon of chili and raw onion. That is all the way.
Cold meat and fat keep the texture coarse; if the mix warms up, chill it 15 minutes before rolling.
The poached links keep 3 days in the fridge, so make them ahead and char them to order.
Ben's serves it all the way: mustard, onions and chili. Add cheese if you like.
Contains: ['Gluten (buns)', 'Mustard'].
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The dish in every cityWhere to eat in Washington, D.C.Picked October 2026 from what locals, food writers and the city’s own guides agree on. Places change; confirm hours before you go.
Chef Amazing · Will Travel for Food · Washington, D.C. · The dish in every city