Mad dog and Merrill recipes are a combination of mad dog chili and Merrill’s potato salad. They come together in a recipe that can be served as a dish or as the base for other recipes.
Mad dog is an easy red chili sauce that you can make from scratch with few ingredients and it typically contains tomatoes, garlic, onions, cumin, dried oregano, mustard seeds, chopped peppers or chilies (such as ancho or New Mexican), vinegar, sugar, and salt. It is sometimes made with beans for extra meatiness but this isn’t necessary.
Mad dog and Merrill recipes
It is a great food to create a sauce for, or as the basis for another recipe. The basic idea is to make mad dog chili as it is and add potatoes and a mayonnaise-based dressing to make Merrill’s potato salad.

For some reason, despite being delicious, this combination isn’t seen much outside of this recipe. It is a very simple recipe to make.
It doesn’t contain that much meat, about 1/4 pound of ground beef. I also included a vegetarian option with TVP (textured vegetable protein) to make it vegan as well.
How can prepare Mad dog and Merrill recipes
Preparation Time:
20 minutes
Cooking Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked red beans, drained and rinsed to remove any excess foam
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- 2 pounds ground beef (2-1/2 pounds if using the vegetarian option)
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise (optional)
Equipment:
- A large, nonstick skillet
- A food processor or a blender
- A bowl to place ingredients in while processing
- A large saucepan with cover
- A can opener
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Kitchen timer(optional)
Preparation:
Step 1: To make the mad dog sauce, place all ingredients (except tomatoes and cheese) in a food processor or blender.
Step 2: Place the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
Step 3: Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
Step 4: To serve, transfer Mad dog chili to a deep serving dish or bowl and top with potatoes and mayonnaise if desired. Garnish with shredded bits of cheese if desired.
Step 5: To serve, cut Mad dog chili into 1/2-inch slices and serve immediately.
Step 6: To prepare Merrill’s potato salad, place all ingredients (except mayonnaise) in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly.
Step 7: Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
Step 8: To serve, transfer potato salad to a deep serving dish or bowl and top with shredded bits of cheese if desired. Garnish with sliced chilies if desired.
Step 9: Serve with Mad dog chili and if desired, serve with cornbread.
Nutrition value of Mad dog and Merrill recipes
- Calorie: 440kcal
- Carbs: 7g
- Protein: 43g
- Fat: 32g
- Cholesterol: 166mg
- Sodium: 1375mg
- Potassium: 1170mg
- Dietary Fiber: 4g
- Proteins: 8g
- Vitamin A: 284%
- Vitamin C: 2%
- Calcium: 25%
- Iron: 40%
Benefits of eating Mad dog and Merrill recipes
1. Mad dog and Merrill recipes are good for your health as they are low in fat and saturated fat.

2. The use of red wine vinegar in the recipe is said to be very good for health, it protects cells from damage by free radicals.
3. Ground beef contains high levels of iron, which is great for your body’s immune system to function properly
4. Mad dog chili contains a lot of vitamin A, a vitamin that is required for healthy vision and normal skin coloration
5. Mad dog chili is quite low in sodium content, around 1375mg per serving
6. Mad dog chili reduces pain and inflammation due to its anti-inflammatory properties
7. Mad dog chili provides many minerals that the body needs, such as iron, calcium, and zinc
8. The use of ground beef with high amounts of iron makes it a very good choice for people who are vegetarians or vegans
9. Ground beef will help you get a lot of protein in your diet, which is the most needed macronutrient by human beings
10. The combination of ground beef and garlic cloves helps keep cholesterol in check and can help lower blood pressure
11. Mad dog chili contains high amounts of vitamin A to help promote healthy skin coloration
12. Mad dog chili can improve your sense of smell, which is very beneficial as it helps you concentrate better
Disadvantages of eating Mad dog and Merrill recipes
1. The ratio of tomato to chili powder used in the recipe makes it very acidic, resulting in a large amount of acid-destroying stomach acids
2. The large amount of acid contained in the recipe may cause erosion of the teeth
3. The large amount of chili powder contained in the recipe may irritate your stomach lining if you are not used to eating spicy foods
4. Red wine vinegar is said to interfere with the absorption of iron, although the amount is small
5. Mad dog chili which is high in saturated fats may increase bad cholesterol levels and increases your risk for heart disease
6. The combination of ground beef and garlic cloves in Mad dog chili may increase the risk of developing stomach cancer
7. The use of ground beef with high amounts of iron may lead to a lack of iron absorption in your body and thus a lack of iron in your body
8. The high amount of chili powder and tomatoes used in the recipe may irritate your stomach lining if not used to spicy foods
9. The large amount of acid contained in the recipe can harm your teeth by eroding their enamel
How Can Make more Delicious?
1. Different meats can be used such as pork, chicken, or turkey breast
2. When making Mad dog chili, use different types of chilies not only jalapeño
3. Add different herbs and spices to make the recipe more original if you want a more personalized mad dog chili
4. Add different vegetables to change the flavor of the chili depending on your preference and personal taste
How can Store Mad dog and Merrill recipes
1. Storage at room temperature for up to 1 week
2. Refrigeration for up to 3 days
3. Freezing for up to 3 months
How can make Mad dog chili healthier?
1. Use ground turkey instead of ground beef for less fat and saturated fat, but still get the same great taste of the mad dog chili
2. Reduce the amount of cheese and potatoes used to make a more healthy version
3. Replace the mayonnaise with low-fat yogurt for a healthier version
Conclusion
This recipe has now arrived at its peak and has slowly been decreasing in popularity. Mad dog chili is a great example of how a small change can make a big difference in how delicious and popular an item becomes.
In the end, it is still up to the consumer to decide what they think is better, mad dog chili or Merrill’s potato salad.
Thank You!
I hope this article has helped you learn more about Mad dog chili, where it originated from, how to make it, and different versions of mad dog chili.