Author Notes
I know ... most of you will say that it's just a chili dog, but Coney Island Restaurants are so popular around here and the Coney is Michigan tradition. I would wager that there are hundreds of these restaurants just in Southeast Michigan alone - chains like National, Kerby's, Leo's to mom and pop operations like Athens. The 2 big ones are located in Downtown Detroit..Lafayette and American..and stand right next to each other. The original is said to be Todoroff's in Jackson. We like to make them at home with my "coney" sauce. And a Michigan made natural casing frank is almost mandatory...Kowalski, Koegel, Alexander & Hornung. And what can be better than chili on a dog?? - inpatskitchen —inpatskitchen
Test Kitchen Notes
Inpatskitchen is not kidding around with these all-meat chili dogs. The spices in the chili are great -- spicy, but not overwhelming. The technique gives the sauce a hefty body that is perfect for topping a dog. I was happy with the consistency as it was, before adding the extra stock. A zig-zag of mustard is the perfect touch to finish these dogs. Don't forget it. - biffbourgeois
—Stephanie Bourgeois
Ingredients
- The Coney Sauce
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1 1/2
pounds ground beef chuck
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1/3 cup
finely diced onion
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2 tablespoons
Ancho chili powder
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1 teaspoon
ground cumin
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2 teaspoons
salt
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1 teaspoon
black pepper
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1 teaspoon
sugar
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1/2 teaspoon
allspice
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1/2 teaspoon
celery salt
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1 tablespoon
AP flour
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8 ounces
tomato sauce
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1 cup
chicken broth plus another 1/2 cup for a loose sauce if desired
- The Coneys
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8
good quality natural casing franks
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8
hot dog buns
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Yellow mustard
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Finely diced white onion
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The Coney sauce
Directions
- The Coney Sauce
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In a medium sauce pan, brown the ground chuck and onion until the meat loses its color. Drain and return to the stove.
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With the mixture over medium heat, stir in the chili powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, sugar, allspice and celery salt. Add the flour and cook for about 2 more minutes.
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Add the tomato sauce and one cup of chicken broth, bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.
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Turn off the heat, let cool a bit and the place 1 1/2 cups of the mixture into a blender and puree.
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Return the pureed mixture back to the pot and reheat if ready to serve.
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In some parts of Michigan this sauce is "dry". If you'd like a looser sauce ( I do) add the extra 1/2 cup of chicken broth ( or even more if you like).
- The Coneys
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Steam, grill or boil your franks until done. We feel they're done when the casing starts to split.
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Dress each dog in the bun with the sauce, a stripe of the yellow mustard and as many diced onions as you wish.
I think I get my love for food and cooking from my mom, who was an amazing cook. She would start baking and freezing a month before Christmas in order to host our huge open house on Christmas afternoon. I watched and I learned...to this day I try not to procrastinate when it comes to entertaining.
My cooking style is pretty much all over the place, although I'm definitely partial to Greek and Italian cuisine. Oh yes, throw a little Cajun in there too!
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