To please my pregnant wife (and myself), I wanted to make some dynamite chili dogs per her request.
I made my own hotdog buns and chili to make it so.
This chili is really easy and I found it interesting when researching what to make, that a lot of famous hotdog joints actually use canned chili (à la Hormel) and doctor it up! I couldn't believe it since making your own is so easy. Maybe it's just cheaper. Regardless, I wanted to make my own to see if there was any difference between just using Hormel.
I also found it interesting that Coney Island Dogs really have no connection with Coney Island, NY as they were invented in Michigan! They're very popular throughout the midwest and I love them.
Let's cook!
Coney Island Chili Dogs (from here)
Chili
10 oz ground beef
1/2 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon dried, minced onion
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1, 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup water
Dogs
Hot dogs (we like Hebrew National, but any variety will do fine)
Fresh diced onion (yellow for mild, white for the burn or Vidalia for the sweetness)
Shredded cheese is optional but delicious
==
Start the chili by browning your 10 oz of beef in a sauce pan over medium/high heat.
Add the 1/2 diced onion when it's halfway browned.
Add the 2 cloves of minced garlic at the end and give it a quick stir, cooking until fragrant.
Add the following:
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon dried, minced onion
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt (which I think is CRUCIAL to the flavor of this chili dog sauce)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Give it a quick stir.
Next, add the 8 oz can of tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon tomato paste and 1 cup of water.
Give everything a good stir and simmer for about 30 minutes over med/low heat, uncovered.
I got the nag that I wanted it to be more smooth, as the beef/onion mix was chunky. I'd eat this chili with a spoon, but for dogs, I'd rather it smoother.
So I decided to pulse it in the food processor.
Throw it in the bowl. Be careful as it's really hot.
Pulse 5-10 times, checking for consistency as you go.
When it looks more uniform, pour it back in the pot.
I let this go for about an hour, but it was totally edible after 20 minutes or so.
I actually added a teaspoon of cornstarch to tighten it up a bit at the end.
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| Delicious |
==
Cook up your dogs however you like. Pan-fry, boil, nuke, grill. Whatever.
Cook up your dogs however you like. Pan-fry, boil, nuke, grill. Whatever.
Load up your dogs and devour.
I found the chili perfect. When I think of chili dogs, this is the chili I think of. It's different than the canned stuff in the best way. It tastes homemade and delicious.
The buns added a level of awesomeness that I didn't think possible. They were a little more dense than store-bought and had a more "yeasty" flavor that went very well with the chili and dogs.
You'll have onion breath after this meal, but it's totally worth it.
Enjoy!
God bless your soul! You have addressed every aspect of the perfect chili dog! I can't WAIT to try out this chili! I never, ever, never, never, EVER even thought to process it a tad for that "chili sauce" consistency. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot! This really is among the best (chili dog) chili I've ever had. The mustard really adds to the flavor and the consistency really worked for the dogs, especially with the raw onion on top. Delicious. Now that you've got me thinking about this again, I may have to make it this week!
ReplyDeleteThis made me think sloppy joe's. I may try that without the blender step
ReplyDeleteThe title is very concerning. Coney Island does NOT serve chili dogs. They sell coney dogs topped with coney sauce, NOT chili. There is a very big difference!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh calm down, and read the blog. He says the recipe originated in Michigan. Try it, they're amazing!
DeleteNo need to be concerned!
ReplyDelete"The "Coney Island Hot Dog" preparation did not originate with Coney Island, New York; the name merely refers to the origin of the hot dog itself, and also refers to the kind of restaurant that features them. The style originated in the early 20th century in Michigan, with competing claims from American and Lafayette Coney Islands in Detroit, Michigan, and Todoroff's Original Coney Island in Jackson, Michigan." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coney_Island_hot_dog)
This recipe is perfection. Best way to get my National Coney Island fix sans the caloric guilt :)
ReplyDeleteWhat's the serving size for the recipe?
ReplyDeleteI'd say it's enough for 8 dogs, but that depends on how much chili you put on them.
DeleteRespect. We're having an American hotdog frenzy with the Rugby this weekend in New Zealand. Your Chilli recipe caught my eye. Stay Lucky.
ReplyDeleteSounds fun! Hope you enjoy your hot dog frenzy!
DeleteCurrently fixing this. Down to the 30 minute simmer. Already looking and smelling amazing. Will comment when finished (;
ReplyDeleteReally hope it worked out for you!
DeleteThis was really good. Made it tonight. Thanks!
ReplyDeletei made this for my husband's potluck and all his coworkers are asking me for the recipe! i used 2lbs of beef and i made it on the slow cooker for 4hrs on low. I added the water towards the end to my desired thickness and it was amazing!!! Thank you!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad it went over well! That's a great tip on the slow cooker!
DeleteI just made this today. We haven't eaten it on dogs yet; taking to a picnic. I tasted it and it seems a little on the salty side. To get that chili dog consistency, after the beef had cooked I used a potato masher and it worked great. I added a cornstarch slurry to thicken it. Nice chili flavor and can't wait to try it on the dogs today
ReplyDeleteI think that you'll find that the seasoning works well when on the completed chili dog itself. The seasoning has to stand up to the bun and toppings and it'll all balance out nicely. Hope your picnic is fun!
DeleteI loved it and going to make it for everyone at work this week...
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it!
DeleteMade this for a Gourmet Hot Dog bar for my son's 21st bday (tripled the recipe...so I got to use math skills too - LOL)...it was a hit. So now it's going to the Frat House for another hot dog bar ;) I chuckled about your coney sauce info...because I'm from Metro Detroit and all that is common knowledge to us :) Oh, and an immersion blender was much easier than the food processor (I just have a small one and it worked like a charm)! Thanks for a much healthier version than our local coney sauces and it's a winner!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad it was a hit! Funny about being from Detroit, haha, it's not common knowledge to a lot of folks I guess. And yes, an immersion blender is much easier. I have since acquired one and use it for applications like this all the time! Thanks for the tip!
DeleteSo THAT'S how the meat gets so thin in chili dog sauce. It never occurred to me to put it in the food processor or use an immersion blender. Thank you for giving that missing piece of the puzzle!
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way!
DeleteHello.I grew up on Detroit coney dogs. Just so you know it's the cumin that makes the special taste.I haven't tried your recipe yet but I'm not sure if you put chili powder in. I will try it and let you know.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'd appreciate the opinion of a Detroiter!
DeleteMade these last night, so delicious! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAs anyone tried boiling the hamburger rather than browning? The hamburger turns out much finer in texture. I am making this for our 4th of July hot dog bar and will try boiling the meat. It may eliminate the blender step.
ReplyDeleteI've definitely since seen the boiling technique mentioned. I've never tried it myself but I'd imagine that you'd get a perfectly fine result. Let me know how it turns out for you!
DeleteDelicious!
ReplyDeleteRight now it is cooking for the 30 minutes. Flavor is great! I doubled the recipe and added a can of pinto beans, diced green pepper, and a can of diced tomatoes with chillies. I didn't add the water because of the other ingredients I used. It has the yummy hotdog chili flavor my hubby wants for his dogs but thick and chunky if you want a bowl of it, which is what I want.
ReplyDeleteThis is the best chili sauce for hot dogs....EVER! The only thing I did different was to use my emulsion blender rather than a food processor. Its better than any hot dog shop's chili! I've been making it now for three years and everyone raves about it. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteMaking this on Sat- cant wait. sounds amazing!
ReplyDeleteBTW-all your recipes look amazing will try more. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis is very delicious, however I followed all steps and ended up with a very dry thick chilli. I had to keep adding water. Is the water measurement really just 1 cup?
ReplyDeleteIt was for me. But remember, heat and your particular kitchen can always influence evaporation, so adding a little water when it looks dry is never a problem! Worst case, you have to simmer it a little longer to get it to tighten up a little.
DeleteMy new go to! I love this recipie.
ReplyDeleteThis is our favorite chili dog sauce. I make an extra large batch and freeze in freezer containers. Sometimes we make a batch of pickled onions ( sweet onions, sugar and apple cider vinegar) to go with them. Add some melted cheese wiz for chili cheese dogs and there’s nothing better. Helpful tip: we use an immersion blender to smooth out the sauce. Thanks for the recipe it’s delicious!
ReplyDeleteThis is my go to recipe for the perfect chili dog...if u want to spruce it up just a little. Take a hot dog bun...smear a little mayo and mustard in there. Put one uncooked hotdog inside. Top with this chili and add cheese and green onions and bake about 20 minutes...perfection. Check out “baked chili dog” on Pinterest but use this recipe. You’ll be so glad u did...thank me later:)
ReplyDeleteExcellent...with a few tweaks. Doubled the chili powder, added 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika, and used beef broth in place of the water. Thanks for a great recipe!
ReplyDeleteI've been looking for a perfect Hot Dog chili for sooooo many years, and will try this one this week! I ran out of a few of the key ingredients during this Pandemic and shopping hassle!! I've been going to the same Hot Dog truck for 20 years, because I'm in love with their simple chili dogs with just chopped meat/NO beans and they would not give me the simple recipe!! I hope this one can be a close match! Like I'm going to open a Hot Dog stand right down the road and use their recipe! Whatever! I can't wait to try this awesome looking sauce. It even looks that the same sauce!!
ReplyDeleteI hope it satisfies your craving! You gotta include the celery salt (or celery seed, either one), I am still of the opinion, what, 10 years later, that it is crucial to the flavor. Don’t forget it! Let me know how it turns
DeleteOut for you!
Nothing can compare to this chili sauce. Thank you so much for sharing, going to make another batch tomorrow by family's request
ReplyDeleteExcellent recipe and instructions, thank you!
ReplyDelete