You don’t need to hop the New York City subway to southern Brooklyn to enjoy the flavors of Coney Island. In fact, despite its name, this hot dog actually hails from a few storied restaurants in Detroit. Think of a Coney dog as a regional chili dog riff featuring umami-rich beef chili, chopped onions, and yellow mustard, and, importantly, no beans. The grilled all-beef hot dogs are tucked into squishy hot dog buns for a snappy bite that’s packed with flavor.
Detroit-style Coney dogs are nothing without a good chili sauce—one that’s more condiment than stew, so swap your wooden spoon for a potato masher to break the ground beef down into very small pieces. This will help thicken the mixture (a.k.a. Coney sauce) and ultimately make the Coneys easier to eat once assembled.
Our version ditches some of the standard ingredients like celery salt, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar in favor of punchy add-ins like miso and balsamic vinegar, plus tomato paste and a couple pats of butter for added richness. A small amount of granulated sugar helps cut the heat and ensures that the Coney Island chili is smooth and balanced. If you’re a chili traditionalist, sway in the direction of dried spices (think chili powder, ground cumin, and black pepper). Want to melt some cheddar cheese on top? We’d never stop you.
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
Makes 8
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Add 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped, 1 medium white onion, finely chopped, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is slightly softened and lightly browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 2 tsp. chipotle chile powder, 1½ tsp. ground cumin, ½ tsp. ground coriander, and a pinch of cayenne pepper; season with freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until butter is melted and spices are fragrant, 1–2 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste and 1 Tbsp. miso and cook, stirring often, until combined and tomato paste is slightly darkened in color, 1–2 minutes.
Step 2
Pour in 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar and ½ cup water, scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pot, and cook until reduced and a paste forms, about 1 minute. Add 1 lb. ground beef, 1 tsp. sugar, and remaining ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; cook, stirring and breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until softened, and cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Step 3
Pour in 2 cups water, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat so chili is at a simmer and cover pot. Cook until stewy and slightly thickened, 13–15 minutes.
Step 4
Add 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour and stir until incorporated, then increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring and mashing beef with a potato masher, until chili is thickened and beef is a fine consistency, 8–10 minutes. (Chili will continue to thicken as it cools.)
Step 5
Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Grill 8 hot dogs, turning halfway through with tongs, until browned in spots and heated through, about 4 minutes.
Step 6
Place a grilled hot dog in each of 8 hot dog buns and top with a big spoonful of chili. Scatter more chopped white onion over, then squeeze yellow mustard over as desired.
Recipe notes
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