Detroit-Style Coney Island Hot Dogs
By Jessica RudolphPublished on May 2, 2023
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Chili Sauce
6 ounces 80 percent lean ground beef 1 cup water ¼ cup finely chopped onion 3 square saltines, crushed1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon onion powder ½ teaspoon table salt ½ teaspoon pepper ½ teaspoon sugar Pinch ground allspiceHot Dogs
1 teaspoon vegetable oil 4 beef-and-pork hot dogs with natural casings4 hot dog buns yellow mustard ½ cup finely chopped onionBefore You Begin
Dearborn and Koegel's are the preferred brands of hot dogs here. If you can't find them, look for dogs that are a blend of beef and pork and have a natural casing, which is essential to achieve the signature snap of a Detroit-style Coney dog. The saltines can be simply crushed by hand; any large pieces will disintegrate.
Instructions
- Combine beef and water in small saucepan and whisk until beef is broken into very small pieces. Whisk in onion, saltines, tomato paste, Worcestershire, paprika, chili powder, granulated garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, sugar, and allspice.
- Bring beef mixture to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, whisking occasionally, until sauce is creamy and has consistency of thick gravy, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. (Chili sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Reheat over medium-low heat; if grease separates, stir in water 1 tablespoon at a time until recombined.)
- Heat oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add hot dogs and cook until browned all over, 8 to 10 minutes, rolling or turning as needed. Transfer to plate.
- Add buns to now-empty skillet and cook until warmed and lightly toasted, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to platter and place hot dogs in buns. Distribute chili sauce evenly among hot dogs (about ¼ cup each). Top with stripe of mustard and sprinkle with onions. Serve.
for the chili sauce
for the hot dogs
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Chili Sauce
Hot Dogs
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Chili Sauce
Hot Dogs
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Chili Sauce
Hot Dogs
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Coney Island hot dogs are a staple of Detroit: These dogs, topped with a beefy chili sauce, were brought to the Detroit area in the early 1900s by Greek immigrants who saw the success of hot dog stands in Brooklyn's Coney Island. For authentic Detroit-style Coney dogs, we needed a chili sauce with finely textured beef and a creamy mouthfeel. To achieve this, we whisked raw ground beef with water to break it into tiny pieces before cooking. We added crushed saltines to thicken and add body to the sauce; flavored it with tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, onions, spices, and a small amount of sugar; and then simmered it until it was thick and velvety. For the hot dogs, we used a pork-and-beef blend with natural casings, as they do in Detroit. We seared them; stuffed them into toasted buns; and topped them with ample chili sauce, yellow mustard, and finely chopped onion.
Before You Begin
Dearborn and Koegel's are the preferred brands of hot dogs here. If you can't find them, look for dogs that are a blend of beef and pork and have a natural casing, which is essential to achieve the signature snap of a Detroit-style Coney dog. The saltines can be simply crushed by hand; any large pieces will disintegrate.
Instructions
- Combine beef and water in small saucepan and whisk until beef is broken into very small pieces. Whisk in onion, saltines, tomato paste, Worcestershire, paprika, chili powder, granulated garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, sugar, and allspice.
- Bring beef mixture to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, whisking occasionally, until sauce is creamy and has consistency of thick gravy, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. (Chili sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Reheat over medium-low heat; if grease separates, stir in water 1 tablespoon at a time until recombined.)
- Heat oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add hot dogs and cook until browned all over, 8 to 10 minutes, rolling or turning as needed. Transfer to plate.
- Add buns to now-empty skillet and cook until warmed and lightly toasted, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to platter and place hot dogs in buns. Distribute chili sauce evenly among hot dogs (about ¼ cup each). Top with stripe of mustard and sprinkle with onions. Serve.
for the chili sauce
for the hot dogs
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