Detroit Coney Island Chili Recipes

DETROIT STYLE CONEY SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Brown ground beef, onion, in a large saucepan until meat is cooked. Drain. Add salt and black pepper. Add tomato sauce and water.
• 2. Add spices. Simmer for over low heat for 1 hour, add more water 1/8 cup at a time if needed to thin this sauce.
• 3. Serve over hot dogs or loose meat with mustard and diced onion!

COPYCAT LAFAYETTE CONEY ISLAND HOT DOG CHILI SAUCE DETROIT STYLE

Steps:

• In a large preheated pot, add lard (shortening), ground round, and cow heart (hotdogs), and simmer on medium heat until it seperates and browns. This mixture must be stirred regularly and mashed with a potato masher during process to create a kind of rough paste. Drain, but reserve the rendered fat and set aside for next step (yes, authentic Detroit style is kinda greasy).
• In a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat, add the rendered fat. Slowly, add cracker crumbs 1 spoonful at a time, stirring contstantly to make a roux. It should be a paste consistency but still able to flow, so add additional fat (butter or shortening) or more crackers, if needed, and continue stirring until it turns a nice woody brown.
• Add the roux to the meat pot along with chicken stock and simmer for 20 minutes at a slight boil, then add all remaining ingredients, and stir until mixed. Cover the pot and simmer for at least 3-hours (longer the better) stirring occassionally so it doesn't burn on bottom, adding water as necessary for proper consistency.
• Take out 1/3 of the mixture and put it in a blender and puree until smooth, then pour it back into the pot. Continue simmering, uncovered, for another hour, stirring occassionally so it doesn't burn on bottom, adding water if too thick or more roux if too thin, as necessary for proper consistency.
• When putting the sauce on your hot dog, the dogs must be grilled on a griddle or a cast iron skillet on medium low with a small amount of butter and vegetable oil. Constant turning of dogs is a must and they must never split open. You will be looking for a consistant light brown color with a darker line of brown on 2 sides. If dogs are straight they can be rolled back and forth regularily to insure even cooking with a large hamburger flipper. If curved use kitchen tongs and adjust next to the other dogs. NEVER BOIL A HOTDOG!
• Steaming buns is the best way in a home enviorment a chinese steamer basket works well or you can wrap them in paper towells and microwave 3 at a time on high for about 20 seconds. Open bun place dog spread slightly thinned yellow mustard over dog. Cover with Coney sauce then top with onions. Additional mustard may be added, however, cheese or KETCHUP is never allowed; lets leave that to the people in ohio, ok?

ORIGINAL CONEY ISLAND CHILI

Steps:

• Brown ground chuck in a skillet. Drain approximately half the residual oil. Add ground pepperoni and grated onion and brown for another minute or two.
• 2.
• combine in kosher salt, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, celery seed, cayenne and combine to meat mixture.
• 3.
• Reduce heat and add tomato paste, liquid smoke and V8 juice and bring to a simmer.
• 4.
• When chili has come to a low bubbling simmer, add cornmeal and cook low and slow for another 15 minutes.
• 5.
• Ladle over hotdogs or grilled burgers. This is a welcome sauce for grated sharp cheddar cheese and minced onions, but a true Coney Dog uses classic yellow mustard and a sprinkling of onions.

DETROIT CHILI DOGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Preheat very large pot with 1 cup of lard
• Simmer 5 lbs of ground round and 1/2 lb cow heart ground fine on medium heat until it separates and turns just brown. This mixture must be stirred regularly and mashed during process to create a kind of rough paste.
• In a cast iron skillet put 6 tablespoons of butter and melt it then add 6 tablespoons of flour and make a light brown roux and set aside.
• Cut 3 tomatoes in half and roast in a 450°F oven with a little vegetable oil on top until completely cooked and starting to turn into mush with a slight browning taking place. Set these aside.
• Add 32 ounces of chicken stock to meat simmer for 20 minutes at a slight boil then add roux, cooked tomatoes, 3 tablespoons chili powder,4 table spoons paprika,1/3 cup Plochmans yellow mustard,2 tablespoons turmeric, 2 tablespoons cumin powder, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon onion powder.
• Simmer this down to the proper consistency.

DETROIT-STYLE CONEY DOGS

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.
• Place hot dogs on the grill; cook until browned, 5 to 8 minutes, turning once, or until done to suit your taste. Lightly grill hot dog rolls.
• Meanwhile, place the chile sauce in a small microwave-safe bowl; cook 1 minute. Stir, and cook 1 minute more.
• Place hot dogs on buns. Top each with chile sauce, onion, and 1 tablespoon mustard, or to taste.