Detroit Coney Chili Recipes

THE AUTHENTIC DETROIT CONEY DOG RECIPE

Steps:

• Prep. In a small bowl, mix the American chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mince the garlic.
• Cook. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and beef heart for 5 minutes or until brown. Crumble it as it cooks so it is brown all over.
• Pour the meat into a strainer and drain the fat into a small sauce pan. Discard all but 3 tablespoons of fat. Whisk the fat and flour together over medium heat. This makes a roux. Cook it, stirring frequently, until it turns amber, about 15 minutes. Then whisk in the chicken stock, tomato paste, and vinegar. Let it sit on low a few minutes on low while you handle the next few steps.
• Add the onion, garlic, and red bell pepper to the ground meat in the skillet and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Push everything aside and add the spices and cook in contact with the bottom of the pan for 2 minutes, stirring so the spices don't stick to the bottom. This "blooms" the flavor. Then mix them in with the meat.
• Add the roux mix ingredients and stir it in. Simmer for at least 15 minutes, an hour is better.
• Pour 1/3 the mix into your blender and puree it until it is pasty, and mix it back in. If you prefer you can use a stick blender to get the mix thick. Taste and add more of whatever you want.
• Split the frank down the middle but don't cut it in half. Leave a hinge. This step is controversial. Some locals hate the concept. I like it because it creates more browned meat, and browned meat is better than chocolate. On a griddle, in a frying pan, or better still, on your grill, grilling the frank until it starts to brown on all sides. Steam the bun.
• Serve. Put the frank on the bun, split side up. Squirt a line of mustard down its length. Spoon on a generous amount of Coney saucce, and top with the chopped onions. Serve with Vernor's.

DETROIT'S CONEY DOG

Steps:

• Saute' ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large pot until meat is cooked. Drain off half the fat. Add salt and black pepper. Add tomato sauce (optional).
• In a small bowl mix the cracker meal with the rest of the spices. Add to the meat and cook until the cracker meal or crushed crackers are browned. Add water and simmer for about 1 hour. Add more water if this gets too thick. Season again with salt to taste.
• You may skip this last step if you like the texture of your chili, but many people say the traditional Coney Sauce is blended to make a smoother sauce, you may use a traditional blender or food processor, but I like to use an immersion blender. Blend until you reach the desired consistency.
• When the chili is close to being ready, heat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap hot dog buns in foil and place them in oven for about 10 minutes until they're warm.
• While the buns are warming, get the hot dogs ready. The original Coney Dogs are grilled but you can steam or boil if you'd prefer. Put the hot dog in the bun, top with chili, yellow mustard and chopped onion.

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.

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?

PORT HURON-STYLE CONEY SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the ground chuck, chili powder, cinnamon, paprika, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, allspice, mustard, beef base, and 1 cup water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; use a potato masher to break up the beef and mix the rest of the ingredients through the beef; bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer 2 to 3 hours, adding water occasionally to keep the mixture moist. Once the mixture is softened, stir in the crushed crackers to thicken.

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 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!