Coney Island Hot Dogs

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.