Once Upon a Menu: Coney Dogs

Did you know the "Coney" dog wasn’t created in Coney Island? Sorry, New York!

This recipe was cooked up by Greek and Macedonian immigrants in the Midwest. It's all about the "Coney" sauce — finely crumbled beef, warm spices, made to top a hot dog, and finished with yellow mustard and diced white onions. Hot Diggity!

For more stories and recipes follow my Once Upon a Menu series on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @theinfinitefeast.

 🌭 🌭 🌭 🌭 🌭

Coney Island Hot Dog (with "Coney" Meat Sauce)

Makes 8 “Coneys”

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 small white onion, very finely minced, divided

1 pound ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon yellow mustard, plus more for serving

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 to 1 1/2 cups beef stock

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 natural-casing all-beef hot dogs

8 hot dog buns

In same skillet over medium heat, combine oil, half onion, beef, garlic, ketchup, 1 tablespoon mustard, vinegar, chili powder, smoked paprika, allspice, cayenne. Add 1 cup stock to start, more as needed, bring to simmer.

Over low heat, cook sauce uncovered 15 minutes, breaking beef continuously with potato masher or meat chopper till fine. Cook longer as needed, stirring continuously, to reduce liquid. Sauce should be thinner than chili, thicker than gravy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

I like to microwave my hot dogs, uncovered, about 60 seconds. I run my split buns under the broiler, watching very carefully, till just golden.

Nestle hot dogs in buns. Spoon generously with Coney sauce. Stripe with yellow mustard, scatter generously with remaining raw onion. Serve!

Follow me @theinfinitefeast on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, for more "Once Upon a Menu" stories and recipes. And check out my cookbook right here!

🌭 🌭 🌭 🌭 🌭