Detroit Style Coney Dogs Food

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?

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.

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!

DETROIT CHILI DOGS

Steps:

• Some of the prep can be done the day before, to reduce the prep time on the day of cooking.
• 1. Render 1 ½ cup of beef suet.
• 2. Prepare and finely grind beef heart in food processor.
• 3. Finely regrind ground round in food processor.
• Cool and refrigerate rendered suet and reground beef (heart and round).
• On preparation day:.
• Please note, there is a LOT of simmering and stirring going on during the cooking phase. It only enhances the taste of the sauce! BE PATIENT!
• In very large stock pot, melt 1 ½ cups of rendered suet. Add finely ground beef heart and ground round. Brown beef until done.
• We found it beneficial to brown the beef in two parts. Remove the browned beef into separate bowl, and RE-MINCE browned beef, still warm, with retained fat and liquids, in a food processor. RE-MINCE in equal parts, until a rough paste is formed. Return minced beef to pot, with remaining fats and liquids. Consistency should be of a "rough paste". Rice sized bits and smaller, with retained liquids and fats is perfect. Reserve remaining melted fats for use in making the roux.
• Add beef stock/broth. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring often. Add minced/pureed onion and minced garlic. Simmer another 20 minutes, stirring often.
• Add tomato paste and prepared mustard. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring often. Purists will contend that there should be NO tomato component to the sauce. I strongly disagree, and could not imagine what the sauce would taste like without it. It is a subtle component, and one that I feel is necessary. Use your own judgment here.
• Now it's time to add the spices.
• NOTE: We did NOT use a boat motor blender. We used a hand-cranked hand mixer instead. It allows for a more even disbursement of spices, without further reducing the consistency of the beef.
• Add the paprika, chili powder and curry powder, and the bottle of beer. Use the hand blender to incorporate the spices. Simmer another 15 minutes, stirring often.
• Add the cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, and REDHOT sauce. Use the hand blender to incorporate the spices. Simmer another 10 minutes, stirring often.
• Throughout this process, we added the water in varying amounts, totaling 1 ¼ cup. Add the additional water when the sauce seems to get a bit too thick, perhaps ¼ cup at a time. Continue to simmer, stirring often.
• Make the roux. Use the retained fats and flour in equal proportions. Use medium heat, stirring constantly, until a rich caramel color is obtained. Add roux to sauce, and mix thoroughly. Continue to simmer, stirring often.
• At this point, PURISTS can STOP. Continue to simmer to your heart's content, stirring often. It could be from 1 hour to 8 hours. Put sauce in a slow-cooker if desired, and continue cooking on low for hours. Here is where time only improves the taste of the sauce. The longer you let it simmer, the better. If you choose to stop and refrigerate the sauce overnight, and begin re-simmering the next day, so much the better.
• Add cracker meal as necessary, stirring often, until desired sauce consistency is obtained.
• Serve sauce over prepared Kogel dogs and Aunt Millie's buns, topping with onions and mustard to taste.
• ENJOY!
• *****************************.
• As for my family, we PREFER beans in our chili sauce. Like it or not, we added them, and we really enjoyed the end result.
• As before, some prep can be done the evening before.
• Directions:.
• Cover dried beans with enough water to cover by 2", and allow to soak overnight.
• Drain the soaking liquids. Rinse beans twice with fresh water.
• Recover beans with enough water to cover by 2", and heat to a low boil. Reduce to a simmer, and simmer 1 ½ - 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Turn off beans, and allow to cool.
• Once sauce is finished as outlined above, add the cooked beans along with 2 cups +/- of the "bean stock". Continue to simmer, stirring often.
• Add cracker meal as necessary, stirring often, until desired sauce consistency is obtained.
• Serve sauce over prepared Kogel dogs and Aunt Millie's buns, topping with onions and mustard to taste.
• ENJOY!