American
Coney Island Hot Dog
Beef frank, Coney sauce, diced onion, yellow mustard — a Michigan institution and a cultural identity.
Recipe by Cyman Huang
Cooked, styled and photographed in his kitchen.
Despite the name, the Detroit/Michigan Coney Island hot dog was invented by Greek immigrants in Detroit, not in Coney Island, New York. The two cities have been arguing about this since approximately 1917.
What is not arguable is the result: a natural-casing beef frank on a steamed bun with a loose ground-beef Coney sauce, finely diced raw white onion and yellow mustard. No beans. No cheddar. No variations.
Watch it come together
Ingredients
- 6–8 all-beef natural-casing hot dogs
- 6–8 steamed hot dog buns
- White onion, finely diced
- Yellow mustard
For the Coney sauce
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 small yellow onion, finely grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp coriander
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Method
- 1
MAKE CONEY SAUCE: In a medium saucepan, combine ground beef and beef broth over medium heat. Break the beef into tiny, fine crumbles — almost paste-like, not chunky. This texture is a key characteristic.
- 2
Add grated onion, garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, paprika, coriander, allspice, salt and Worcestershire. Stir thoroughly.
- 3
Simmer over medium-low, stirring frequently, 20–25 minutes until thickened and deeply seasoned. The sauce should be loose but not soupy; add broth if too thick.
- 4
COOK DOGS: Simmer in hot water or steam 4–5 minutes. Steam the buns.
- 5
BUILD: Dog in bun, Coney sauce ladled generously over, diced white onion, yellow mustard in a line across. Eat over a napkin.
Substitutions
- Chef's Tip: Grate the onion and cook the beef in broth rather than browning it dry — you're making a sauce, not a chili. For true Detroit authenticity, some spots add rendered beef heart for a deep, mineral richness worth trying.
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