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Chili Dogs

Holly Moore

By Holly Moore
in Food Traditions & Culture

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Holly Moore

Holly Moore

Posted
Posted

Eating my way about the country I've come across all manner of chili dog.

In the Mid Atlantic, the most common version is a Texas Wiener and/or Coney Island Dog. A very thin sauce, hardly any meat, not much kick to it. Usually served with fresh chopped onion and mustard.

Elsewhere I've seen both all meat and meat and beans chili. Some mild, some medium, some extremely hot.

I like Texas Wieners for the combination of tastes, but prefer a medium hot beanless chili on a chili dog overall.

Curious what others prefer. Also if others have encountered other variations on the theme.

Holly Moore

"I eat, therefore I am."

HollyEats.Com

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fifi

fifi

Posted
Posted

The chil1 has to be all meat, medium hot, God Forbid! Never beans!, finely chopped onion, finely grated cheddar cheese, pickled jalapenos on the side.

The consistency of the chili has to be relatively thick so that when you splop it on, it kind of holds its shape.

Pickle relish is a political issue.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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Jason Perlow

Jason Perlow

Posted
Posted
No meat, all beans.  I like to be unique.

I kid, I kid.  I agree; medium-hot/hot meat chili.  Chopped onion is fine.

You Canadians love to be different, don't you.

Seriously, are they any different in Canada?

Jason Perlow, Co-Founder eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters

Foodies who Review South Florida (Facebook) | offthebroiler.com - Food Blog (archived) | View my food photos on Instagram

Twittter: @jperlow | Mastodon @jperlow@journa.host

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pixelchef

pixelchef

Posted
Posted

It's not that we love to be different, we just have special needs. We're special people. :)

I've had chili dogs a bunch of times in the US and I honestly can't think of any distinguishable differences. I mean, the thickness varies from venue to venue, but I think that holds true in every country. One thing I have noticed, though, is that the chili on chili dogs in Ontario at least tends to be sweeter than elsewhere. Haha, they're probably putting maple syrup in the chili. :P

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Suzanne F

Suzanne F

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Posted

Ever since 1977, I've been trying to duplicate the chili used at Gus's Coney Island in Detroit. Fairly mild, very finely ground meat, no beans (NEVER!), and a flavor almost hinting of curry powder. A cheap, bland, soft hot dog (but cooked well-done), squishy bun, yellow mustard, chili, and raw chopped onions. It was crap, but I loved it -- I even ate coney islands for breakfast :blush:

I find that Hormel chili makes a decent base -- but of course I have to add more chili powder, and the aforementioned curry (Jamaican-style works a bit better than Indian).

Cheese -- or rather, Cheez Wiz -- is acceptable, but optional. Now I prefer pickled onions to raw. Dijon or whole-grain mustard to yellow. Especially if I added Jamaican curry; that gives me my turmeric allowance for the day. And pickle relish is for people who want a vegetable.

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jeniac42

jeniac42

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Posted (edited)

Suzanne, can you buy Skyline brand chili in your area? It's got spices in it (although it's been a while since I had any, I seem to remember something like nutmeg) and is definitely different from most other chilis. Not being from Cincinnati, I don't have an intimate understanding of their chilis, but I heartily endorse eating Coneys and five-ways.

Hmm, I might have to get some Skyline for dinner. Scary.

Edit: Chili dogs for me should have the soft hot dog and puffy white bun, along with mustard, cheese, and onions. I don't know if the cheese is strictly allowable but I love cheese, even, and I've admitted this, the cheap and horrible kind.

Edited by jeniac42 (log)

Jennie

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=Mark

=Mark

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Posted

Medium to hot beanless chili, diced onions, sliced chiles (hold the stems please...)

=Mark

Give a man a fish, he eats for a Day.

Teach a man to fish, he eats for Life.

Teach a man to sell fish, he eats Steak

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guajolote

guajolote

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Posted
Ever since 1977, I've been trying to duplicate the chili used at Gus's Coney Island in Detroit.

My mother-in-law has a recipe for Detroit style Coney Island Chili. I'll try to get it from her. She cut it out of the Free Press a long time ago. I do miss Detroit Coney Islands, although I always went to Lafayette Coney Island.

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torakris

torakris

Posted
Posted
Most definitely hot meat chilis, with no beans.

Spicy ground beef chili, definitely no beans or veggie chunks. Also cheddar cheese, minced onion and diced hot pepper rings. :biggrin:

ditto

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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Suzanne F

Suzanne F

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Posted (edited)
My mother-in-law has a recipe for Detroit style Coney Island Chili. I'll try to get it from her. She cut it out of the Free Press a long time ago. I do miss Detroit Coney Islands, although I always went to Lafayette Coney Island.

That would be fabulous!

Gus's was slightly closer to the City-County Building, where I worked. No other reason for the "preference." Lafayette was good, too.

Jeniac -- Don't know if I can, but I'll look. Thanks!

Edited by Suzanne F (log)
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Holly Moore

Holly Moore

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I while back I posted a really good loose-meat recipe that can do double duty. It has a really good spice base using horseradish for heat.

Interesting. I've got Iowa penciled in for August for a Maid-Rite and a return trip to the state fair. I'm assuming your version is much spicier than the Maid-Rite version. Do they use any spices at all?

Holly Moore

"I eat, therefore I am."

HollyEats.Com

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guajolote

guajolote

Posted
Posted
Ever since 1977, I've been trying to duplicate the chili used at Gus's Coney Island in Detroit.

My mother-in-law has a recipe for Detroit style Coney Island Chili. I'll try to get it from her. She cut it out of the Free Press a long time ago. I do miss Detroit Coney Islands, although I always went to Lafayette Coney Island.

Detoit style Coney Island chili (adapted from Detroit Free Press):

Coney Island Sauce::one half pound ground beef

one quarter cup water

quarter cup onion

1 clove garlic, minced

8 oz. can tomato sauce

one half to three quarters teaspoon chile powder

one half teaspoon Accent

one half teaspoon salt

Brown gound beef slowly but thoroughly, breaking with fork until very fine.

Add water, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, chile powder, Accent and salt and simmer over low heat about 10 minutes or until mixture is well blended.

Who would have known the secret was MSG?

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wawairis

wawairis

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Posted
A world class chili dog from the Glenwood Pines, Ithaca NY.  Alas Footlong Fridays only - a lunch special.

Pines-ChiliDog.jpg

Photo Copyright Holly Moore - 2003 - All Rights Reserved

I want that hot dog!!! Mmmmmm, looks delish!!

Iris

GROWWWWWLLLLL!!

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Al_Dente

Al_Dente

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Posted

Hormel, baby. Straight from the can. I love the sound that comes out of the can as you extract the chili with a spoon. What would you call that? Chili vacuum suck sound?

peak performance is predicated on proper pan preparation...

-- A.B.

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elyse

elyse

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Posted
Hormel, baby. Straight from the can. I love the sound that comes out of the can as you extract the chili with a spoon. What would you call that? Chili vacuum suck sound?

Sounds like the seventies to me.

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dave88

dave88

Posted
Posted
Ever since 1977, I've been trying to duplicate the chili used at Gus's Coney Island in Detroit.

My mother-in-law has a recipe for Detroit style Coney Island Chili. I'll try to get it from her. She cut it out of the Free Press a long time ago. I do miss Detroit Coney Islands, although I always went to Lafayette Coney Island.

Detoit style Coney Island chili (adapted from Detroit Free Press):

Coney Island Sauce::one half pound ground beef

one quarter cup water

quarter cup onion

1 clove garlic, minced

8 oz. can tomato sauce

one half to three quarters teaspoon chile powder

one half teaspoon Accent

one half teaspoon salt

Brown gound beef slowly but thoroughly, breaking with fork until very fine.

Add water, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, chile powder, Accent and salt and simmer over low heat about 10 minutes or until mixture is well blended.

Who would have known the secret was MSG?

No, the secret is the brand-name of the "8 oz, can of tomato sauce."

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awbrig

awbrig

Posted
Posted
Hormel, baby. Straight from the can. I love the sound that comes out of the can as you extract the chili with a spoon. What would you call that? Chili vacuum suck sound?

The same sound when you open a can of Alpo. :smile:

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