The Coney Dog.. A Divine Gift from the Meat Gods.....

Ah July.... smack dab in the middle of hamburger and hotdog season...

As a Flint Ex-Pat, there are three things that

MUST be done when I go back to my

birthplace in mid-Michigan and they are:

1. There will be a Halo Burger http://www.haloburger.com/ Deluxe with Olives consumed at some point in the journey. While I can put olives on any hamburger at home, there is just something wonderful about a Bill Thomas Halo Burger. I'm told people from Detriot will even make the trip just for the taste of one.

2. There will be a trip to Frankenmuth and specifically to Bronner's http://www.bronners.com/ to buy yet another ornament I really do not need for my Christmas tree. One of these trips I'm going to take the family to Zehnder's or the Bavarian Inn for the chicken dinner and to see the glockenspiel.

3. But most importantly and perhaps with more frequency, there will be at least one if not more outtings to hunt down that most delicous delicacy that cannot be found in my adopted area, the CONEY DOG!

When I moved to NY 20 odd years ago, I figured I would have no problem getting coney dogs... after all, weren't they named after that famous fun park, Coney Island? But alas, I live on the other side of the state and nothing is even remotly close to the coney dogs of my youth.

What is a coney dog? Well,  lets start by saying what it IS NOT. I've seen a lot of debate on this on the web and it's pretty obvious that may of those responding have never had a true coney dog. A coney dog is not a chili dog. Nor is it a hotdog with hot sauce on it. It is a heavenly coffee based meat concoction that is served atop of a 100% beef (in Flint this must be a Kogel Vienna) hotdog.

Coney dogs typically travel in pairs and the greaser the paper bag, the better the taste. They can be served plain with just mustard (like I like it) or with mustard and onion (like my husband likes it). They are typically very cheap and are excellent end of the night fare when you are a) working  b) coming home from a night out or c) just too lazy to cook.

Living in a state where I cannot seem to get one, I have to make them myself periodically. Today I just had to have one so I'm going to post my grandmother's recipe for coney islands. A restaurant coney will typically have a finer grate on the meat, but other than that, this is pretty dead nuts.

 

CONEY SAUCE

2 Tbsp Oil
3/4-1 lb ground hamburger
1 can (12 oz) corned beef
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 c black coffee

Heat oil in a large skillet and add hamburger. Brown.

Once brown, drain and return to skillet. Add corned beef and chop up in skillet mixing well with hamburger.

Add coffee and chili powder and work to combine.

Boil a package of 100% beef hotdogs (Kogel Viennas if you can get them), place them in your buns, add coney sauce and dress either with (onions) or without (sans onions).


ENJOY a little taste of my hometown area.....