Coney Island hot dog
Encyclopedia : C : CO : CON : Coney Island hot dog
A Coney Island hot dog is a hot dog made from pork with casing, topped with an all meat, high fat chili, diced yellow onion and yellow mustard. The product described in this article was primarily developed in Michigan, and served there and in the "heartland" states; that is, the non-coastal states of the U.S..
History
Ironically, "Coney Island hot dog" describes a product that is unknown in its namesake Coney Island, New York, where hot dogs (usually called "franks" from frankfurter) are traditionally made only from beef and served plain on a bun without adornment except the availability of mustard, which at Nathan's was applied by the customer. The only reason for the name is the hot dog's origins in Coney Island where it was invented by Charles Feltman in 1867 who put a Vienna sausage in a roll and called it "Coney Island Red Hots". Some people unsure of its ingredients called it a hot dog. In the 1960's sauerkraut was provided, also applied by the customer from a heated pot. In recent years, as Nathan's has changed into a more typical fast food restaurant (with franchises in many locations), the hot dogs are served with choice of mustard, onions and/or sauerkraut applied gratis, or chili and/or cheese at extra cost. The hot dog with the latter toppings are known as a "chili dog" or "cheese dog," not as a "Coney" in New York.
Description
In many locations, a "Coney Island hot dog" includes "coney sauce", which is generally a beanless chili. This variation of the "Coney Island hot dog" is thought to have been invented in the state of Michigan by various claimants (such as Todoroff's[link] in Jackson, Michigan or American Coney Island in Detroit). As a result, Coney Island hot dogs featuring "coney sauce" are prevalent around the Midwest United States, particularly in the area surrounding Detroit, Michigan. In general, the phrase "Coney Island hot dog" is now used primarily to refer to the version with chili sauce. In southeast Michigan, a number of casual dining establishments are called "Coney Island restaurants" indicating the popularity of the chili dog.Availability
The most popular places in the Detroit area are the original restaurant, Lafayette Coney Island, which is in the city of Detroit; Leo's Coney Island, which has many area locations, mostly in the suburbs (but also at Comerica Park and across from the Fox Theatre); and National Coney Island, which is predominantly on the east side (Macomb County, Michigan). When ordering, just say "two with everything," and you will be all set. A leading supplier of Vienna hot dogs for southeast Michigan Coney restaurants is Koegel Meats, located near Flint.In Detroit, it is claimed that "authentic" coney dogs use chili made of heart meat. Variations on this theme include the "loose" coney, which substitutes ground hamburger meat for the hot dog (also known as a coney hamburger). The sauce is typically runny and with a cinnamony flavor. The Coney sauce served nearby in Flint is dryer than the Detroit variety. Coney dogs are called "Michigans" in New York State, the home of the original Coney Island. Quebec's Michigan hot dogs are slightly different.
In the Cincinnati area, coneys are also popular, but instead use the local chili recipe that is unique to the area. Onions and mustard are normally added only on request. Frequently, these are topped with a heap of finely shredded Cheddar cheese and are thus known as a "cheese coney." Skyline Chili, the largest chain of Cincinnati-style chili parlors, specializes in cheese coneys.
The Varsity restaurants in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas specialize in a similar hot dog, but the chili is of a slightly thicker consistency.
In some parts of central and western New York State, a white hot dog composed of pork and veal (similar to a white bockwurst, a mild German sausage made with veal, pork, milk, and eggs) is referred to as a "coney," while the usual red frankfurter is called a "frank." Each of these terms is used only to refer to the sausage, irrespective of any toppings applied to the sandwich. Another term common in the Western New York (i.e. Buffalo) area is the "Texas Red Hot." This is essentially a Coney Island, a hot dog with chopped raw onions, mustard (horseradish mustard, sometimes) and a thin chili sauce. It is important to note that the sauce is not chili per se, but a tomato-based sauce with some ground meat and chile (spice) as flavorings.
See also
External links
- [American Coney Island Website]
- [National Coney Island Website]
- [Koegel Meats Website]
- [Angelo's Coney Island Website (Flint Style)]
- [Detroit Free Press article on Coney Island exports to Detroit expatriates]
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.