It was
September 2003, the eve of my little sister's birthday. She was living with us at the time, and my husband and I were
definitely on the poor end of the spectrum. It was my husband who came up with the concept of doing a hot dog bar to
celebrate on-the-cheap. And it was I who thought, well, then, we'll need some Coney Island chili to go with the dogs!
But I'd never made it. I'd never so much as tasted it.
So, naturally, I Googled. And I didn't find much. (Since then, however, Sandra Lee has cooked up her Semi-Homemade version - let's just say this isn't a recommended option.) What to do? My husband said he had the answer. He took me to Nick's Famous Coney Island, the hot dog joint legendary for its authentic New York-style chili here in Portland.
They wouldn't sell their chili a la carte, nor would they give me the recipe. So we ordered two hot dogs, and I tasted it slowly, savoring the spices and dissecting the dish in my mind. Soon, I knew what I needed to do.
And I went home, and cooked this chili. It quickly became the most-requested
recipe in my family's repertoire (with the possible exception of a few no-bake cookie recipes, but that's a story for
another day). It's good either on the stove or in a slow cooker; either way, though, I suggest you cook it for 2-4
hours total.
Nick's Famous Coney Island Chili, the Sarah Gilbert bootleg version
First, prepare the spice mixture: 1/4 cup cumin, 1/4 cup
paprika, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1 tsp
oregano, 1 tsp cayenne, and 1 bay leaf. Chop three
medium yellow onions in a medium dice for three-four cups' worth of onions, and mince
six cloves of garlic.
In a very large skillet (I use a 12" cast-iron skillet), heat three tablespoons of vegetable oil and, once hot, add a spoonful of the spice mixture. After about 30 seconds, add in the onions and garlic and cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until onions are soft.
Add three pounds of ground beef chuck (20% fat) and brown. While
your beef is browning, put one 16-ounce can of tomato sauce or diced tomatoes (about
one cup), three tablespoons cider vinegar, and three tablespoons brown sugar into
your slow cooker. Add the browned beef mixture and the remaining spice mixture and cook over low heat for 2-3
hours.
If you want to make this really easy, you could throw all the raw ingredients in the slow cooker and cook over medium heat for 3-4 hours. It's better, though, if the onions and meat have a chance to caramelize before cooking together.
I serve my Coney Island Chili with good hot dogs, diced onions and shredded cheddar cheese. I've eaten it without the hotdogs, too, and sometimes added kidney beans. You can make Cincinnati Chili (five way, of course) by serving the chili over spaghetti with onions, cheese and kidney beans.
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