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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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2-09-2006 @2:16PM Diana said... Sorry, have to say that I made this chili thinking I was missing something but I'll have to stick with true southern recipes, this one was kind of sweet and sweet chili just isn't for me. Glad to know I really wasn't missing anything. Now a true Texan recipe I might consider. My husband didn't even mind I had wasted 3 lbs of meat trying this one, he welcomed me to throw it out and one spoonful was all he could tolerate.
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2-09-2006 @5:10PM Kathy Nabity said... Come to Grand Island, Nebraska, and eat at the Coney Island Lunchroom. They do sell the coney chilli a la carte, and serve great homemade fries, and the best shakes and malts. And if you ever come back, even years later, George will remember you and call you by name!
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1-25-2011 @9:07PM gary said... george is a nice guy and they have the best chili and coney's any where
if any one knows how they make the chili and coney sauce email me at
amusementsales@gmail.com
gary
2-15-2006 @1:19AM Another Bryan said... As an American living in Japan I really miss coneys. Haven't had one for over 15 years. I'm going to try this out tonight. Thanks a million! This is going to be a real treat.
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2-21-2006 @2:56PM Jackie said... Does anyone out there know where I can find the itty bitty hot dogs and buns that Skyline & Gold Star Chili use for their coneys? I moved away from the Cincinnati area fifteen years ago and all this talk of that fabulous (but definitely an acquired taste) chili has got a craving going for those heavenly coneys! Any suggestions would definitely be appreciated.
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8-19-2008 @10:12AM Redpunzle said... This is good chili, but it's not Nick's coney sauce. Just before Frank sold the business last spring we shared a nice moment...he wasn't sarcastic at all. He told me that the best things in life are simple. So is the sauce. He said there are 5 things in the pot and they couldn't afford much meat back in those days. So there's a 1 to 8 ratio of meat to onion and a huge amount of spice. Only three more things - cumin, chili powder and salt. Cooked over a real low heat to start, till the onions start to melt. Then left on the back burner to simmer for hours.
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4-03-2009 @9:03PM LD said... The girl talking about Grand Island, Nebraska's Coney Island sauce knows her stuff. As a lad, many years ago, this hole in the wall diner got a lot of our family's business. I still stop by and see Gus and his son on every trip back to the Midwest. Absolutely the right spices in this meat sauce to make a hot dog really proud! The malts and shakes are the real deal too.
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2-25-2007 @8:48AM Hank said... Wow -- I live in Portland, have heard about Nick's Coney Island for years, but have never been there. Somewhere I'd heard that their "Coney Island" was just a garden variety chili dog -- i.e. the sauce had kidney beans in it. But if it's strictly a meat sauce I'll have to try it, because I remember real Coney Island dogs from my youth. Not in New York, but in Michigan!
As some people have mentioned earlier in this thread, Coney Island, NY isn't where Coney dogs are found, oddly enough -- they're a regional delicacy of Michigan, particularly Detroit and Flint, where Coney Island restaurants originated in the early 1900's and flourish to this day. There are literally hundreds of Coney Island restaurants in these 2 cities and one is never more than a few blocks away. The sauce has no beans; it's made from, among other ingredients, hamburger and (sometimes) ground-up hot dog! There is a distinction and even a rivalry between the "Detroit-style" coney, and the (to my taste, superior) "Flint-style" coney, with its dryer, firmer chili. Perfection!!
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8-20-2007 @10:41AM Harris M said... Texas Chilli needs no beans.
Lots of good chilli powder, keep the salt down and simmer for a long time. Let cool, put in refrigerator over night and serve next day. Texas Chilli is always better made the day before and servered the next day.
Now I ordered and tasted this stuff called SkyLine Chilli out of Cincinnati, Ohio....and I dont know what spice that really stands out in its tasts is...but its not chilli and it tastes really bad.
I ordered 8 cans....does anyone want the 7 that are left !
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1-22-2006 @10:24PM Bryan Price said... Blashpemy! I've always heard that Cincinnati Chili was boiled hamburger, never fried!
Of course, I'm from Columbus, so maybe they were lying to me.
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1-22-2006 @10:38PM sarah gilbert said... well, Bryan, you may be right. I'm not from Cincinnati, either. but I do know that I like this version way better than any other I've eaten!
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1-22-2006 @11:37PM Mark said... Three pounds of meat and only a pint of liquid for three hours? Is that correct? If you cook it on the stove would you need more liquid? What's the consistency of the finished product? Would it work in a pressure cooker (after browning)?
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1-23-2006 @5:47AM Blair said... Bryan,
You are correct,Cincinnati chili meat is boiled(or they are lying to me also),along with the spices if i recal corectly.
Love the stuff, and try to hit one of the purveyors of it at least every other month(I'm in dayton, yet we still have quite a few!).
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1-27-2006 @2:30PM Gwen said... Can't wait to try it .... Hope it is as good as it sounds.... I've never been to Coney Island but I Love Chili....I'll Let ya know how it goes !!!!
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1-27-2006 @3:35PM Tonia said... after all the nice, precise measurements....how much is "a spoonful" of the spice mixture?
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1-27-2006 @3:55PM sarah gilbert said... no, you don't need any more liquid - there's a lot of fat from the beef and that takes care of things. you DO need to be careful to keep your mixture at a low temperature, though, to keep it from burning or getting dry.
a spoonful - yes it's approximate, because it doesn't really matter. I use a tablespoon or so, typically.
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1-27-2006 @4:24PM James L. Copeland said... I am from Cincinnati and I thrive on this stuff. I do know for a fact that Cincinnati chili contains chocolate, so this recipe would need to be tweaked.
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1-27-2006 @4:24PM Steve said... I don't get it. The stuff they sell as chili in Cincinnati is a meat sauce. REAL chili has beans in it.
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1-27-2006 @4:45PM Desree V. said... I Desree Run a Pina Colada Business in coney island
for the last 8 yrs. and i wanted to say i met my husband in coney island area wow back in 1993 and im glad i did. anyway i knew nick personally . and hes a great greek cook. but i heard nick died a few yr ago . hey we all miss his good cooking. love Des!
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1-27-2006 @5:04PM warren webb said... I am going to try this recipe right now are you sure there is no chili powder?
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