Jackson Coney
intro
A beloved Michigan original: juicy char-grilled hot dogs topped with spiced loose beef sauce, yellow mustard, and diced onion on soft steamed buns.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep measured ingredients
First, finely dice the 150g yellow onion, setting aside 50g for fresh topping and 100g for the coney sauce. Measure all spices, condiments, and water into separate small prep bowls for smooth, fast cooking. Remove hot dogs from packaging and pat dry with paper towels to ensure even searing later.
Brown ground beef
Heat a large skillet over medium heat (175°C/350°F). Add the 454g 80/20 ground beef and 100g reserved diced onion to the pan, breaking the beef into fine crumbles with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Cook for 8-10 minutes until beef is fully browned with no pink remaining, and onion is soft and translucent. Drain all excess rendered fat from the pan to avoid greasy sauce.
Simmer coney sauce
Stir 30g tomato paste, 8g chili powder, 2g ground cumin, 3g garlic powder, 30ml (2 tbsp) yellow mustard, 15ml Worcestershire sauce, 5g kosher salt, 1g black pepper, and 240ml water into the browned beef mixture. Stir fully to combine, then bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low (135°C/275°F), cover, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to a loose, spoonable consistency with no watery runoff.
Sear the hot dogs
While the sauce simmers, heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high heat (220°C/425°F). Place the patted-dry all-beef hot dogs on the hot surface, turning every 2 minutes with metal tongs, for 6-8 minutes total until skins are crisp and marked with dark char lines on all sides. Transfer seared dogs to a clean plate to rest for 1 minute.
Warm the buns
Working one at a time, hold each split hot dog bun 5cm (2 inches) above the warm residual heat of the grill pan for 10-15 seconds per side until soft, warm, and slightly steamy, with no crispy burnt spots. For a faster method, wrap all 8 buns in a clean damp paper towel and microwave on high for 30 seconds to get the same pillowy soft texture.
Assemble and serve
Place one seared hot dog into each warmed bun. Squeeze a thin even line of the remaining 15ml (1 tbsp) yellow mustard directly down the length of each hot dog. Spoon 60g (¼ cup) of warm coney beef sauce over each dog, covering most of the frank. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of reserved raw diced white onion over the sauce on each coney. Serve immediately while hot.
Tips
2.Use 80/20 ground beef for the best rich, beefy flavor, but always drain excess rendered fat after browning to prevent the sauce from being overly greasy and soaking through the soft bun.
3.Follow the classic topping order for the most authentic experience: mustard directly on the hot dog, then beef sauce, then raw onion—traditional Jackson coneys do not include ketchup, cheese, or relish.
OMG this was such a game changer for our weeknight family dinner! I’ve been looking for an easy coney recipe that tastes like the ones we get at the Jackson diner up north, and this nailed it. Cook time was exactly 35 minutes like it said, no fancy ingredients needed. My kids devoured two each and asked for seconds! Already added this to our regular meal prep rotation.
SO good! I was a little skeptical because most homemade coney sauce tastes like canned chili, but this spice blend is spot on. Threw mine on top of grilled brats instead of hot dogs for our cookout last night and everyone was raving. Super easy too, even for someone who burns toast half the time lmao
Perfect easy recipe for my tiny dorm kitchen! Only needed one pot, didn’t make a huge mess, and it reheats like a dream for lunch all week. Way better than the sad dining hall hot dogs I’ve been living off of. 10/10 would make again.
Brought this to our neighborhood block party potluck last weekend and people were lined up for seconds! I prepped the sauce the night before to save time, and it tasted even better after sitting in the fridge overnight. Only note: I added a tiny extra squirt of yellow mustard because that’s how my grandma made her coneys, and it was chef’s kiss.
Tried this last night and wow, way easier than I thought it would be! Cook time was right on 35 minutes, which is perfect because we have soccer practice on Wednesdays and don’t have a ton of time to cook. Only complaint is my 7 year old decided he wants this for his birthday dinner now, so I guess I know what I’m making next month 😂
I’m super sensitive to spicy food so I was worried the coney sauce would have too much kick, but it was perfect! Mild, super flavorful, no weird overpowering spices. I did skip the paprika because I thought it might be too much for me, and it still turned out amazing. Served it with baked beans and coleslaw on the side, chef’s kiss.
I grew up eating Jackson coneys back when I was a kid in Michigan, and I’ve been chasing that flavor for 40 years since I moved out west. This recipe is the closest I’ve ever made at home! Tastes exactly like the ones they sold at the old ballpark when I was a teen. My grandkids thought I was a hero when I made these for our Sunday cookout. Great recipe, keep ‘em coming!
First time ever making coney sauce from scratch and it was so easy! I was intimidated because I thought it would require a ton of fancy ingredients, but I already had everything in my pantry except the ground beef. Cook time was super quick too, I didn’t even have to rush after work. My roommate walked in and thought I ordered takeout lmao
Made this over our camp stove last weekend on our camping trip and it was a hit! Pre-measured all the spices at home before we left so I didn’t have to pack a bunch of random spice bottles, and it cooked up in one cast iron skillet in no time. Way better than the usual hot dogs over the fire we usually make. Will definitely be a camping staple from now on