BEST Hot Dog Sauce Recipe (Coney-Style Sauce for Hot Dogs!) (2024)

Hot dog toppings are a touchy subject in my house; I am a firm believer that they need ketchup, while hubby says nothing but mustard. That may be an eternal debate, but when it comes to deciding on another hot dog condiment, we both agree that this hot dog sauce is not only allowed, but welcomed.

Based off a Coney Island-style sauce this falls somewhere in the middle of that style and the Rochester hot sauce used on Garbage Plates. The glaring differences are not using carrots, celery as well as the addition of beer.

Just because this sauce incorporates ground beef, don’t mistake it for a standard hot dog chili sauce. Its thinner consistency and unique flavor profile make it stand out from the leftover chili you may use to top typical chili dogs.

I make this sauce on the stovetop because I enjoy being able to taste as I cook but you can prepare it in your slow cooker as well. If you are having a number of guests, that could be far easier in terms of both cooking and serving.

If this is your first time making hot dog sauce, just remember there’s no wrong way to do it; you can adjust it to make it your own! Just make sure to have your favorite hot dogs and the freshest bag of your preferred hot dog buns.

Next time you’re having a cookout or friends over for game day, consider whipping up this easy sauce to spoon over your hot dogs. Oh — and feel free to still slather cheese sauce on there, too, for a new rendition of chili cheese dogs.

What is Hot Dog Sauce?

A traditional hot dog sauce is made of some combination of ground beef, acid (typically tomatoes), and hot spices like cayenne and chili powder. It also often incorporates flavors of garlic and onion.

While the list of ingredients may look similar to chili, the difference is both in texture and taste. A hot dog sauce is going to be slightly thinner than chili and often incorporates some flavors not found in a typical chili like allspice and cinnamon.

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil – If you don’t have vegetable oil you can substitute with the oil of your choice. Just be sure that it has a similar or smoke point.
• Ground beef – Ground chuck or ground sirloin work best for this recipe. Try to use an 80/20 blend; lean ground beef will not add as much flavor since it’s so low in fat.
• White onion – Make sure to chop your onion finely and uniformly. A medium onion is the best size to use.
• Beer – Always choose a beer that you would drink when you’re cooking with brews. Stouts or red ales are good choices, but you can reach out to your sud-swilling friends for recommendations, too.
• Garlic – Mince garlic (or use a garlic press) to ensure it has a finer texture. You can also use garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic on hand.
• Chili powder – If you like heat, dial it up by increasing the quantity of chili powder that you add. Similarly, reduce it a bit if you (or your family/guests) are sensitive to heat.
• Worcestershire sauce – Be sure not to skip this ingredient — it adds all the umami to this savory sauce.
• Kosher salt – You can use any variety of salt that you prefer, but I find that Kosher salt works best.
• Allspice – Used in both sweet and savory dishes, allspice rounds out a dish with aromas and flavors.
• Mustard – Ground mustard helps to bind ingredients together — using it makes for a more cohesive dish.
• Black pepper – Use black pepper as sparingly or heavily as you like depending on your heat preferences.
• Cumin – This ingredient is the one that brings earthy, balanced flavor to dishes like this one.
• Cinnamon – While you might think of cinnamon as an ingredient you reserve for sweets, it brings a nuanced flavor to this sauce.
• Cayenne pepper – Like chili powder, cayenne is going to pack a punch of heat.
• Tomato paste – The acid from tomatoes helps to balance the heat and cut through the fat of the oil and beef. Using the paste helps to thicken the sauce.
• Water – You can adjust this to make the sauce thicker or thinner, depending on your preference.

How to Use Hot Dog Sauce

Obviously you can use this sauce on hot dogs, but what else should you put it on?

• Potatoes – French fries, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, tater tots, even a warm potato salad will all be made better with this sauce. Lowering the carbs? All forms of cauliflower (rice, mashed) will work well, too.
• Burgers – Spread this on top of your burger to make a mound of meaty goodness in between the buns.
• Brats – Any sauce that works on a hot dog will also be perfect for brats or other styles of sausage.
• Nachos – Replace chili with this sauce over your tortilla chips and other nacho toppings.
• Breakfast – Serve your over easy or scrambled eggs atop this sauce Spoon it over hash browns, or use it in place of ham for a twist on a benedict.
• Cheese sauce – Mix with cheese sauce for a unique take on queso dip.
• Mac and cheese – Mix this sauce into your macaroni and cheese or serve it over top.
• Pasta – Spoon this over your penne or rigatoni or toss with elbows or shells. Add a shredded cheese of your choice over top.
• Stuffed peppers – Mix this sauce with rice and fill some peppers for a twist on traditional stuffed peppers.
• Mexican – Smother your burrito with it, or dip your quesadilla into it.
• Salad – Spoon this over your greens and other vegetables to up the protein and flavor.

Storage & Freezing

Store this sauce for up to 5 days in an airtight container. You can also make a big batch and freeze it for up to 3 months in ziploc bags.

More Homemade Sauces

• Mustard Aioli Sauce
• Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce
• Jalapeno Pineapple Sauce