I’ve written quite a bit about coney island style hot dogs, including my version of the origin of the dog, courtesy of American Coney in Detroit; my home town favorite in Duluth, MN, and some other regional versions like Nu-Way in Macon. I’ve found very few ‘make at home’ preparations that I liked, today I picked up a can of Castleberry’s Hot Dog Chili Sauce.
Recipes for ‘coney sauce’ vary wildly around the country, from a pure meat-based sauce, to meat and beans, and in parts of the south, “hot dog sauce” takes the form of a red, watery, heavily onion-flavored topping. There’s a region of Michigan were the primary component is beef hearts; other places I have been actually use ground hot dogs in their concoction.
Castleberry’s is made of beans, beef fat, water, tomato, mustard, salt, and other flavorings and colors. In the can (pictured left) Castleberry’s resembles (to me) refried beans; the smell is reminiscent of vegetable beef soup.
It’s a ‘medium’ consistency, not particularly thin, not particularly thick. The flavor is predominantly “chili-like’, meaning the cumin really comes through. It’s salty, as well, which is unusual for me to notice, as I am an ‘over-salter’.
Would I purchase it again? Possibly. So far, though, my favorite “home-made” sauce comes from the dry packets of one of Cincinnati’s favorites, Skyline.
Castleberry says on their website they are the leading brand of hot dog chili sauce in America. If you can’t find it near you, you can order online.
Finished product featured Milwaukee’s Usinger’s Beef/Pork franks in a lamb casing, garden onions, Plochman’s yellow mustard, and buns from Pan O Gold Bakery in St. Cloud, MN.
You can gets some Castleberry’s online from our little store.
If you’re a curious person like me, you’ve probably always wondered why there isn’t a mustard museum. There is! The National Mustard Museum is located just outside of Madison, WI. Open seven days.
Hot Dog Chili Sauce Review