Michigan Hot Dogs
When I was a child, my family loved going to Lafleur Restaurants. It was and still is a fast food chain. Their menu is pretty abbreviated; hot-dogs, burgers, corn dogs, fries, poutines, pops, and water… that’s all. There’s one item from the menu that I made for David a few years ago and it actually became one of his favorites… It’s Michigan Hot Dogs!
What? Michigan???
It’s basically a regular beef hot dog in a nice warm bun topped generously with a beautiful meat sauce and for garnish, a good drizzle of yellow mustard and some chopped white onions. It’s a tasty finger food! It’s similar to a Coney Island Hot Dog but with different ingredients.
Summer is about picnics and backyard parties. As much as hot dogs are fun to make, they can get old in a hurry! Making a tasty meat topping changes the whole experience of having what we call in French “un chien-chaud”. It’s different and soooo delicious… I kid you not!
Obviously the sauce is what makes the dish. If I can describe it the best, I would say it’s sweet, tangy and tomatoey with a little zip to it. The secret for this flavorful sauce is to cook it down slowly until the liquid is all evaporated and it turns into a thick consistency. It’s easy to make and also freezes very well.
Technically, real Michigan Hot Dogs are not served on regular hot dog buns but rather on New England buns, the same ones used for Lobster Rolls. In Québec and Ontario they are easy to find but here on the west coast, I can’t find them anywhere. When I filmed this recipe last year, I didn’t have any on hand – my mother became my supplier – so I had no choice but to go with the regular hot dog buns. If you’re in the same situation as me, it’s okay, it’s not a big deal…
As much as I try having a good diet, once in a while, it’s nice to have some “junk” food and these Michigan Hot Dogs fit the bill. This summer, bring your favorite finger food to the next level by making this delicious recipe…
Bon Appétit!
Check out these other great casual dining recipes…
– California Burgers
– Moo Shu Pork Tortillas
– Grilled Jalapeño Poppers
– Spicy Beef Nacho Supreme
– Sweet Chili Chicken Bites
– Meat Lovers Pizza
and for even more beef recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Beef
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Michigan Hot Dogs
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Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. olive oil tips & tricks
- 3/4 cup white onions, finely chopped plus more for garnish
- 1/4 tsp. ground Himalayan sea salt, or to taste and divided
- 2 large cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 1/2 cup ketchup, such as Heinz®
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. prepared yellow mustard, plus more for garnish
- 1 tbsp. chili sauce such as Heinz
- 1 tbsp. Frank's hot sauce
- 1/2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tbsp. white vinegar
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. mild paprika
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste tips & tricks
- 6 sausages
- 6 hot dog buns see Recipe
Directions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil and when it gets hot, add onion and a pinch of salt; sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Add garlic and sauté for only 1 minute
- Add ground beef, breaking into small pieces; season with salt and pepper. Cook until barely pink.
- When the beef is almost done, add ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, chili sauce, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, white vinegar, chili powder, mild paprika and cumin; stir to combine.
- Add tomato sauce and tomato paste; stir well.
- Cover and bring mixture to a gentle boil; reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes.
- Ten minutes later, uncovered and continue cooking until the liquid is evaporated, stirring often
- When the sauce is thick, start steaming the hot dogs and warm up the buns.
- When ready to serve, place the dogs in the warm buns, spoon on a generous amount of the meat topping, drizzle on some mustard and garnish with chopped white onions.
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