For today’s Parfait! (repeat) post, let’s take a look at a lightened up version of Coney Dog Chili Sauce, which is one of our favorite toppings for hot dogs or (even better) Vienna Beef Polish Sausages steamed in beer!
The cool thing with this “lightened” recipe is that, instead of adding extra “stuff,” I made it all just a bit healthier by swapping out ground turkey for ground beef, unsalted chicken stock in place of beef stock, and used honey in place of most of the sugar.
I was gonna use cracker crumbs, but I had just happened to make a most excellent batch of corn bread croutons in the air fryer (details to come), so used them instead.
Note: you want to make this gluten-free as well? No worries! Replace the cornbread (or cracker) crumbs with G-F panko crumbs or almond flour. Both work a treat.
INGREDIENTS
•1 lb ground turkey
•1-1/2 tsp olive oil
•1 cup chopped celery
•1 tbsp Sherry vinegar
•1 tbsp Mike’s Hot Honey
•1 tsp garlic powder
•1 tsp onion powder
•1 tsp chili powder
•1 tsp paprika
•1 tsp Aleppo pepper
•1 tsp mixed dried green Hatch peppers
•1 tsp sugar
•1/2 tsp allspice
•1/2 tsp curry powder
•1/2 tsp oregano
•1/2 tsp black pepper
•2 tbsp ketchup (I used a spicy local brand)
•1 tbsp yellow mustard
•1 tbsp Sherry Peppers Sauce*
•1-1/4 cup unsalted chicken stock
•1/4 cup espresso
•1 tbsp corn bread crouton crumbs
•1/2 cup Heinz 57 Sauce
*No Sherry Peppers Sauce? No Problem! Simply add a bit of decent sherry (none of that “cooking” stuff) and a dash or three of your fave hot sauce, to taste.
Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and add the ground turkey and chopped celery.
Cook, stirring to chop up the turkey for about ten minutes, until the turkey is mostly cooked through.
Stir in the seasonings and remaining ingredients until well mixed.
Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring often, until the chili sauce is reduced and nicely thickened, about 45 minutes.
Note: my chili sauce was a touch, ermmm, zippier than I wanted, so I stirred in two tablespoons of half and half and cooked it down a bit more. Worked a treat.
A note on the ketchup: I used 78 Red Spicy. It is imported from Poland by a local Chicago company and has no weird additives or corn sweeteners. If your market doesn’t carry it, Amazon (of course) does.
A note on the peppers: this blend of Hatch Valley peppers is the real deal – dried pepper flakes and nothing else. It, too, is (of course) available at Amazon.
Once your chili sauce is ready, set it on a back burner to keep warm and bring about 24 ounces of your favorite beer to a boil in a small pot.
Add your hot dogs or Polish sausage, cover the pot, and let rest off the heat for five or ten minutes while you lightly toast your poppy seed hot dog buns on a 225º oven.
Note: obviously, this method is only good for fully cooked hot dogs or sausages.
Buns toasted, chili sauce thickened and ready, and hot dogs (or Polish sausages) nicely heated through, go ahead and serve.
We like ours with yellow mustard and a home made quick relish I make of chopped spicy pickles, red onion, and tomatoes.
Tasty.