Coney Island Hot Dog Sauce Recipe

Hot Dog Sauce: This isn’t your regular chili dog topping—it’s smoother, sweeter, and has the perfect balance of tang, spice, and beefy goodness.

Course Condiment, Sauce

Cuisine American

Keyword Hot Dog Sauce

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 171kcal

Author Dana DeVolk

In a large skillet or saucepan, add the ground beef and water over medium heat.
½ pound ground beef, ½ water
As the beef starts to cook, use a spatula or potato masher to break it down into very fine crumbles.
Continue cooking and stirring for about 5 minutes until the meat is fully cooked and finely textured.
If the meat still looks chunky, add an extra splash of water and use a fork or potato masher to further break it down.
Stir in ketchup, mustard, sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and all spices.
¼ cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Mix everything well, ensuring the meat is evenly coated with the sauce.
Reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer gently for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
If the sauce gets too thick, add a few tablespoons of water to maintain a smooth texture.
For an extra-smooth texture, once the sauce has simmered: Use a food processor or immersion blender to pulse the sauce a few times. Alternatively, mash it further with a fork or potato masher. The final sauce should be thick but spreadable, not too chunky and not too watery.

Use a potato masher to break down the beef into small pieces while cooking. This gives it that classic Coney texture.
Simmer on low heat so the sauce thickens slowly and flavors come together.
Make it ahead of time – this sauce is even better the next day!
Double the batch and freeze half for easy meals later.
Add water as needed during cooking to keep the meat tender and moist.
Taste and adjust the spices at the end. Add a dash more vinegar, mustard, or sugar depending on your preference.