Casino Coney Burger

Pairs well with:

Zinfandel

Bright and full-bodied, this Zinfandel wine is a curious contradiction in tastes.

When I was young, my favorite place to get a Coney dog was the local drive in restaurant.I lived in a small town in Indiana and still think they had the best. The restaurant is not there any more but the memory is. So my American local burger is one that joins those flavors of my past with a new twist. My burger has all the elements of a Coney dog, they are just arranged in a different way. I think this burger could be American local burger in any city in the U.S.A because there is nothing better than beef, hot dogs and sauce!! The name, I just wanted it to reflect where I live, after all I am gambling with this burger, I hope it is a winner.

Ingredients:

Chili Sauce:
3 cups sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed or pressed
2 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Sutter Home Zinfandel
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup canned Chili Beans ( I used Bush’s Best Chili Beans, Medium) any good quality would work
1/4 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

Patties:
4 all-beef hotdogs
2 pounds ground chuck
1 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
3/4 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

1/4 cup olive oil for brushing grill rack and rolls
6 large onion rolls, sliced horizontally
6 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Preheat gas grill to medium-high temperature.

To prepare sauce: Toss onion, garlic, olive oil, wine, black pepper, and sea salt together in a large bowl. Cook onion mixture on grill, covered, in a 10-inch non-stick fire-proof skillet for 5 minutes, stir occasionally. Stir in chili beans, ketchup, mustard and chili powder, cover, move to outer edge of grill, stir occasionally, and continue to cook slowly until patties have been made. Remove from grill when patties are placed on the grill. If mixture needs additional moisture, stir in small amounts of water.

Split hot dogs in half lengthwise and place on hot grill. Grill on each side until blistered and has some charring. Remove hot dogs to cutting board and dice.

To make patties, combine hot dogs pieces, ground chuck, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the rolls. Brush the cut sides of rolls with olive oil.

When grill is ready, brush the grill rack with olive oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook turning once, until done to preference, 5 to 7 minutes on each side for medium. Remove patties to skillet with chili sauce, cover and set back on grill until rolls are toasted. Lay rolls cut side down on grill rack and lightly toast, 1 to 2 minutes.

To build burger, sprinkle 1 tablespoon pickle relish and 1 tablespoon shredded cheese on each roll bottom. Place a patty on each roll bottom, top each patty with equal portions of the Chili Sauce and then sprinkle each with equal portions of cheddar cheese. Add roll tops and enjoy.