For as long as I can remember, family get-togethers on my mother’s side included what we called “Oklahoma Coneys”: hot dogs smothered in chili and a tangy cabbage slaw. I always assumed the name was just something my family made up, and my husband, who grew up with Long Island coneys, was skeptical but became a quick convert. It turns out my family didn’t invent Oklahoma Coneys.
My mother was born in El Reno, Oklahoma, and lived there until high school. I recently discovered that chili and slaw coneys are an El Reno tradition, still served at diners where my aunts and uncles hung out as teenagers.
For me, the hot dog and bun were the least favorite part of an Oklahoma Coney. So, I traded the processed meat and refined-flour bun for fresh, skin-on potatoes, hand-cut into wedges and roasted in olive oil. Then, I piled them high with the meaty chili and tangy slaw that made an Oklahoma Coney worth craving.
This version keeps the savory chili and tangy slaw, but serves them over crisp roasted potato wedges instead of a hot dog and bun.
Make the chili sauce and potato wedges a day ahead, and dinner is fast and easy the next day. Make extra chili and potatoes for “nextovers”—leftovers transformed into entirely different dishes.
Nextover Ideas for the Chili Sauce
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Put extra chili sauce to work in any of these dishes:
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Chili mac
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Rice and beans
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Burritos or burrito bowls
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Loaded baked potato or sweet potato
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Nachos
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Breakfast hash with diced potatoes, vegetables, and an egg
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Stuffed peppers combined with rice
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are California chiles, and are they hot?
A: California chiles are ripe Anaheim peppers that have been dried, giving them a mild, slightly sweet chile flavor with gentle heat. They’re considerably milder than many other dried chiles, so you can use enough to give the chili a rich chile flavor without making it particularly spicy.
Q: Can I use regular chili powder instead of ground California chile?
A: You can, but the flavor won’t be the same. Most chili powders are blends that also contain spices such as cumin, garlic, and oregano. For the clean chile flavor in this recipe, look for ground California chile or grind dried California chile pods yourself.
Q: Why is there mushroom powder in the chili?
A: The Oklahoma coneys I grew up eating were made with commercial brick chili, a concentrated, finely textured beef chili sold in a tube or tub. To boost savory, umami flavor, commercial versions often use MSG. Dried mushroom powder is a whole-food alternative that provides naturally occurring glutamate and umami flavor without added MSG. Just a small amount is enough to enrich the beef flavor without making the chili taste like mushrooms. Save any extra mushroom powder to add savory flavor to soups and sauces, or use it in place of breadcrumbs in meatballs or meatloaf.
Q: Can I make the chili without oat flour?
A: The oat flour helps absorb moisture and gives the chili its thick, cohesive texture. For an oat-free option, try masa harina, preferably organic. Masa harina is sometimes used as a thickener in commercial chili, though you may need to adjust the water slightly to get the same desired consistency.
Q: Do I need to boil and chill the potatoes ahead of time?
A: Yes, if you can. Cooking and then chilling potatoes increases resistant starch—a prebiotic type of fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria and may help soften the blood-sugar rise after a potato-based meal. Some resistant starch remains after you reheat the wedges. As a bonus, this step also helps the wedges crisp beautifully in the oven and shortens the final cooking time.
