Recipe: Tommy's Hamburgers

Original Tommy's World Famous Hamburgers
by Todd Wilbur

This recipe may be for the whole hamburger, but anybody who knows
about Tommy's goes there for the chili -- and les. Adding the right combination of water and flour and
broth and spices to the meat we can create a thick tomato-less chili sauce
worthy of the gajillions of southern California college students that make
late-night Tommy's runs a four-year habit. And if you don't live near one of the
two-dozen Tommy's outlets, you can still get a gallon of Tommy's famous chili
shipped to you. But I hope you really dig the stuff: You'll shell out around 70
bucks for the dry ice packaging and overnight shipping. And don't expect to see
the ingredients on the label since the chili comes packed in a gallon-size
mustard jug.

Chili
1 pound ground beef (not lean)*
1/4 cup flour plus 1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/3 cups beef broth
4 cups water
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoon grated (and then chopped) carrot
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

3 pounds ground beef
8 hamburger buns
16 slices Kraft cheddar cheese Singles
1/2 cup diced onion
32 to 40 hamburger pickles (slices)
8 slices large beefsteak tomato (1/2-inch thick)
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1. Prepare the chili by first browning the meat in a large saucepan over medium
heat. Crumble the meat as it browns. When the meat has been entirely cooked (7
to 10 minutes), pour the meat into a strainer over a large cup or saucepan. Let
the fat drip out of the meat for about 5 minutes, then return the meat back to
the first saucepan. Cover and set aside.
2. With the fat from the meat, we will now make a roux -- a French contribution
to thicker sauces and gravies usually made with fat and flour. Heat the
drippings in a saucepan over medium heat (you should have drained off around 1/2
cup of the stuff). When the fat is hot, add 1/4 cup flour to the pan and stir
well. Reduce heat to medium/low, and continue to heat the roux, stirring often
until it is a rich caramel color. This should take from 10 to 15 minutes. Add
the beef broth to the pan and stir. Remove from heat.
3. Meanwhile, back at the other pan, add the water to the beef, then whisk in
the remaining 1 1/4 cups flour. Add the roux/broth mixture and the other chili
ingredients and whisk until blended. Make sure your grated carrot is chopped up
to the size of rice before you add it.
4. Crank the heat up to medium/high. Stir often until you see bubbles forming on
the surface of the chili. Turn the heat down to medium/low, and continue to
simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thick. The chili should be calmly bubbling
like lava as it simmers. When it's done cooking, take the chili off the heat,
cover it, and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour before using it on the
burgers. It should thicken to a tasty brown paste as it sits.
5. To make your hamburgers, you'll first divide 3 pounds of hamburger into 16
portions of 3 ounces each. Grill the burgers on in a hot skillet or on an indoor
griddle for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done. Use some salt and pepper on
each patty.
6. Build the burgers by lightly toasting the faces of the hamburger buns. Turn
them over into a hot skillet or a griddle on medium heat.
7. Place one patty onto the bottom bun.
8. Position two slices of cheese on the meat.
9. Place another beef patty on the cheese.
10. Spoon about 1/3 cup of chili onto the beef patty.
11. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of diced onion onto the chili.
12. Arrange 4 to 5 pickle slices on the onion.
13. Place a thick slice of tomato on next.
14. Spread mustard over the face of the top bun and top off your hamburger by
turning this bun over onto the tomato.
Makes 8 burgers. (6 cups of chili.)
*Tidbits
Make sure the ground beef you use has a fat content of at least 20 percent. This
way you'll be sure to get enough fat to make the roux.
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