Tommy's Chili Recipe: The Best Thing to Happen to Your Taste Buds

If you’re from California, there is simply no way that you haven’t been to Tommy’s restaurant. Yes, the burgers are out of this world, and their chili is probably responsible for that. Luckily, you could easily make your own without having to take a trip.

Most of the long list of ingredients are pantry staples that you are likely to have in your kitchen, lying around somewhere, and the rest could be easily purchased. Of course, you can customize the recipe to suit your tastes.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Tips
• Tommy's Chili Recipe
• Comments

Ingredients

• Ground beef — 1 pound.
• Chili powder — 3 tbsp.
• Paprika — 1 tsp.
• Cayenne pepper — ¼ tsp.
• Onion powder — 1 tbsp.
• Vinegar — 1 tbsp.
• Beef broth — 2 cups.
• Carrot — 1 pc., large, and finely chopped.
• Flour — ¼ cup.
• Garlic powder — 1 tbsp.
• Salt and pepper — to taste.

Instructions

1. Add the carrot and the ground beef to a pot and cook until brown. Break the meat into small pieces with a fork.

2. Add garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.

3. Stir well to combine.

4. Whisk well vinegar, flour, and beef broth in a mixing bowl.

5. Pour the flour mixture into the pot.

6. Bring to a simmer and cook for another half an hour, until it thickens.

Substitutions

• Vinegar — Although Tommy's chili recipe calls for white vinegar, you don’t have to stick to that. Apple cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar would both work fairly well. Lastly, if you’re out of vinegar, yellow mustard does a pretty good job of replacing vinegar.

• Flour — Trust us on this one, the best chilis are the thicker ones, so we will be needing a thickener agent to work it out. And speaking of those, what could be better than all-purpose flour? Tommy’s chili recipe can work well also with masa harina, a staple in Mexican cuisine, and it fits like a glove in this chili recipe with an earthy flavor and a creamy texture.

• Beef broth — Any proper chili will include beef broth, and Tommy’s chili recipe is not an exception. It really shouldn’t come as a surprise though, what could work better than beef broth if you’re aiming to give your dish a rich and hearty flavor. If you’re out of stock, chicken broth, vegetable broth, and water with added bouillon will all work just as fine.

Variations

• Cincinnati-style chili — A classic Cincinnati-style chili is probably one of the best things in Ohio. Usually served over spaghetti, this rich variation uses cheese and oysters, along with the classic ingredients like onion and garlic.

• Vegetarian chili — We can already see that this one will have many fans. Ditch the meat, which is usually ground beef, and grab some vegetables. Onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and carrots will obviously play a huge part in this variation of Tommy’s Chili recipe, but you might also want to try beans. Chickpeas and quinoa are undoubtedly essential in this variation, and a vegetarian beef broth can replace the beef broth called for in the recipe.

• Three-bean chili — This variation not only offers much nutritional value, but it’s also incredibly delicious! Kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans all come together to provide a hearty and warm flavor. If you’d like to stick to the vegetarian part, you should go with vegetarian beef broth.

Equipment

• Measuring spoons and cups.

• Mixing bowl.

• Large pot.

• Fork.

• Whisk.

Storage

• After cooling your chili completely, transfer any leftovers to an airtight container.

• Stored in your fridge, it will last for up to four days.

Tips

• The meat — The meat could easily be the difference between a quality chili and an average one. Brown the meat properly, all the while breaking it into chunkable, small pieces.

• The simmering — Any chili, and that includes this copycat Tommy’s Chili recipe as well, is at its best when simmered for some time. This not only allows the flavors to meld together but also makes the vegetables and the meat more tender.